Inspired by our friends at Lottē, this Chipotle Grilled Corn Purée is a smoky, spicy dish that brings the vibrant flavors of grilled corn and chipotle peppers together in a velvety purée. Start by preheating your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to a fiery 500ºF. Grill shucked ears of corn directly on the grates, turning frequently until each side is lightly charred, which takes about 8 minutes. Once grilled, carefully cut the kernels from the cobs, scraping the “corn milk” into a Vitamix Food Processor for extra creaminess. Blend the corn with chipotles in adobo until you achieve a mostly smooth consistency. Transfer this mixture to a dutch oven, stir in Cattleman’s Grill Road House Seasoning, and simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, reducing the liquid to intensify the flavors. Turn off the heat and gently fold in room-temperature butter, wildflower honey, lime juice, and zest, creating a rich and balanced purée. Mix in half of the crumbled cotija cheese, reserving the other half for garnish. Serve warm, topped with the remaining cotija and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro, offering a perfect blend of sweet, smoky, and tangy flavors in every bite.
WHAT YOU'LL LOVE
Scraping the "corn milk" off the cob is the secret extra step: After cutting the kernels off, running a knife down each cob to scrape out the remaining starchy liquid and pulp adds natural creaminess and concentrated corn flavor to the purée that you'd otherwise leave behind and throw away.
A 20-minute reduction concentrates everything: Simmering the blended corn and chipotle mixture in a dutch oven for 20 minutes cooks off excess liquid and intensifies both the smoky chipotle heat and the natural sweetness of the corn — this step is what turns a corn salsa into a genuine purée with real depth.
Butter and honey go in off the heat: Folding in room-temperature butter, Reida Farm Wildflower Honey, and lime juice and zest after the heat is off keeps the dairy from breaking and lets the bright citrus stay vibrant rather than cooking off.
Cotija cheese, used twice: Stirring half the crumbled cotija directly into the warm purée and saving the rest for garnish means you get cheese integrated throughout the dish and a fresh, salty finish on top.
Chipotle Grilled Corn Puree
Tom Jackson
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Vegetables
Servings
6
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Calories
208
This Chipotle Grilled Corn Purée is a dish that brings together the warmth of a backyard barbecue with the comfort of homemade flavors. Imagine the smell of corn grilling on a summer afternoon, charred to perfection, and then blended with smoky chipotles for a bit of a kick. As you stir in butter, honey, and a squeeze of fresh lime, the kitchen fills with the rich, savory aromas that make everyone feel right at home. Topped with a sprinkle of cotija cheese and a handful of cilantro, this purée is the kind of dish you’d share with friends and family at a casual gathering, where every bite feels like a taste of togetherness.
Preheat your Yoder Smokers YS640s Pellet Grill to 500ºF, set up for grilling with standard grates.
Place the shucked corn on the grates and rotate frequently until lightly charred on all sides, about 8 minutes.
Cut the corn off of the cob and place in the Vitamix Food Processor. Scrape the “corn milk” from the cobs into the food processor, using a knife.
Add the chipotles in adobo to the food processor and process until mostly smooth.
Transfer the corn mixture to a dutch oven. Add the Cattleman’s Grill Road House Seasoning and cook over medium heat until most of the liquid is cooked out, about 20 minutes.
Turn off the heat and fold in the butter, honey and lime juice and zest. Stir in half of the cotija and save the rest for garnish. Taste and adjust seasoning, as needed.
Serve the corn topped with crumbled cotija and minced cilantro.
Recipe Note
Recipe FAQ
How spicy is this, and how do I control the heat? The 2–4 tbsp range for chipotles in adobo lets you dial the heat to your preference. Start with 2 tbsp for a mild-to-medium purée with a gentle smoky warmth. Use the full 4 tbsp if you want real heat that builds as you eat. You can always add more chipotle to taste during the reduction step in the dutch oven — it's easier to add heat gradually than to fix an overly spicy batch.
Why scrape the corn milk from the cobs? After cutting the kernels off, running a knife firmly down each cob releases the remaining starchy liquid and pulp clinging to the cob — what's often called "corn milk." This step recovers genuine corn flavor and natural creaminess that would otherwise be thrown away with the cobs. Don't skip it; it makes a noticeable difference in the final texture.
What proteins pair well with this corn purée? This purée works as a base or side for a wide range of Tex-Mex and grilled dishes. Chipotle Lime Fish Tacos echo the same chipotle flavor profile directly. Steak Fajitas or a Grilled Chicken Quesadilla also pair well, giving you a complete, smoky, citrus-bright plate built around the same flavor family.
Can I make this ahead of time? Yes — the purée keeps well refrigerated for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally, and add a splash of water or stock if it's thickened too much in the fridge. Add the garnish cotija and cilantro fresh just before serving rather than ahead of time.
Can I make this indoors? 3 out of 5 — Works indoors with adjustments. The purée build — food processor blending, dutch oven reduction, folding in butter and honey — is entirely stovetop and needs no adjustment. The corn char is the one step that's hardest to replicate; a broiler on high or a very hot cast iron skillet can approximate it, but you'll get less char development than direct grill flame produces. The smoky chipotle flavor still carries the dish even with a lighter char.
Recipe Highlights
Rotate the corn frequently on the grill: At 500°F, corn chars quickly and unevenly if left in one position too long. Turning frequently over the full 8 minutes produces an even, all-around char rather than one badly burnt side and three pale ones. Watch for color, not just time — pull as soon as kernels are lightly charred on all sides.
Don't skip the 20-minute reduction: The dutch oven simmer is doing real work — cooking off the liquid from the blended corn and chipotle mixture concentrates the flavor significantly. Stopping early leaves a thinner, more diluted purée that doesn't have the same depth. Let it reduce the full 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching on the bottom.
Fold in dairy and acid off the heat, not on it: Adding room-temperature butter, honey, lime juice, and zest after turning off the heat prevents the butter from breaking into an oily separation and keeps the lime's bright acidity from cooking off. This is the step that takes the purée from a cooked corn mash to something rich and balanced.
Split the cotija — half in, half on top: Stirring half the crumbled cotija into the warm purée lets it partially melt and integrate throughout, while reserving the other half for garnish keeps a fresh, salty, slightly firm texture contrast on top. Using all the cheese one way or the other loses either the integration or the textural contrast.
