How to Throw an Old Fashioned Corn Roast

Some of my fondest childhood memories center on my parents' renowned corn roasts! These parties were part barbecue, part bonfire, and part harvest festival, but the center of the celebration was the corn, fresh picked, soaked, and roasted on the coals to perfection. Here are instructions for planning a corn roast in your neck of the woods!

1. Find a corn source. If you grow your own sweet corn, that is great! If you don't, scour your neighborhood for produce stands. You want fresh picked corn, and you want it at a good price! Many farmers will offer you a discount if you are buying a lot. You will need at least three ears of corn for each guest. Don't be stingy with the corn. It will be the centerpiece of you party, and it is addicting! If you live in the city, you might need to drive a bit to find homegrown sweet corn, but it is worth it. Fresh picked corn is nothing like the corn you find in the supermarket. Once you have located a source, make arrangements to pick up your required volume of corn the day before your corn roast.

2. Plan a menu. At a corn roast, the corn is the main course, so it is fine to keep the rest of the menu simple. Hotdogs roasted on sticks over the coals are a perfect accompaniment to corn, and require no dishes and little labor because everyone cooks their own. Cupcakes can be made the night before and are a perfect "finger food" dessert. If you want something a little more complicated, you could make foil wrapped kebobs or foil dinners and roast them on the coals with the corn. Potato salad and macaroni salad are both good, traditional picnic foods, and cobbler made with whatever fruits are in season where you live is another appropriate dessert option. It is always a good idea to have marshmallows for roasting if you plan on partying into the evening, and everyone loves makings for s'mores.

3. Invite guests! An old fashioned corn roast is a community or extended family event. The more the merrier. Go wild with your guest list and invite everyone to share in your harvest feast. Have them bring outdoor chairs, and if you choose, their beverage of choice.

4. Go shopping! Buy the things you need for the menu you decided on. Get extra butter for the corn. Most people like salt on their corn so having a few extra salt shakers on hand eases serving and minimizes waits. Don't forget to get disposable dishes and plenty of napkins. No one wants to be stuck washing dishes and roasted corn is messy! The traditional drink for a corn roast is beer, but don't forget to have plenty of soft drinks on hand too. If you suspect it will be chilly at your corn roast, you might want to have some spiced cider on hand to simmer in the evening for a warm beverage choice. If you don't have a source of dead wood on your property, you will have to invest in some firewood too.

5. Soak the corn. The day before the corn roast, prepare any food that you can prepare in advance and go pick up the corn. When you get home, put the corn in a wheel barrow or a large storage bin and cover it with water. Yes, you read right! You want to soak it with the husks on. It is quick and easy, and makes for perfect roast corn every time! You can safely soak it outdoors overnight.

6. Build a fire. On the day of the corn roast, first make sure that all of the food has been prepared and is ready to go. Then make sure that you have a safe fire area, and a place set up for the food and beverages. If you want, you can assemble a few simple decorations. Cornstalks are an obvious choice! Decorating is a good activity to delegate to the kids if you want to be able to concentrate on the fire. About an hour before you plan to eat, it will be time to build the fire! Make a teepee of some kindling with a mound of tinder in the center. Carefully light the tinder. When the kindling catches on, start adding the fuel firewood one log at a time. You need a lot of coals to roast corn, so don't skimp on the wood. When the fire is going well, you can relax and mingle with your guests while it burns down to coals. Make sure someone is always keeping an eye on it, and that all children are properly supervised.

7. Cook! As the flames start to dwindle, you will need to use a long sturdy stick or a rake to spread the coals. Don't wait too long or the coals will burn themselves out. Once the coals are spread, drain the corn and carefully lay it on the hot coals. When the corn is all on the fire, guests can cook their hotdogs, or you can lay kabobs or foil dinners on the coals next to the corn. Turn both corn and meat over after about ten minutes.

8. Eat! The corn will take about twenty minutes to cook. Carefully removed it from the fire, and dinner is served! You eat the roast corn by carefully peeling the husks back and using them as a handle. Roast corn is delicious as is, but many people like to add butter and salt to it. Make sure you let the corn cool a bit so no one gets burnt!

9. Enjoy the fire. After the corn is removed, the coals can be raked back into a pile, and more logs can be put on for a bonfire. Finish up your corn roast by sitting around the fire singing songs and roasting marshmallow.

10. Stay safe. Bonfires often go late! You can provide a tent or sleeping bags so that guests can spend the night if they want. This is especially important if your old fashioned corn roast includes drinking. You want to make sure everyone stays safe!