Charred Corn Cowboy Caviar
Fresh cowboy caviar loaded with charred sweet corn, roasted poblano, black-eyed peas, black beans, tomatoes, avocado, jalapeño, and cilantro in a smoky lime vinaigrette. Serve it cold with tortilla chips or as a bright, easy side for burgers, chicken, ribs, tacos, and backyard cookouts.
Equipment
- Gas or charcoal grill
- Grill tongs
- Large mixing bowl
- Small bowl or jar for dressing
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Whisk
- Colander
- Spoon or silicone spatula
Ingredients
For the Cowboy Caviar:
- 2 ears fresh sweet corn husks and silk removed
- 1 large poblano pepper
- 1 can 15 ounces black-eyed peas, drained and rinsed
- 1 can 15 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes quartered
- 1 red bell pepper finely diced
- 1 jalapeño finely diced
- 3 green onions thinly sliced
- 1 large avocado diced
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
For the Smoky Lime Vinaigrette:
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 large garlic clove finely grated or minced
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
For Serving:
- Sturdy tortilla chips optional
- Fresh lime wedges optional
Instructions
- Preheat the grill to high heat, approximately 450–500°F, and clean the cooking grates.
- Place the ears of corn and whole poblano directly on the hot grill.
- Grill the corn for approximately 8–10 minutes, turning every few minutes, until the kernels are tender and have browned and lightly charred in spots.
- Grill the poblano for approximately 8–10 minutes, turning as necessary, until the skin is blistered and darkened on several sides.
- Remove the corn and poblano from the grill and allow them to cool enough to handle.
- Place the poblano in a small covered bowl or loosely wrap it in foil for about 5 minutes to help loosen the blistered skin.
- While the grilled vegetables cool, combine the lime juice, olive oil, honey, garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and black pepper in a small bowl or jar. Whisk or shake until thoroughly combined.
- Cut the charred corn kernels from the cobs and transfer them to a large mixing bowl.
- Peel away any loose heavily blistered skin from the poblano. Remove the stem and seeds, then finely dice the pepper.
- Add the poblano to the bowl with the corn.
- Add the drained black-eyed peas, black beans, tomatoes, red bell pepper, jalapeño, and green onions.
- Pour the smoky lime vinaigrette over the mixture and gently toss until everything is evenly coated.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to come together.
- Just before serving, gently fold in the diced avocado and chopped cilantro.
- Taste and adjust with additional lime juice, kosher salt, or black pepper as needed.
- Serve chilled or cool with sturdy tortilla chips, or serve as a fresh side dish alongside grilled or smoked foods.
Notes
CORN:
Fresh corn gives this recipe the best combination of sweet kernels and grilled char. Frozen or canned corn can be substituted when fresh corn is unavailable. FROZEN CORN:
Thaw and drain frozen corn thoroughly, then char it in a hot cast iron skillet until browned in spots. CANNED CORN:
Drain canned corn thoroughly and pat it dry before browning it in a hot skillet. POBLANO:
The poblano provides roasted chile flavor without making the cowboy caviar excessively spicy. JALAPEÑO:
For less heat, remove the seeds and inner membrane before dicing. For more heat, leave some seeds in or add a second jalapeño. BLACK-EYED PEAS:
Black-eyed peas are the primary bean in this SG&G version and help preserve the classic cowboy caviar character. BLACK BEANS:
Black beans add more color, texture, and body. They can be omitted if you prefer a simpler black-eyed pea version. AVOCADO:
Add the avocado shortly before serving so the pieces remain intact and retain their best color and texture. CILANTRO:
Add cilantro near serving time for the freshest flavor. It can be omitted if desired. DRESSING:
The smoked paprika should stay subtle. The goal is a bright lime dressing with a hint of backyard smokiness, not a heavily seasoned BBQ dressing. MAKE AHEAD:
The bean, corn, pepper, tomato, green onion, and dressing mixture can be prepared up to a day ahead and kept refrigerated. Add avocado and cilantro shortly before serving. NO GRILL:
Char the corn and poblano under a broiler or use a hot cast iron skillet. Frozen or canned corn can be browned directly in a skillet. SERVING:
Serve with sturdy tortilla chips as a dip or use it as a side dish with grilled chicken, burgers, steak, pork, ribs, sausages, or tacos. FOOD SAFETY:
Keep cowboy caviar chilled until close to serving. At outdoor gatherings, refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours, or within 1 hour when the outdoor temperature is above 90°F. STORAGE:
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator. For the best flavor and avocado texture, eat within about 2–3 days. NUTRITION Estimated nutrition per serving, based on 8 servings: Calories: approximately 220 Protein: approximately 7 g Carbohydrates: approximately 30 g Fat: approximately 9 g Saturated Fat: approximately 1 g Sodium: approximately 160 mg Sugar: approximately 7 g Fiber: approximately 8 g Nutrition is estimated and will vary based on bean brands, vegetable sizes, avocado size, dressing quantities, and serving size.
Fresh corn gives this recipe the best combination of sweet kernels and grilled char. Frozen or canned corn can be substituted when fresh corn is unavailable. FROZEN CORN:
Thaw and drain frozen corn thoroughly, then char it in a hot cast iron skillet until browned in spots. CANNED CORN:
Drain canned corn thoroughly and pat it dry before browning it in a hot skillet. POBLANO:
The poblano provides roasted chile flavor without making the cowboy caviar excessively spicy. JALAPEÑO:
For less heat, remove the seeds and inner membrane before dicing. For more heat, leave some seeds in or add a second jalapeño. BLACK-EYED PEAS:
Black-eyed peas are the primary bean in this SG&G version and help preserve the classic cowboy caviar character. BLACK BEANS:
Black beans add more color, texture, and body. They can be omitted if you prefer a simpler black-eyed pea version. AVOCADO:
Add the avocado shortly before serving so the pieces remain intact and retain their best color and texture. CILANTRO:
Add cilantro near serving time for the freshest flavor. It can be omitted if desired. DRESSING:
The smoked paprika should stay subtle. The goal is a bright lime dressing with a hint of backyard smokiness, not a heavily seasoned BBQ dressing. MAKE AHEAD:
The bean, corn, pepper, tomato, green onion, and dressing mixture can be prepared up to a day ahead and kept refrigerated. Add avocado and cilantro shortly before serving. NO GRILL:
Char the corn and poblano under a broiler or use a hot cast iron skillet. Frozen or canned corn can be browned directly in a skillet. SERVING:
Serve with sturdy tortilla chips as a dip or use it as a side dish with grilled chicken, burgers, steak, pork, ribs, sausages, or tacos. FOOD SAFETY:
Keep cowboy caviar chilled until close to serving. At outdoor gatherings, refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours, or within 1 hour when the outdoor temperature is above 90°F. STORAGE:
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator. For the best flavor and avocado texture, eat within about 2–3 days. NUTRITION Estimated nutrition per serving, based on 8 servings: Calories: approximately 220 Protein: approximately 7 g Carbohydrates: approximately 30 g Fat: approximately 9 g Saturated Fat: approximately 1 g Sodium: approximately 160 mg Sugar: approximately 7 g Fiber: approximately 8 g Nutrition is estimated and will vary based on bean brands, vegetable sizes, avocado size, dressing quantities, and serving size.