Taiwanese Night Market BBQ Corn

It’s time to elevate your summer barbecue side dish - and here’s the recipe that’ll do the trick!

Taiwanese Night Market style barbecued corn. There are a few aromas that will transport me to the night markets of Taiwan. The funky smell coming from my mum’s kitchen when she makes stinky tofu, the charring, caramelised smell of marinated meat skewers on a coal barbecue…. And this super easy barbecue summer corn.

The basting ingredients only contain FOUR ingredients but let me tell you, it creates the perfect balance of sweet, umami and smokiness. 

Let’s talk through what make this recipe unique!

Key Ingredients

ONE

Taiwanese Satay sauce, pronounced “Sa-cha”. Unlike a Malaysian satay, it is not peanut based, but usually a fish based sauce, more similar to XO or fish sauce….even more like worcheshire! It’s commonly used as part of marinades or in dipping sauces for hotpot. It is a umame PUNCH and definitely worth picking up at your local Asian Grocer. This is what will give this recipe a unique, Taiwanese character.

TWO

Lard. The same reason you’d baste other corns with butter, the fat coats the kernels and keeps them moist as they caramelise over the heat. Butter will offer a nutty, creamy flavour, but lard will give this a more rounded, savoury taste. I liked to render fat from pork or chicken when I get a fatty cut from the butcher, or if you have drippings from a roast, this could work great here too! If you do not want to use lard, butter or oil will also result in a delicious barbecued corn.

The key to the perfect barbecued corn

Remember to preheat the grill/bbq! Turn on your barbecue or grill to a medium high heat and leave the lid on so that it can get nice and HOT. Place your corn cobs (without the husks) on and baste regularly, while rotating. Because we’re cooking without the husks, it can dry out while cooking compared to cooking with husks. So keep basting and the fat will protect the kernels. The trade off is that the marinade and the sugars in the corn will caramelise and crisp up….*chefs kiss*

Avoid precut/packaged corn! The fresher the corn, the juicier and sweeter they will be! The precut and packaged corns can dry out as you don’t know how long it has been on the shelf for. 

Try and get seasonal, summer corn. Corn is in season (in abundance and at its flavour and nutritional peak) during summer! Here in Melbourne, that’s around November to February, and May to September in the northern hemisphere where my family lives. You can taste the difference, trust me!

How to use leftovers

If you have any leftovers, and that’s a big IF, cut of the kernels and store in an airtight container for 3-5 days in the fridge. It is perfect to sprinkle over a salad to add some texture and sweetness, or throw into a fried rice or stirfry to bring it back to life!

Hello, World!

Print

With ImageWithout Image

Taiwanese BBQ Night Market Corn

Author: Cristina Chang

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 15 Min

The smell of these barbecue Taiwanese Satay Corn will bring you back to the night markets of Taiwan. The umami of the Taiwanese Satay and the sweetness of seasonal corn is magical in this super easy recipe.

Ingredients

• 4 Corn Cobs
• 1 of Tbsp melted lard (ideal, but not a must! Butter or oil works)
• 2-3 of Tbsp of Bullhead Taiwanese Satay Sauce
• 1 tsp of Soy Paste or Oyster Sauce
• 1/2 tsp of sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the grill for at least 10 minutes to a medium-high heat.
2. While you wait, whisk together the lard, Taiwanese satay sauce, soy paste or oyster sauce and sugar in a small bowl.
3. Remove the husks from the corn and place it in a hot barbecue. Baste the corn with the Taiwanese satay mixture while turning the corn every couple of minutes until you run out of marinade and the corn is dark, caramelised and crispy.
4. Enjoy as is, or with some chilli oil and chopped coriander!