Sweet Corn Freezing Center
Now that you've found the perfect sweet corn of the season, how do you properly and safely freeze it to enjoy all year round? Food & Nutrition Specialist Sandra Bastin of the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture was kind enough to share her freezing, canning and drying methods approved by the Cooperative Extension Service. So clean out that freezer and start blanching!
Select only tender, freshly-gathered corn in the milk stage. Husk and trim the ears, remove silks and wash.
Freezing on the Cob
Water blanch small ears ( 1 1/4 inches or less in diameter) 7 minutes;medium ears (1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter) 9 minutes; and large ears (over 1 1/2 inches in diameter) 11 minutes. Cool promptly and completely to prevent a "cobby" taste. Drain and package. Seal and freeze.
Which method is best? On the cob takes the most freezer space but captures more flavor than the whole kernel & creme style methods. Whole kernel method is the fastest but also probably the blandest. Creme style preserves good flavor and requires less freezer room but takes the longest to prepare.
Whole Kernel Corn
Water blanch 4 minutes. Cool promptly, drain and cut from cob. Cut kernels from cob about 2/3 the depth of the kernels. Package, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Seal and freeze.
Cream Style Corn
Water blanch 4 minutes. Cool promptly and drain. Cut kernel tips and scrape the cobs with the back of a knife to remove the juice and the heart of the kernel. Package, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Seal and freeze.
Another way to prepare cream style corn for freezing is to cut and scrape the corn from the cob without blanching. Place the cut corn in a double boiler, and heat with constant stirring for about 10 minutes or until it thickens; allow to cool by placing the pan in ice water. Package in moisture-vapor resistant containers, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Seal and freeze.
Select ears containing slightly immature kernels of ideal quality for eating fresh. Canning some sweet varieties that are too immature may cause browning. Browning does not affect the safety of the product. If unsure of variety, can a small amount, check color and flavor before canning large quantities. Remove corn husks and silk; wash ears. Blanch 3 minutes in boiling water. Cut corn from cob at about three-fourths the depth of kernel. Do not scrape the cob.
Hot Pack
Add 1 cup boiling water to each 4 cups of corn and bring to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes. Pack hot corn into hot jars, leaving 1 inch headspace. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt to pints; 1 teaspoon to quarts, if desired. Fill jar to 1 inch from top with boiling hot cooking liquid. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids and process as directed below.
OR Raw Pack
Pack corn into hot jars, leaving 1 inch headspace. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt to pints; 1 teaspoon to quarts, if desired. Fill jars to 1 inch from top with boiling water. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims. Adjust lids and process.
Process in a Dial Gauge Pressure Canner at 11 pounds pressure or in a Weighted Gauge Pressure Canner at 10 pounds pressure: Process pints for 55 minutes and quarts for 85 minutes
Select tender, mature, sweet corn. Husk and trim. Blanch corn on the cob for 7-11 minutes depending on size. Cut the kernels from the cob. Dry 6 to 8 hours in a commercial food dryer.