Miso-Butter Corn
Summer corn meets Japanese pantry staples. Charred, buttery, with umami depth.
Summer corn is perfect on its own—sweet, juicy, needs nothing but butter and salt. But after the fifth ear of plain corn, you start looking for variations. Enter miso butter: the Japanese pantry staple that adds savory, funky, umami depth to sweet corn without overwhelming it.
The technique is simple: char the corn on a cast iron skillet or grill, then slather with miso-spiked butter and finish with lime. The char adds smokiness, the miso adds complexity, the butter adds richness, the lime adds brightness. It's the kind of dish where each element makes the others better.
Once you make this, regular butter-and-salt corn tastes flat in comparison. The miso doesn't make it taste "Asian" or out of place at a summer BBQ—it just makes it taste *more*. More savory, more interesting, more addictive. It's one of those recipes where people ask "what's in this?" and you feel smug telling them.
Ingredients
- 4 ears fresh corn — Shucked. Use the freshest, sweetest corn you can find. Farmers market in August is ideal.
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter — Softened to room temperature. Salted butter works too but reduce added salt.
- 2 tbsp white or yellow miso paste — White (shiro) is milder, yellow (shinshu) is funkier. Both work. Avoid red miso—too assertive here.
- 1 tsp honey or sugar — Balances the saltiness of miso. Optional but recommended.
- 1 lime — Juiced. About 2 tablespoons. Brightens everything.
- 1 tbsp neutral oil — For the pan. Vegetable, canola, or grapeseed.
- Flaky sea salt — For finishing. Maldon or similar.
- Optional toppings: Toasted sesame seeds, chopped scallions, cilantro, shichimi togarashi, or grated Parmesan.
Instructions
- Make miso butter. In a small bowl, combine softened butter, miso paste, and honey. Mix thoroughly with a fork until smooth and uniform. Taste—it should be savory, slightly funky, with a hint of sweetness. Adjust if needed. Set aside at room temperature.
- Prepare corn. Shuck the corn and remove all silk. Pat dry with paper towels. If your ears are very long, you can halve them crosswise to make them easier to handle in the pan.
- Heat the pan. Heat a large cast iron skillet over high heat for 2-3 minutes until smoking. Add neutral oil and swirl to coat. Cast iron is ideal because it gets screaming hot and holds that heat. A grill also works perfectly—medium-high direct heat.
- Char the corn. Add corn ears to the hot pan. Let sit without moving for 2-3 minutes until deeply charred in spots. Rotate one-quarter turn and repeat. Continue rotating until all sides have char marks, about 8-10 minutes total. Don't worry about even coverage—rustic charring is the goal.
- Check doneness. The corn should be tender when pierced with a knife but still have snap. If using very fresh corn, it's technically edible raw, so you're just heating it through and adding char. Older corn may need a couple minutes longer.
- Apply miso butter. Remove corn from heat. While still hot, use a brush or spoon to slather each ear generously with miso butter. The heat will melt it into a glossy coating. Use all of it—don't be shy.
- Finish and serve. Squeeze lime juice over the corn. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Add optional toppings if using—toasted sesame seeds and scallions are classic. Serve immediately while hot. Provide napkins. This is messy eating.
Notes & Variations
Choosing Miso
White miso (shiro): Mild, slightly sweet, fermented for a shorter time. Best for those new to miso or feeding a crowd with varied palates. This is what most recipes call for.
Yellow miso (shinshu): Medium fermentation, more assertive, saltier. My preference—adds more complexity without being overwhelming.
Red miso (aka): Long fermentation, very salty, intense. Too much for this dish—save it for miso soup or marinades.
Grilling Method
If using a grill instead of cast iron: preheat to medium-high (about 400-450°F). Grill corn directly over heat, turning every 2-3 minutes, until charred all over, about 10-12 minutes total. Apply miso butter immediately after removing from grill.
Make-Ahead Miso Butter
The miso butter can be made up to a week ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before using, or apply while cold and let the hot corn melt it. You can also freeze miso butter for up to 3 months—make a big batch and use it on grilled vegetables, fish, or steak.
Variations
- Spicy miso corn: Add 1 tsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper flakes) or 1/2 tsp cayenne to the miso butter.
- Garlic miso corn: Add 1-2 cloves grated garlic to the miso butter. Pungent but delicious.
- Herb miso corn: Mix chopped cilantro, basil, or shiso into the miso butter.
- Cheesy miso corn: After applying miso butter, sprinkle with grated Parmesan or Pecorino. Sounds weird, tastes incredible.
- Street corn style: After miso butter and lime, roll in a mixture of mayo, Cotija cheese, chili powder, and cilantro. Mexican-Japanese fusion.
Using Frozen Corn
Fresh is ideal, but if fresh summer corn isn't available, frozen works. Thaw completely and pat very dry to remove excess moisture. The char won't be as dramatic, but the flavor combination still works. Skip this in winter and just wait for summer.
What to Serve It With
- Grilled meats (especially chicken thighs or pork chops)
- Japanese-style rice bowls
- Summer BBQ spread alongside coleslaw and potato salad
- Tacos (pairs surprisingly well with fish tacos)
- As an appetizer or side for casual dinners
Leftovers
Unlikely, but if you have leftovers: cut the kernels off the cob and use them in fried rice, grain bowls, quesadillas, or salads. The miso butter coating adds tremendous flavor to anything it touches. Leftover miso butter is also excellent on toast, roasted vegetables, or melted over fish.
The Umami Principle
Miso adds glutamates—the compounds responsible for umami, the "fifth taste" beyond sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. It's the savory depth that makes food taste *more like itself*. Corn is already naturally sweet and a bit savory. The miso amplifies the savory notes, creating contrast with the sweetness and making both more pronounced. This is why it works so well—it's not adding a foreign flavor, it's enhancing what's already there.
Why This Recipe Matters
This is a gateway recipe for cooking with miso. It's easy, hard to mess up, and produces dramatic results that make people rethink what corn can be. Once you understand how miso enhances other ingredients, you'll start adding it to marinades, glazes, dressings, and sauces. It's one of the most versatile ingredients in any kitchen, and corn is the perfect introduction.