Butter for corn on the cob is a compound butter made with crispy bacon, garlic, fresh cilantro and chipotle chili powder, ready in 15 minutes. That makes it a fast upgrade for a summer cookout or a weeknight side, since one batch keeps in the fridge for four days and in the freezer for two months.
The key step is pouring off the rendered bacon fat and drizzling it back into the butter, because that liquid fat carries the smoky flavor that the crumbled strips alone cannot deliver. Skip it and you get bacon bits sitting in plain butter instead of butter that tastes like bacon all the way through.
What sets this version apart is the pinch of sugar worked into the butter, which pushes the natural sweetness of the corn forward. You will not taste sugar in the spread, but even average supermarket corn reads as fresher and sweeter once the butter melts into it.
Butter for Corn on the Cob
Course: Side DishCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy8
servings5
minutes10
minutes140
kcalBacon is cooked until crisp and both the strips and the rendered fat go into a food processor with softened unsalted butter, garlic, cilantro, chipotle chili powder, salt and a pinch of sugar. A few pulses brings it together, and one tablespoon coats a single ear of corn.
Ingredients
3 strips uncooked bacon
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 cup packed fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of sugar
Directions
- Cook the bacon:Place the bacon in a medium skillet over medium heat and cook, flipping now and then, until crisp. Move the strips to a plate and pour the rendered fat into a small bowl. Do not throw the fat out.
- Build the butter:Add the softened butter to a small food processor or chopper along with the garlic, cilantro, chipotle chili powder, salt and sugar. Drizzle in the reserved bacon fat and crumble the cooked bacon on top.
- Pulse and use:Pulse until the mixture is evenly combined and flecked with bacon and cilantro. Spread 1 tablespoon on each hot ear of corn, or stir 1 tablespoon into 1 cup of hot corn kernels.
FAQs
Can you make this butter without a food processor?
Yes, mash everything together in a bowl with the back of a fork, which works as long as the butter is properly softened. Mince the garlic and chop the cilantro much finer than you would for the processor, since a fork will not break them down. And warm butter that has gone greasy or half melted will not hold the mix, so leave it on the counter rather than in the microwave.
What can you use instead of chipotle chili powder?
Regular chili powder works in the same quantity and gives you the warmth without the smoke. A quarter teaspoon of the adobo liquid from a can of chipotles in adobo is the closer match, since that liquid carries the same smoky heat. And smoked paprika covers the smoke but almost none of the heat, so add a pinch of cayenne alongside it.
How long does compound butter keep?
Sealed in an airtight container in the fridge it holds for about four days, and in the freezer it keeps for two months. The fresh garlic and cilantro are what limit the fridge window, since both turn dull and slightly bitter after a few days. Roll it into a log in parchment before freezing, which lets you slice off single tablespoons without thawing the whole batch.
Do you have to use unsalted butter?
Unsalted is the safer choice here, because the bacon and the added salt already bring plenty and salted butter varies a lot between brands. If salted butter is what you have, leave out the quarter teaspoon of salt, mix everything, then taste and adjust. And smoked sea salt is worth swapping in if you can find it, since it mimics the char you would get from grilling.
Should you add sugar to corn?
Add it if you are not already cooking the corn with sugar in the water, since it sharpens the sweetness and makes mediocre out of season corn taste closer to peak summer. Leave it out if your boiling water is already sweetened or if you prefer corn on the savory side. And the amount is small enough that nobody tastes sugar in the butter itself, only better corn.
