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Use a "standard" sweet corn variety, such as Jubilee, instead of a "supersweet" variety, which may discolor once frozen.
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Harvest early in the morning, especially if weather is hot, to get peak flavor.
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Harvest the corn at its peak maturity. Immature corn is watery when cooked and over-ripe corn is doughy.
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Process rapidly after harvesting.
Processing
When blanching sweet corn, use a 12-15 quart kettle. Use one
gallon of water for each two to three cobs of corn. Bring the
water to a rolling boil. Immerse the sweet corn in the water.
Begin counting the blanching time as soon as you place the corn
in the boiling water. Cover the kettle and boil at a high
temperature for the required length of time. You may use the
same blanching water two or three times. Keep the water level at
the required height. Change the water if it becomes cloudy. Cool
corn immediately in ice water. Drain the corn thoroughly.
Blanching time varies depending on the diameter of the corncob. The long blanching time is necessary to inactivate enzymes. A longer cooling time is needed to chill the cob. Not following directions promotes cobby off-flavors.
The following times are for blanching in 12 quarts of water:
| 1 |
Midget and small ears of corn, (which are less than 1-1/4 inches in diameter) for 7 minutes and cool in ice water for 16 minutes. Drain well. Package in meal-size amounts. |
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| 2 |
Medium to large ears of corn - if 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 inches, blanch 9 minutes, and if over 1-1/2 inches for 11 minutes. Cool in ice water 22 minutes. Drain well. Package in meal-size amounts. |
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| 3 |
To freeze whole kernel corn, blanch the ears for 4 minutes and cool thoroughly in ice water. Cut the corn from the cob and package in meal-size amounts |
When packaging, use good quality containers. Use moisture-and vapor-resistant wraps such as heavy aluminum foil, "freeze-and-cook" bags, plastic freezer bags, or freezer containers. The storage time for frozen sweet corn is 12-18 months at 0° F or lower.
Other Method
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Husk and clean silk from corn as shown above in Sweet Corn Preparation. To freeze 2 to 2 1/2 dozen ears of corn, you will need the following ingredients:
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| Remove kernels by standing the ear of corn upright on a cutting board or inside a pan that can be used to catch the corn as it is cut off. Using a sharp utility or chef's knife, cut the kernels straight down along the corn cob to free numerous rows of kernels at the same time. |
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| Measure out 14 cups of the cut kernels and pour them into a large pot. |
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| Add the sugar and salt to the corn. |
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| Pour in 7 cups of water. Adjust amount of water to just cover corn. |
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| Stir well to mix all ingredients together. |
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| Bring corn mixture to a boil. Boil 1-5 minutes to desired tenderness. |
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| Allow corn to cool. Spreading corn onto a large cookie sheet will cool the corn quicker. |
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| Scoop corn into plastic freezer bags, include a small amount of the remaining water mixture in each bag. |
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| Seal bags tightly and then flatten corn filled bag and place in freezer. Flattening the bags will allow them to stack neatly in the freezer. |
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| Tip: With a permanent marker, write the date the bag of corn was frozen for future reference. | ||
Tips
- Do not add salt to the water when cooking sweet corn because the salt will toughen the corn. Add a little sugar to the water to boost the flavor.
- Sweet corn will lose its sweetness much faster if stored at room temperature compared to storing in the refrigerator. Do not husk before storing in the refrigerator. Husk just before preparing. It is best to eat it as soon as possible after it has been picked.
- Two to three medium ears of corn are equivalent to approximately 1 pound, depending on ear size. Two medium ears equal approximately 1 to 1 1/2 cups of kernels.
- If harvesting your own sweet corn, it is best to pick it early in the morning and eat it as soon as possible. If not cooking it soon after it is picked, store in the refrigerator until ready to cook.