Miso Butter Grilled Corn — 2 Ways

Japanese style

Same miso butter, two completely different finishes. Japanese and Western — two worlds, one ear of corn.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 ears of corn, husked

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature

• 1 tablespoons white miso (shiro miso)

• 2 teaspoons shiro tamari (white soy sauce)

• 1 teaspoons mirin (optional)

• 2 tablespoons green onion (scallion), thinly sliced

• 1 teaspoons shichimi togarashi

• 1 tablespoons fresh dill, finely chopped

• 0.5 lemon, juiced

STEPS

1. Make the miso butter:
Mix 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, 1 tablespoon white miso (shiro miso), and 2 teaspoons shiro tamari (white soy sauce) together until smooth. Add 1 teaspoon mirin (optional) if using. Set aside at room temperature.

2. Steam the corn:
Steam the 2 ears of corn, husked for 8–10 minutes until just cooked through. Let cool slightly.

3. Cut and grill:
Cut each ear lengthwise into 4 pieces (quarters). Grill over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until char marks appear on all sides.

4. Brush with miso butter:
Brush the miso butter generously over the grilled corn. Grill for another 1–2 minutes until the butter caramelizes and turns fragrant and golden.

5. Finish — Japanese style:
Top half the corn with 2 tablespoons green onion (scallion), thinly sliced and a sprinkle of 1 teaspoons shichimi togarashi. Serve immediately.

6. Finish — Western style:
Top the remaining corn with 1 tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped and a squeeze of fresh 0.5 lemon, juiced. Serve immediately.

NOTES

On shiro tamari (white soy sauce) — this is just my personal preference! Because it's so light in color, it keeps the corn looking golden and bright. It's also made mainly from wheat, so the flavor is delicate and slightly sweet — it plays really nicely with white miso without overpowering it. Regular soy sauce works great too, so use whatever you have on hand.

Mirin is optional. It adds a gentle sweetness and helps the butter caramelize without burning too fast. Skip it if you don't have it — the butter is still delicious with just 3 ingredients.

Watch the heat: Miso butter burns quickly. Once you brush it on, don't walk away — the line between perfectly caramelized and burnt is just a few seconds.