To soak corn before grilling, the recommended soaking time varies around 10 minutes to 2 hours depending on the method and preference:
- A common recommendation is to soak the corn with husks on in cold water for about 1 to 2 hours. This soaking helps the husks absorb moisture, which creates steam and prevents the husks from burning during grilling, resulting in juicier corn.
- Some recipes and grilling guides suggest soaking for a minimum of 30 minutes if time is short, which still helps reduce husk burning.
- Others recommend as little as 10 to 15 minutes of soaking to prevent burning of the husks without sacrificing flavor.
- When grilling corn wrapped in foil (without husks), soaking for about 45 minutes is suggested to aid in steaming the corn while grilling.
- Soaking overnight (several hours) is possible but not necessary for good results, with diminishing returns after a couple of hours.
In summary, soaking corn with husks on for about 30 minutes to 2 hours is optimal before grilling to keep husks moist and produce juicy, tender corn. A shorter soak of 10-15 minutes can also work if pressed for time. This soaking step is mainly to prevent burning of the husks and to help steam the corn while grilling.
