Give Corn On The Cob A Vibrant Bite Using One Iconic Seasoning

While corn on the cob is a delicious campfire and barbecue staple, one of its main limitations lies in its pairings. Unlike most corn sides, corn on the cob's stick presentation results in many classic inclusions sliding off its cylindrical surface. As such, corn on cob's toppings are often limited to a light sauce or spice blend. However, with the right seasoning, corn on the cob needs little else to become a stunning side dish.

Tajín seasoning is the must-try addition to grilled corn on the cob. A blend of sea salt, dehydrated lime juice, and ground red chiles, Tajín provides a citrusy kick that adds vibrant flavor to an otherwise simple vegetable. When it comes to the best foods to top with Tajín, corn is high on the list. Tajín offers the perfect combination of tanginess, heat, and salt to corn on the cob, giving it an elote-like flair.

Seasoning corn on the cob with Tajín provides everything it needs to shine. Some of the most well-known and successful combinations for corn include white wine vinegar, lime juice, taco seasoning, salted butter, ancho chili, and jalapeño, all of which serve as either flavor enhancers like salt, provide acidity or add spice. Common acid pairing examples are vinegar dressing in corn salad and citrus in esquites (Mexican street corn). The link between these common spicy corn additions is that they contain capsicum, which gives peppers their spice. Tajín seasoning covers all these bases by providing acidity through dehydrated lime, capsicum heat through ground red chiles, and a flavor enhancer through salt.

Tajín is frequently used in other corn dishes like Mexican street corn, corn ribs, and toasted corn snacks. This comes as no surprise, considering how much the seasoning brings to corn. This pairing especially shines with the smoky flavor of roasted corn, which corn on the cob provides. It's incredibly convenient to give corn all the flavors it needs for a vibrant taste in a single, versatile seasoning, making it a worthy addition to most pantries.

Adding Tajín seasoning is all you need to give corn on the cob a bright flavor, but there are ways to take the combination even further with just a few ingredients. To make your corn on the cob elote-style (which is different from esquites), consider adding cotija cheese. While this crumbly Mexican cheese doesn't stay on the cob as well as Tajín seasoning, it's a common inclusion for a reason: It provides texture, saltiness, and flavor to the corn. To help bind cotija to the dish, consider brushing corn with butter, another common corn-on-the-cob addition, which provides both adhesion and richness.

Mayo is another ingredient worth adding when pairing Tajín and corn on the cob. Not only does its thickness help it stay on the corn cob better than many condiments, but it, like butter, can also serve as a binding agent for more crumbly inclusions such as cotija. Furthermore, mayo is incredibly adaptable and can be mixed with spices, citrus, and other flavorful additions to give corn an even more vibrant taste. A step as simple as dunking grilled corn in salt water makes the cob more flavorful. While salt water may seem like a small inclusion, add-ons for corn on the cob don't have to be incredibly elaborate, as Tajín seasoning proves.