I’m not going to say there was an argument, because that is too strong a word, but there was a rather passionate discussion regarding these Smoky Corn Ribs in our house & I stand firm on my point of view. Most days I get asked what I’m cooking or photographing for that day. You know, the standard what do you have going on at work today type question. Well, I said Corn Ribs. Who knew that was going to take us down the rabbit hole of linguistics, marketing & veganism. I should have known, as it isn’t the first time this has happened, but I just wasn’t ready.
The question was, “Why do vegans always try to replicate meat products? Why does it have to be called a rib?” My first answer was simply, “Marketing & communication.” Smoky Quartered Corn on the Cob does not conjure up the same image as quickly as Corn Ribs. I’m not trying to make corn taste like a rib, I get that it’s corn, but why can’t I use words that easily communicate the essence of the food. I promise you that SEO will dictate that quartered corn does not perform as well as rib. What do you think? Is it acceptable for plant based items to have a nomenclature that mirrors non-plant based meals?
p.s. – Apologies if this takes you down a similar spiraling discussion.
This Smoky Corn Rib recipe is not the least bit tricky, but it does require a few things. One, a large sharp knife. Two, a bit of arm muscle. Three, safety! Please be careful when cutting. The combination of a round item & sharp knife needs some care. I prefer to cut the corn on a non-stick surface so I place the corn flat on a dish towel & cut in half lengthwise tip to tip with a bit of a rocking motion and a lot of arm strength. You can also stand the cob up & slice down with a rocking motion to slice through the thick cob center. I’ve had a few slip out from under me standing upright (I think I’m just too strong, lol) and end up getting an uneven cut so I prefer to lay it flat. Once you’ve cut in half than you just repeat by cutting it in half again until it is quartered. If you are having a hard time slicing all the way through, you could cut the corn in half horizontally first & then in half. This will just lead to smaller rib pieces with less of the curled look, but still just as tasty.
Love some veggie sides? Than you should also check out these recipes…
Smoky Corn Ribs
Ingredients
- 2-3 ears corn
- 3 tsp olive oil sub any neutral oil
- 1/2 tsp liquid smoke optional
- 1 tsp harissa powder
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 pinch salt & pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° & line a large baking tray with parchment paper.
- Remove any husks & silks from the corn cob.
- Carefully cut the corn in half lengthwise. Then cut each half in half again lengthwise. Repeat this process for each ear of corn. Place the quartered corn pieces on the baking tray.
- In a small dish combine the remaining ingredients (oils & spices) to make the marinade.
- Brush each piece of corn (kernel side only) with the smoky marinade. Place in the oven & cook for 35-40 minutes, flipping once halfway through cook time.To get the cobs to curl & more of the charred grill marks you may want to spend the last 5 minutes of cook-time on broil & move the corn to the top rack. Just watch closely so that it doesn't burn.
- Remove from the oven & serve with your favorite dipping sauce & garnish of parsley or cilantro if so desired.
