I have just seen Steven R's show where he says the great debate is on best way to grill corn on the cob. He demonstrates his favorite method by putting corn in the husk directly on top of lump charcoal, and leaving them until the husks are burned off. He prefers the taste of the caramelized kernels.
I have been grilling corn in the husk routinely ever since seeing my brother-in-law toss them on his gas grill. I have my own favorite way of grilling corn, which I will tell you about.
First step is selecting the corn at the market. Shoppers tend to peel or split the husk to peak at the kernels. I look for corn that has its husk intact. Husk that has been damaged will not stay wrapped around the cob while grilling, and exposing the corn to the grill affects its taste.
Next, I like to prepare my corn in the husk by trimming off the hanging silk and flopping leaves so it becomes a streamlined package. I also remove the few outermost husks that don't cover the whole length of the cob. Removing them is easer than cleaning the husk, and they would separate away from the cob when heated anyway.
To cook, I put the corn on first to give it more grilling time. The green husks should become completely scorched brown from grilling. The kernels are protected by the husks and shouldn't become scorched. I like to use the silk to indicate how done the corn is cooked. Raw silk is springy, and the fibers will fly out all over the place when shucking off the husk. Cooked silk is limp, and the fibers will stick together in a neat glob making it easy to remove them.
To eat, I just peel back the husks and use them as a handle. I love the taste of the natural corn, so I don't put on it any condiments or butter like how Steven does.
