Gaby Dalkin’s Carribean corn on the cob will be your newest grilling season obsession.

Before I developed this recipe, I would have told you that in-season corn is impossible to make more perfect than it already is. But then I started playing around with seasoning blends — specifically one that includes ranch powder (Did she really just do that? Yes, she did) — and my life has been forever changed. It’s an umami bomb in your mouth and would work as a side next to any dish in my cookbook.

Caribbean Spiced Grilled Corn Recipe

Prep Time: 25 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Yield: Serves 8

Special Equipment

8 metal or wooden skewers

Ingredients

For the Caribbean Spice Blend:

1 tablespoon light brown sugar
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder
1 ½ teaspoons dried thyme
1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 ½ teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Corn:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup (120 g) panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons ranch dressing seasoning, such as Hidden Valley
¼ cup (25 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
½ cup (115 g/1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons Caribbean Spice Blend (see above), plus more for sprinkling
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 ears corn, shucked
¾ cup (180 ml) mayonnaise
Lime wedges, for serving

Instructions

To make the Caribbean Spice Blend: Combine the brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, ground spices, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to high heat (450ºF to 500ºF/230ºC to 260ºC) and lightly oil the grates.
To prepare the corn: While the grill is heating up, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the panko and cook, stirring constantly, until the panko is golden brown. Remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl, and let cool for 5 minutes. Sprinkle on the ranch seasoning and cheese and stir well. Set aside until ready to use.
Combine the 1 stick of softened butter and the Caribbean spice blend in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
When the grill is ready, slather the corn with the spiced butter, place on the grill, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until charred all over, turning often and basting with the spiced butter.
Remove from the grill and skewer each piece of corn so it has a handle. One at a time, give the corn one more brush of spiced butter. Slather with the mayonnaise and quickly roll into the panko mixture. Repeat until all the corn is covered.
Serve the corn with a squeeze of lime and a sprinkle of Caribbean spice mix.