Freezing sweet corn is easy to do and the best way, in my opinion, to preserve it. There are many who can it in jars but the cooking method for that I think takes away from the freshness. My mom shucks and removes the silks from hers and freezes them on the cob. I don't have space to do that so I remove mine from the cob to freeze. This is my method. There are some who add extra ingredients to their corn, like sugar, but if your corn is sweet it doesn't need it.
Freezing Sweet Corn
Sweet Corn
Water
Salt
Large pot
Sharp knife or a kernel cutter tool
two large bowls that nest in each other
measuring cup
zip shut quart freezer bags
jelly roll pan
If you can process them the day you pick them it is better. Less chance for bugs and rotting.
Shuck (pull off the husks) and grab as many silks as you can . Then use a small washcloth or kitchen towel to get the smaller silks off. They don't fall apart like paper towels can and they also seem to grab the silks better. The more you get off, the less you'll have to pick out of your teeth. :D
Using your sharp knife or as I show here, a corn kernel cutter, remove your kernels into a large pot. Careful of your fingers and thumb!!
Add some water. I don't cover my corn, it will let out some juices to add to the water. I think I put in about 4-6 cups.
Bring to boil and cook for a few minutes. I test mine by trying a few pieces. If it still tastes raw raw I let it go longer. I don't go much over 5 minutes. Add salt to taste.
Put ice in a large bowl and place your other bowl inside. You can add a little bit of water but not too much. This is how we are going to cool down your corn. You can also put ice in a bathtub and put your pan(s) in the tub to cool down. This is how my mother in law did it for years.
Add your corn and stir until lukewarm.
Using a one cup measure scoop 1 or 2 cups of mostly corn (with a little bit of liquid) into a quart size freezer bag.
Squeeze out as much air as you can, zip shut, and flatten. The 1 cup measure I leave fatter and don't flatten since there is less corn. Lay the 2 cup measures on a jelly roll pan to freeze. The 1 cup measures can just be set on the jelly roll pan. I roll the extra part of the bag up around the bulk of the corn. I normally mark my bags as I go but as you can see I forgot with this batch.
Freezing them flat like this is great for two reasons. They are easy to put in baskets in the freezer like this so they don't fall all over or out onto your toes (yes, I speak from experience) and they thaw out quickly!
This is a great way to have fresh sweet corn year round.
Ours has not been as successful as we'd like. Maybe the trick is a bit of water in like you did.
ReplyDeleteWe'll try this method.
I use to freeze corn all the time. I had my grandparents old corn kernel tool that my mom used when she was a child. Fun times!
ReplyDeleteHmm. That makes sense, but I do it differently. I blanche it on the cob. Will try this next year.
ReplyDeleteGets the blanching done faster since you can get how many ears of corn into kernels in a pot VS the cobs with kernels on. These guys plant with a tractor, so lots of corn to do!
DeleteI need to do this, corn is on sale everywhere right now.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great tips - I was always taught to blanch it on the cob too first.
ReplyDeleteMy husband's mom has been doing it this way for decades. Get the bulk of it off and away you go!
DeleteMy family loves corn and I truly thank you for sharing how to freeze free corn to be able to use all year round now :)
ReplyDelete