The Latest in FoodTok: Corn Ribs

Corn ribs are going viral this summer, and with corn in season there’s no better time than now to try out this yummy TikTok trend!

Corn ribs had a moment back in February, after recipe developer and TikTok user, Farrah J., posted this video of her elote-inspired version of the dish. Now that it’s summer and corn is back in season, the dish is once again trending, and rightfully so — it’s appealing to the eye, fairly simple to make, and, most importantly, delicious!

Corn ribs may be the “latest trend” on the Internet, but for some restaurants and their patrons, they are nothing new. Amidst corn ribs’ recent popularity, David Chang’s Asian fusion empire, Momofuku, went to Instagram and laid claim to originating the concept in 2017 with their own version of the dish: deep fried corn ribs served with a squid ink aioli. 

Hai Hai Ramen, a ramen restaurant in Australia, quickly dethroned Momofuku as the originator of the corn rib, though, commenting on their post that they’ve been “doin’ it since 2016,” with their take on the dish which is served with miso butter and furikake.

I don’t want to make any definitive comments about the who, what, where, and why of corn ribs’ origins (just in case another restaurant that “did it first” has something to say), but what I will say is that this dish is a banger!

Corn ribs are made by quartering the corn lengthwise to give it that rib-like structure, with the core of the corn as the “bone” and the kernels as the “meat.” Each rib is then brushed with oil or butter mixed with seasonings, cooked in the oven or fryer, and served with any additional toppings.

This trend gains some major points for recreating the “ribs” experience — messy fingers and sauce on your lips included — but I’ll refrain from saying that you have to try these because cutting the corn can be difficult (and a lil’ stressful), especially without a sharp knife and careful hands. Fun, or not so fun, (unfortunate actually) fact: a TikTok user commented on Farrah J.’s original video that she had to get stitches after trying to cut her corn (yikes!).

But don’t let the corn cutting stop you from trying out this trend. Whether you do it ribs style, or recreate it corn-on-the-cob style, the real beauty of this snack is in its flavor.

I followed Farrah J.’s recipe for my corn ribs, and, y’all, the flavor is just *chefs kiss*. You get a nice mix of flavors from the olive oil and spices brushed onto the corn before cooking, but you also get some sweetness from the corn itself, saltiness from a sprinkle of cotija cheese, and a spicy kick from the wonderfully balanced chipotle lime mayo drizzled over the corn after cooking.

So final verdict? Do it for the flavor! This recipe does not miss and I will most definitely be making corn ribs again. 

Corn Ribs

• Prep Time:10 mins
• Cook Time:10 mins
• Total Time:20 mins
• Servings:2
• Easy

Ingredients

• 2 pieces corn
• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons lemon pepper
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• salt
• 1/2 cup mayo
• 2 teaspoons chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 1 lime
• cotija cheese for serving
• chopped cilantro for serving

• Step 1

  Preheat your air fryer or oven to 400° Fahrenheit.

• Step 2

  In a small bowl, mix 6 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 teaspoons of lemon pepper, 2 teaspoons of garlic powder, 2 teaspoons of chili powder, 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, and salt to taste. Set the mixture aside.

  

• Step 3

  Take 2 pieces of corn, and cut each piece into quarters lengthwise.

  

• Step 4

  Generously brush the mixture of olive oil and spices onto the corn.

  

• Step 5

  Cook the corn in the air fryer or the oven at 400° Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.

  

• Step 6

  While the corn cooks, make the chipotle lime mayo. In a small bowl, mix 1/2 cup mayo, 2 teaspoons chopped chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, and the juice of 1 lime.

  

• Step 7

  Once the corn is cooked, top it off with a drizzling of chipotle lime mayo sauce, crumbled cotija cheese, and chopped cilantro!