"Street corn"/"Ghetto corn"

[bosk1]

Based on this from another thread:

2- Another home sickness food, this time it's more of a snack, we grill corn on the cob in Egypt as a snack, we have it on the streets like hot dog carts in NY, I tried to grill corn here the same way we do in Egypt but it ended up getting stained by the coal and tasted like it too, in Egypt they put it directly on the coal and it doesn't get stained, I've been told to try it with the metal grill barrier thing but it didn't taste the same, what am I doing wrong?

I have learned fairly recently that variations of this are pretty common in a LOT of different countries.  Apparently, in Mexico specifically, they serve a variation as a "street food" that is grilled, and then coated in mayonnaise and sprinkled with cayenne.  REALLY good!   

Two questions:
1.  Anyone else had it?
2.  Anyone ever heard it referred to as "ghetto corn?"  Just curious.  My understanding is that it is a regional thing, and that it is referred to that way in a certain area.  But I am also aware of someone who was offended by that references and somehow thought it might be a racial slur.  Thoughts?

[Chino]

Based on this from another thread:

2- Another home sickness food, this time it's more of a snack, we grill corn on the cob in Egypt as a snack, we have it on the streets like hot dog carts in NY, I tried to grill corn here the same way we do in Egypt but it ended up getting stained by the coal and tasted like it too, in Egypt they put it directly on the coal and it doesn't get stained, I've been told to try it with the metal grill barrier thing but it didn't taste the same, what am I doing wrong?

I have learned fairly recently that variations of this are pretty common in a LOT of different countries.  Apparently, in Mexico specifically, they serve a variation as a "street food" that is grilled, and then coated in mayonnaise and sprinkled with cayenne.  REALLY good!   

Two questions:
1.  Anyone else had it?
2.  Anyone ever heard it referred to as "ghetto corn?"  Just curious.  My understanding is that it is a regional thing, and that it is referred to that way in a certain area.  But I am also aware of someone who was offended by that references and somehow thought it might be a racial slur.  Thoughts?

My girlfriend insists on making corn like this. It's delicious, but it tastes no different than corn coated in butter and salt and pepper. We don't grill it outright though. We wrap in in foil and let it cook like that, and then we'll put it on the grill for only a few minutes once it's done.

Definitely not a racial slur, though we refer to it as Mexican corn.

[sylvan]

I love corn...

[Chino]

[Stadler]

I love grilled corn.  I pull the husks back, take off the "strings", and soak the corn and pulled back husks for about 10 minutes in cool water.  Then I close the husks back up as best I can, and put them on a hot grill for about 15 minutes or so, turning so one side doesn't get too blackened.   

Delicious!

I've not had it with mayo and cayenne, but people swear by it.   I stick with butter, salt and pepper, though sometimes I will cut it off the cob and eat it in a bowl, seasoned. 

[King Postwhore]

I just did this with melted butter and lemon pepper dry mix. It was excellent.

[Dr. DTVT]

Damn, now I want corn on the cob.  Florida doesn't grow good corn though.

[Stadler]

Anyone from New Jersey will tell you they have the best corn ever.

For once, they are right.

[millahh]

Mexican street corn is awesome... Grilled, covered in mayo, rolled in crumbled cotija, sprinkled with cayenne and a little cilantro.  Heavenly.

[El Barto]

No mayo down here (thankfully). Also, don't know about up there, but it's served in a cup down here. Old Mexican uses a giant knife to cut it straight off the cob into a dixie cup. Served with crema, cojita and a squirt of lime. Salsa as desired. Out front of any Mexican grocery store or taqueria there's usually somebody with a cart cranking it out.

And we just call it elotes. It's a distinctly Mexican thing down here.

[lonestar]

^^^so fucking good...


During peak season here, the local corn is so damn good all it really needs is a touch of salt.

[King Postwhore]

A little lime on it sounds amazing.  I will try that El Barto.

[El Barto]

I'll be damned. It looks like serving it in a cup must be a regional thing. All the references I'm seeing are of it served on the cob.

[Skeever]

Since no one else is addressing it, I've never heard the term "Ghetto Corn" but I'm pretty sure a lot of people would find that offensive, at least where I'm from.

[bosk1]

I'll be damned. It looks like serving it in a cup must be a regional thing. All the references I'm seeing are of it served on the cob.

I've seen reference to it both ways.  After I discovered it and made it on my own, I cut if off because it was easier to eat.  Bonus was, I made a ton, and we had leftovers.  We also had potato salad.  I combined the two and my head almost exploded from how good it was.

[millahh]

No mayo down here (thankfully). Also, don't know about up there, but it's served in a cup down here. Old Mexican uses a giant knife to cut it straight off the cob into a dixie cup. Served with crema, cojita and a squirt of lime. Salsa as desired. Out front of any Mexican grocery store or taqueria there's usually somebody with a cart cranking it out.

And we just call it elotes. It's a distinctly Mexican thing down here.

Consulted with the wife on this one, she always thought of elote and street corn as being distinct dishes, though admits that is likely splitting hairs.

[Stadler]

No mayo down here (thankfully). Also, don't know about up there, but it's served in a cup down here. Old Mexican uses a giant knife to cut it straight off the cob into a dixie cup. Served with crema, cojita and a squirt of lime. Salsa as desired. Out front of any Mexican grocery store or taqueria there's usually somebody with a cart cranking it out.

And we just call it elotes. It's a distinctly Mexican thing down here.

That sounds REALLY good.

[hefdaddy42]

I enjoy corn in all its varieties.

I have seen it as Mexican corn, on the cob on a stick in mayo and cayenne. Mmmmm

[PowerSlave]

I'm in north central Ohio. We used to have something that we called mexican corn when I was a kid, but I haven't seen it in many years. It doesn't sound like anything that you guys are describing. It was corn with small bits of green and red peppers cut up into it. It's probably a regional thing.

[Dr. DTVT]

I took a friend out to dinner the other day for helping me pack, and we went to Outback since I had a bunch of gift cards for there.  They had something similar to street corn as a limited time side.  Lime and cojita, and no cob.  Not as good as the real Sanchez, but not bad.

[El Barto]

I'm in north central Ohio. We used to have something that we called mexican corn when I was a kid, but I haven't seen it in many years. It doesn't sound like anything that you guys are describing. It was corn with small bits of green and red peppers cut up into it. It's probably a regional thing.

I believe that's going to be your South-Western corn. I make it all the time as a side, but use jalapenos instead of bell pepper.

[axeman90210]

Anyone from New Jersey will tell you they have the best corn ever.

For once, they are right.

Indeed. When the corn's good (which is more often than not) I don't feel the need to add anything to it.