how to freeze sweet corn | 8 easy steps

One of the best tastes of summer is sweet corn!  It’s right up there with sweet tea, garden fresh cucumbers, and tomatoes!

I love how easy it is to preserve summer, not only in a jar, but my freezer! There’s nothing like pulling a bag of corn from the freezer and serving your family the tastes of July and August in the middle of a January blizzard. Your corn should be fairly fresh. {The fresher, the better!} The kernels should be plump, and not shriveled.

Tools and Utensils You’ll Need

• Make sure your sink has been scrubbed clean and disinfected properly
• Large pot – to boil the corn
• Tongs – for grabbing hot corn
• A clean place for the cobs to drain – clean dish drainer or clean dish towels.
• Something to cut the kernels off the cob – I like to use an actual corn cutter. If you don’t have this tool, you can use a sharp knife or electric knife.
• One Gallon Freezer Zippy Bags

  
  1. Husk your cornIt’s best to do this outside, if you can. (Otherwise you’ll have corn silk all over your kitchen!) Ahem. 😉 This is the time to gather all  your extra help! Younger ones will like husking corn, and older kids will enjoy the experience when finding the occasional worm or two. Ha! Husbands are great corn shuckers, too!
  

  
  
  2. Blanch the ears of corn

  All fruits and vegetables contain enzymes that, over time, break down and destroy nutrients. It can change the color, flavor, and texture of food during frozen storage. Corn requires a brief heat treatment, called blanching, in boiling water or steam, to destroy the enzymes before freezing. Place the ears in a pot filled with boiling water and cook for about 5-6 minutes. (You will need to do this in batches.)

  

  4. Cool ears of corn in cold water bath
  
  

  Fill freshly scrubbed sink with very cold water. (Ice-cubes work nicely, but aren’t necessary.) Use tongs to remove the corn from the boiling water, to the cold water bath.

   

  
  5. Drain corn

  Remove the cobs from the sink, Allow them to drain on clean dish towels or in a clean dish strainer.

  
  

  
  6. Remove kernels from the cob

  Use a corn cutter to remove the kernels, or (sharp knife or electric knife.)

   

  

  
  7. Fill Freezer Bags

  Freeze in 1 gallon bags,  for our family of 6.  We will end up using about half of a bag per meal. (With a few leftovers for lunch the next day.)

  

  
  8. Freeze

  Lay bags flat in the freezer.  (Just like picture.) This makes them easier to store and quicker to thaw, when ready to use. Or if you don’t want to wait for thawing, you can simply break off what you need and cook in a saucepan.

  Quick Tip:

  If you want to skip the process of removing the corn kernels from the cob, just follow all the steps through #5. Then wrap each cob individually in plastic wrap, place several wrapped cobs in a large gallon freezer bag, and freeze. However, this process requires more freezer space.

   

  Happy preserving summer!