Freezing or canning corn captures the classic summer flavor long after the last ears of sweet corn ripen. The preserved corn provides a nutritious side dish or addition to recipes during the fall and winter when fresh sweet corn is not available. Freshly harvested sweet corn works best for either type of preservation because the flavor and texture is the highest quality fresh from the stalk. The preservation process takes several hours to complete, so set aside a block of time for your corn freezing or canning.
Corn Preparation
Step 1
Pull off the husks from the ears of corn. Remove any remaining silk from the ears. Cut off damaged sections of the corn.
Step 2
Fill a stockpot with water and heat to a boil. Place several ears of corn into the boiling water, making sure not to crown the corn. Return the water to a boil and blanch the corn for three to four minutes.
Step 3
Pull the corn from the water using tongs. Place the ears in ice water to stop the cooking process.
Step 4
Hold an ear of corn over a shallow bowl. Cut the kernels off of the cobs using a sharp knife to about 3/4 of the kernel depth. Continue cutting the kernels off the ears of corn until the bowl gets full.
Freezing
Step 1
Label the freezer bags with a permanent marker before filling them. Include the date so you can eat the oldest corn first.
Step 2
Scoop the corn kernels into quart-sized freezer bags. Leave about 3 inches at the top of the bag. Squeeze excess air from the freezer bags and seal them.
Step 3
Place the bags of corn in the freezer. If you already have frozen bags in the freezer, move them to the front and place the fresh corn at the back of the freezer.
Canning
Step 1
Wash the canning jars. Prepare the jars and lids according to the package directions.
Step 2
Scoop the blanched corn kernels into the jars without packing them down. Leave 1 inch a the top of the jar. Pour boiling water into the jar maintaining the 1-inch space at the top of the jar.
Step 3
Wipe the rims of the jars to ensure a tight seal. Position the lids onto the jars. Screw on the jar rings.
Step 4
Heat water in the canner to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the jars of corn on the canner rack and add more water so the jars are covered by 1 inch.
Step 5
Place the cover on the canner and heat to boiling. Reduce the heat under the canner so the water boils gently. Keep the jars in the canner for 15 minutes if you are at an altitude of up to 1,000 feet. Increase the time to 20 minutes if your altitude is between 1,000 feet up to 6,000 feet.
Step 6
Use the jar lifter to pull the corn from the canner. Cool the jars on the counter for at least 12 hours. Check the seal of the jars by unscrewing the rings.
Step 7
Replace the lids on jars that didn't seal properly. Process the jars again in the canner. Wash and dry the jars that did seal properly before storing them.
Things You'll Need
- Stockpot
- Tongs
- Ice
- Knife
- Bowl
- Freezer bags
- Permanent marker
- Canning jars
- Canning jar lids
- Canning jar rings
- Canner
- Jar lifter
- Labels
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