Air-Fried Corn "Ribs" Exist, So We Made Some

Corn on the cob is usually a staple at backyard barbecues, but why not give corn the glory that comes with being the main attraction? Enter corn ribs, which take the shape of a beloved cookout centerpiece (Yes, we know corn doesn't have bones). Whether you don't eat meat or just want to try something different, corn ribs make a fun and affordable alternative. So we got Stefan Johnson to try them for us.

So how much corn do you need to make ribs? Stefan recommends at least a few. Cut each ear of corn into four rib-like sections (the best way to visualize this is vertically, with a bit of cob acting as the rib's bone). Set the corn on top some foil in your air fryer tray (you can also use your oven and set the corn on a cookie tray), and lightly brush a simple marinade (olive oil, salt, ground pepper, paprika, and garlic powder) on the ribs.

Set the fryer (or oven) to 400 degrees and let the ribs cook for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through. In the meantime, mix mayonnaise, canned chipotle peppers and adobo sauce, and the juice from one lime in a bowl, because you can't have ribs without sauce.

Corn ribs done right will curl inward. Once they're ready and plated, spoon over lots of the adobo chipotle mayo and top the pile with freshly chopped cilantro. And even though Stefan was skeptical about corn ribs (like a lot of us), he ended up being a fan. The contrast of the sweet corn and and spicy marinade, plus the chipotle mayo, made for a winning combination. Even if you don't want to cut your corn into ribs, you should at least try it with this marinade and mayo.

Related:

• 3 Easy Ways to Grill Corn on the Cob
• How to Make Homemade Popcorn 6 Ways
• This Is Why It's Still So Hard to Find Canned Corn