Grilled Corn on the Cob — Sweet Enough to Deserve a Place at the Memorial Day Table

Memorial Day. We went to the cemeteries again, same as last year, same as every year. Bonaventure first, for Michael. Laurel Grove second, for Mama and Daddy and James Jr., who is there now too, just down the row from our parents. The Williams family plot is filling up, baby. That's the thing nobody tells you about getting older — you visit more graves than dinner tables, and the flowers you buy aren't for vases anymore.

I stood at Michael's stone and I told him about Marcus. "Your nephew is getting married next month, Michael. A girl named Tasha. She's good. She peeled potatoes the first time she met me, and she ate two slices of my pie. You'd like her." I told him about Kayla — junior year, almost done, on her way to being a nurse. I said, "Your baby girl is going to save people, Michael. She got that from you — that thing you had, that need to take care of everyone around you." Earl stood beside me and put his hand on the stone, same as always. We walked back to the car. The Spanish moss was swaying and the river was silver in the May light and Savannah was so beautiful it hurt, the way beautiful things hurt when you know they won't last.

For Memorial Day dinner, I made Frogmore stew again — the tradition. Shrimp, corn, potatoes, sausage, Old Bay, dumped on newspaper in the yard. Denise and Robert came. Kayla came. Miss Corrine came next door with her folding chair and her opinions. The shrimp were perfect. The corn was sweet. The sausage was snappy. We ate with our hands and the juice ran down our arms and nobody cared because this is how you eat Frogmore stew — messy, loud, together.

Kayla announced at dinner that she and Travis broke up. She said it casually, the way you mention the weather. "Also, Travis and I aren't together anymore." I said, "Are you all right?" She said, "I'm fine. He was on his phone too much." I looked at Earl. Earl looked at me. Our look said: "We knew." I didn't say I told you so, because I am a grandmother, not a monster. But I thought it. I thought it loudly.

Now go on and feed somebody.

The corn is always what people remember. Every year I make the Frogmore stew — the shrimp, the sausage, the potatoes — and every year somebody at the table says, “Dorothy, that corn.” This year was no different, except Kayla was newly single and Miss Corrine had opinions about that too, and somehow the corn still held its own above all the noise. If you’re not doing a full boil, you can get that same sweet, snappy result right off the grill — a little char, a little butter, and Old Bay, because this is Savannah and we don’t do plain.

Grilled Corn on the Cob with Old Bay Butter

Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 25 min | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 6 ears fresh corn, husks pulled back and silks removed
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning, plus more for serving
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (optional)
• Flaky sea salt, for finishing

Instructions

1. Make the Old Bay butter. In a small bowl, combine the softened butter, Old Bay, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and kosher salt. Stir until fully blended and smooth. Set aside at room temperature while you heat the grill.
2. Prep the corn. Pull husks back from each ear but leave them attached at the base — they make a natural handle. Remove all silk threads. Pat the cobs dry with a paper towel so they get a proper sear and don’t steam on the grill.
3. Preheat the grill. Heat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high, about 400°F. Clean and oil the grates well. You want good contact and no sticking.
4. Grill the corn. Place the cobs directly on the grates. Grill for 12–15 minutes total, turning every 3–4 minutes, until the kernels are tender and lightly charred in spots. You want color, not burning — a few dark spots are good. A few scorched rows means you walked away too long.
5. Butter immediately. Pull the corn off the grill and brush generously with the Old Bay butter right away, while the cobs are hot enough to melt it in. Don’t be shy. Give each ear a second coat if the mood strikes you.
6. Finish and serve. Sprinkle with a pinch of flaky sea salt and extra Old Bay if you like. Add parsley for color. Serve hot, with extra butter on the side and plenty of napkins. This is not a tidy food, and that is the point.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 165 | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Carbs: 22g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 310mg