Korean corn ribs

Inspired by barbecue spare ribs, these corn on the cobs are sweet, sticky and seriously spicy. Just blast in the air fryer for a quick and easy snack.

Looking to jazz up your corn on the cob game? Enter: Corn ribs, my new favourite way to celebrate the humble sweetcorn.

Cut into rib-shaped wedges, they curl up as they cook in the air fryer and take on a charred, caramelised exterior while staying juicy inside.

Of course, you can pop them in the oven if you’ve haven’t joined the air fryer brigade yet, but the secret is to baste the ribs with my sweet and sticky gochujang marinade. The crispy bits and smokiness will keep you coming back for more.

How To Make Korean Corn Ribs

• Chef Catling’s recipe notes
• Recipe: Korean corn ribs
• Frequently asked questions

Tips & Notes To Know

• Slice like a pro: Place the corn upright on a chopping board and use a sharp chef’s knife to carefully cut through the centre. Lay the halved corn flat (cut side down) and slice lengthways again. This will give you 4 long pieces per cob that look like ribs.
• Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket: Leave space between each rib or cook in batches. You want the ribs to roast, not steam.
• Haven’t got an air fryer? Cook the corn ribs in the oven at 200C for 20-25 minutes and brush with the gochujang glaze for the last 5 minutes of cooking.

Korean corn ribs

Serves: 4 Prep time: 5 mins Cook time: 15 mins 15 mins

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Ingredients

4 corn on the cobs
1/2 tbsp vegetabe oil
1 tbsp gochujang chilli paste
1 tbsp light soy sauce (reduced salt)
1 tsp tomato ketchup
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 tbsp runny honey

To serve
1 tsp white sesame seeds
1 spring onion, finely shredded, for garnish

Instructions

Step 1
Preheat the air fryer for 3 minutes at 200C and place the shredded spring onion in a glass of cold water to crisp up.

Step 2
Sit each corn on a flat base, then cut into four lengthways (be careful as the stem is quite tough to cut through).

Step 3 Coat the sweetcorn ‘ribs’ in the vegetable oil and add to the air fryer basket in a single layer. Cook at 200C for 8 minutes, giving the tray a shake halfway through.

Step 4
To make the Korean marinade, add the gochujang chilli paste to a bowl and stir in the soy sauce, tomato ketchup, rice vinegar and honey. Season to taste and set aside.

Step 5
After 8 minutes, brush the sweetcorn ‘ribs’ with the Korean marinade and cook for another 4 minutes, checking regularly to make sure the edges aren’t charring too much.

Step 6
Transfer to a dish and glaze with any leftover marinade. Scatter over the white sesame seeds and garnish with the crispy spring onion curls before serving.  

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Use Frozen Corn On The Cobs?

You can, but good luck trying to cut them while they’re rock hard! They’ll need to thaw in the fridge overnight before using but if the frozen corn is already cut into halves, you’re ahead of the game.

What Is Gochujang Paste?

Gochujang is a seriously addictive red pepper paste, hailing from Korea. It is typically made from gochugaru (red chilli peppers), glutinous rice and fermented soya beans.

It can be used in marinades, soups, dressings stir-fries and sauces, among other things. You can buy it in all major supermarkets and on Amazon.