Microwave the whole unshucked ear for 3 to 4 minutes. Add about a minute for each extra ear.

Let it cool for a minute, then cut off the fat stem end (the bottom).

Squeeze from the tassel end and the ear slides right out, with no silk attached. Fastest and cleanest, juicy with no char.

Put the whole unshucked ears right on the oven rack at 400°F.

Roast for 30 minutes.

Peel back the husk and silk, which pull off clean. Totally hands-off, no pot and no grill, juicy with a light roast.

Grill the ears in the husk over medium heat for about 10 minutes, to steam them tender.

Take them off, cut off the fat stem end, and slide the ear out of the husk. It comes out clean with no silk, the same trick as the microwave method.

Melt the butter and mix in the Tajín or chili powder. Put the husk-less ears back on the grill to char. A few minutes before they are done, baste the butter and Tajín mixture all over for a final sear. Do not baste too early, a lot of it drips off and the butter burns before the corn gets a chance to caramelize and char.

Finish with a sprinkle of cotija, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Juicy inside, charred outside, the best of the three.

For the microwave and oven, brush the hot corn all over with the melted butter, dust with the chili powder or Tajín, then sprinkle on the cotija and cilantro and squeeze lime over the top. For the grill, you already basted the butter and Tajín on while it charred, so just add the cotija, cilantro, and lime.