Corn Ribs Recipe

Best corn ribs recipe in air fryer, Ninja Foodi, baked in oven or grilled turns out great. Tender kernels off your corn on the cob with bold seasonings you can make spicy or mild will become your favorite side dish ever.

Corn Ribs Air Fryer Recipe

Ok so we are going to start with how to prep these because no matter how you cook them that is the same no matter which way you cook them. You always want them to start out fresh right out of the produce section of your grocery store, or better yet from a farmers market. Frozen defrosted would technically work but the texture won’t be as good.

How to Cut Corn Ribs

You may have sliced the kernels off the cob before, especially if your kids once had braces (been there). In this case you need a bit of the cob to stay attached so they don’t fall off, but rather come off in a long string so you can nibble each one off.

1. First you need to shuck each one, we are cooking 2 cobs total for this easy air fryer recipe, all that will fit in one batch.
2. Cut 1″ off one end so it will sit down flat on one end and allow you to slice without it falling over.
3. Use a sharp knife to slice the cob in half as you see here.

Then cut each half in half so you have 4 equal pieces that can be seasoned and ribs cooked as desired.

Corn ribs in oven work similarly to what we share with you below, except it takes twice as long. You are looking at 20ish minutes vs. 10 or so but both yield a great result. One plus to this cooking method is you can fit quite a few on a baking sheet vs. an air fryer basket. For large crowds this may be a better choice.

Air Fryer Method

Once you have those pieces prepped you should preheat your cooking method of choice. In this countertop appliance we are going to set it to 375 (or 380 F. for only even numbered machines), same goes for oven directions. Wait until the temperature is reached before adding your food. You want a steady, even cooking the whole time.

in the Oven

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Prep riblets as directed above
3. Line baking sheet with parchment paper
4. Lay corn ribs on sheet and brush on the buttered seasoning mix until coated
5. Bake for 20 – 30 minutes total, flipping each piece is not necessary.
6. We will make Baked Riblets in Oven at the same time for a complete meal this way
7. Test at 20 minutes with a fork to see if kernels are tender and/or as browned on the outside as you would like.

How do you tell when corn ribs are done?

The best determiner is to look at them to see if they have crisped to a golden brown and have shrunk down, curling a bit.

Grilled Option

If you wanted to make this in a Traeger I would recommend grilling vs. smoked corn on the cob. With the latter you cook at a very low temp for a lot longer. Not only is the timing a turn off but more importantly you won’t get the browned crisp you desire on the outside this way.

Instead you want to set your electric grill to 380 F, or if using charcoal wait until the flame has died down and coals are white. You don’t want these over direct heat as they will burn and need time to get tender as well as brown. Total cook time is around 16 minutes, flipping halfway thru. Timing will depend on how hot your grill is.

If you shop at this store you may have noticed that they now offer frozen corn ribs!! These are already seasoned which is great, and you don’t need to defrost them. In fact it is better if you don’t do anything at all and just cook right out of the bag as is to perfectly tender.

How to Cook From Frozen

For these there are directions on the back of the package for air frying but I will reiterate them below as well. You could easily make your own if you love batch cooking and found them at the store super cheap. Just slice, season and freeze in a freezer bag to be used at a later date. Then all you do is;

1. Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F for 5 minutes
2. Lay as many frozen corn riblets in the basket as desired in a single layer, without overlapping
3. Close basket and cook for a total of 12 minutes flipping over halfway in the middle.
4. If you want them browner, spray some olive oil on top of each one 2 minutes before finishing.

There really isn’t a need to spray the basket in this case, or if you were to make air fryer corn on the cob without slicing them, the regular method. There is nothing that is going to really stick other than some of the seasoning which washes away easily.

How to Cook Corn Ribs in Air Fryer

• Preheat the air fryer to 375 F.
• Cut the fresh corn cobs into four equal pieces.
• To do this; stand the cob upright, cut it in half lengthwise right down the centre of the cob using a very sharp knife.
• Then slice those halves in half so you have 4 ribs of equal size.
• In a small bowl, add in the seasonings with the melted butter and stir well to combine. Brush the ribs with the butter mixture on all sides.
• Add the corn ribs to the basket of your air fryer in a single layer.
• Air fry and cook at 375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes, flipping over halfway thru the timing, or until kernels are as tender as you would like and the ribs start to crisp and curl.

Of course when you season the corn you can use whatever you like, below is just what works well for us. Other suggestions along with the chili powder blend might be garlic powder or even smoked paprika. For dairy free you can use a plant based vegan butter alternative if needed.

When done you can sprinkle on cotija cheese if you like and/or a squirt of fresh lemon or lime juice is common.