A smoky-sweet syrup used in bartending — grill-charred corn blended and strained into a rich simple syrup with roasted, caramelized corn flavor. Great in mezcal, tequila, or bourbon cocktails, or shaken with lime for a savory-sweet margarita variation.

Ingredients

Ingredient Amount
Fresh corn, husked 2 ears
Water 1 cup
Granulated sugar 1 cup
Kosher salt 1/4 tsp

Instructions

  1. Char the corn. Place the corn directly on a hot grill or under a broiler, turning occasionally, until the kernels are visibly charred and blackened in spots, about 8-10 minutes.
  2. Cut kernels. Let the corn cool slightly, then cut the kernels off the cob with a knife.
  3. Blend. Add the charred kernels to a blender with the water, sugar, and salt. Blend on high until fully smooth.
  4. Strain. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a jar or bottle, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids.
  5. Chill. Refrigerate until fully chilled before using.

Notes

Adjust char level to taste — lightly charred gives a mild smoky sweetness, deeply blackened kernels give a bolder, almost bitter roast note. Keeps refrigerated up to 2 weeks.