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Grilled Corn with Smoked Honey Butter

Name: Grilled Corn with Smoked Honey Butter
Prep time: 45 min
Total time: 3 h
Yield: 6 serving(s)
Ingredients: 1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature; 2 oz. bourbon; 1 tbsp. pure honey; 1 tsp. sweet paprika; 1 tsp. garlic powder; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; 1/4 c. confectioners’ sugar; 1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg; Canola oil; 6 ears fresh corn, shucked

A little sweet and a lot savory, this corn recipe will be your new go-to summer bbq recipe.

By Ed MitchellPublished: May 24, 2026

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Grilled corn served with sauce on a table set for a meal.

Becky Luigart-Stayner for Country Living

Yields:

6 serving(s)

Prep Time:

45 mins

Total Time:

3 hrs

Ed Mitchell is one of the country’s most respected whole-hog barbecue pitmasters, but he’s quite savvy about sides, too. This recipe—which is included in his book, Ed Mitchell’s Barbeque—is best made with Silver Queen corn, a North Carolina staple.

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Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 oz. bourbon
1 Tbsp. pure honey
1 tsp. sweet paprika
1 tsp. garlic powder
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
Canola oil
6 ears fresh corn, shucked

Directions

1. Step 1Preheat grill or smoker to 200°F with oak or pecan wood chips in a tray. Combine butter, bourbon, honey, paprika, and garlic powder in a stainless-steel bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Place bowl on grill and smoke until smoky, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool slightly. Add confectioners’ sugar and nutmeg and stir to combine. Cool to room temperature. Can be stored up to 2 days.
2. Step 2Set up grill for direct cooking and heat to medium-high. Once hot, clean and oil grill grates. Grill corn, turning occasionally until charred, 6 to 8 minutes. Brush with smoked honey butter and season with salt.

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