- I turned corn into "ribs" using a popular TikTok recipe and an air fryer.
- The "ribs" were delicious and unique, but annoying to prepare.
- If I made these again, I'd cut the corn in half instead of slicing it into fourths.
TikTok recipes can be hit or miss, and I was curious about one from @spicednice, who turned corn into "ribs."
The simple recipe — which has over 1.8 million likes — requires corn, seasoning, and an air fryer. I used this video's original recipe for seasonings as well as a premade BBQ rub to see how it would taste with a more typical ribs flavor.
Read on to see how it went.
I started by preparing my corn to be cut
Once I cleaned the corn and peeled off the husks, I attempted to chop them into fourths as seen in the TikTok video.
I was skeptical about changing the shape of the corn — would it make it tastier? Or was it just for the aesthetic?
The cutting process was a lot more difficult than it looked
In the video, the TikToker said that some people have tried hacking it into fourths with a knife and the help of a rolling pin.
But she said the best method is standing the corn upright and using a knife with a "firm push" downward to cut each piece.
I made a mess trying both methods and didn't think either was that great.
Corn was flying everywhere during this experimental chopping session.
At times the corn didn't cut through evenly or broke off into smaller, weirdly-shaped chunks — especially when trying to chop the halves into fourths.
To season the corn, I used salt and a few spices
After chopping some corn into fourths, I covered each in a mixture of spices and olive oil using a basting brush.
The spices included lemon pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, black pepper, and smoked paprika.
I air-fried them at 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
After preheating the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, I popped the corn in for 10 minutes. I then topped them with crumbled Cotija cheese, cilantro, and chipotle-lime mayo.
The corn was delicious with a unique texture
The corn reminded me of Elote, or Mexican street corn, and it had a unique texture.
It was less juicy than boiled corn, yet had a firmer, almost chewier bite to it while still being moist. The spice mixture tasted amazing with the corn.
I really loved the smoked flavor from the paprika and the slight heat and zest from the mayo.
The crumbled cheese and cilantro gave it a freshness that blended well with the heartiness of the mayo and buttery flavor of the corn.
I made one more version of the corn ribs with BBQ seasoning
For this batch, I used a BBQ seasoning blend that had many of the ingredients in the previous mixture, like paprika and garlic.
It tasted like a mixture of popcorn and BBQ chips
This version was equally delicious but tasted more like chips with a popcorn aftertaste.
Without the mayo, cheese, and cilantro, the true flavor of the corn came out and was complemented by the salty, smoky sweetness of the rub.
Overall, these recipes were tasty but needlessly difficult
When it comes to the taste, flavor, and texture, this snack gets an A+.
This is a unique and tasty way to make corn. It's also quicker to cook corn this way instead of waiting for a pot of water to boil.
That said, these corn "ribs" weren't more satisfying or fun to eat. I still prefer cylindrical corn on the cob.
I also think cutting corn in half would've worked for this recipe and would've been easier.
Still, I plan to cook corn in the air fryer again — I just won't be cutting it into fourths.
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