Keep the husk on and soak it.

Keep the husk on and soak it.

Yes, keep the husk on and soak the corn in cold water for at least 30 minutes before it hits the grill. That’s the juice secret.

The soaked husk acts like a steamer bag. As it heats up, the trapped moisture steams the kernels from the inside, so they plump up instead of drying out. You get that char flavor from the outside husk smoking, but the corn inside stays tender and sweet. No need to peel back or wrap in foil—just toss them on a medium-high grill, turning every 5 minutes, for about 15-20 minutes total.

If you’re in a rush, you can skip the soak and peel the husk back, slather in butter, and re-wrap with foil. That works too, but it’s messier and the corn won’t have that same lightly smoky, steamed-in-the-skin texture. Soaking is the move.

Future You will thank present You when the first bite isn’t a dry, sad kernel.