Freezing corn is both an easy and effective way to preserve fresh sweet corn for up to 12 months. When done correctly, your sweet corn will taste as fresh and flavorful as the day it was picked! If you’ve been wondering how to freeze sweet corn, I’ll show you how to build your food storage by learning freeze corn in just a few simple steps!
These days, having a food storage at home seems like a better and better idea every day. With the food shortages (Six Dollar Family) that happened early in 2020, I think it’s probably safe to say that most of us learned the value of having that emergency stockpile.
I would hope anyhow.
Learning how to preserve food is a great way to build that food supply without eating junk that really isn’t meant to be eaten all the time. In fact, in most cases, preserving a food by freezing and/or canning it is a great way to prevent food from spoiling (Six Dollar Family).
Freezing Corn for Long Term Food Storage
There are several ways to preserve corn and while I love canning food, my favorite way in this case is freezing corn. It’s one of the easiest foods you can freeze (Six Dollar Family) to process. It’s also easier than processing it in a canner and the taste and texture is just as if you picked it the day you cooked it.
But with that said, you can also preserve corn by canning it (Healthy Canning). If neither of those are your thing, you can also preserve corn very well by dehydrating it (Mama Kautz).
Since corn is high carb and high fiber, it’s a great addition to your food storage if you’re looking for a way to boost those things easily.
Does Fresh Sweet Corn Need Blanched Before Freezing?
Blanching is the process of slightly cooking a food only to quickly stop the cooking process. This is accomplished by boiling the product for a few minutes at a full rolling boil then plunging it into icy water to immediately stop it from cooking.
Blanching can – in some cases – help to preserve taste and most people will agree that it preserves the color of your produce as well.
If you’ve never frozen sweet corn before, you’ll notice that most instructions tell you that it must be blanched. Really though it is a personal preference. I know of people who do not blanch and swear it freezes as a better product. I also know of people who swear by blanching.
It’s really your decision. I do either or depending on how much time I have to spend processing it. If you are freezing corn you will be cutting off cobs, I suggest you blanch to make it easier to cut the kernels off the cob.
If you are freezing frozen corn, it has already been blanched and I do not see a reason to repeat the process.
What Kitchen Tools Do I Need for Freezing Fresh Sweet Corn?
To start freezing fresh sweet corn, you won’t need many kitchen tools,and you shouldn’t need anything you don’t already own.
Some of these supplies will not be needed if you are not blanching your corn.I have noted those supplies for you.
You will need:
- A sharp kitchen knife HERE (Amazon) – If you are freezing frozen corn, you will not need these.
- 2 large heavy bottom pots HERE (Amazon) – If you are not blanching, you will not need these.
- Long Grilling Tongs HERE (Amazon) – If you are not blanching, you will not need these.
- Large Mixing Bowl HERE (Amazon) or Bundt Cake Pan HERE (Walmart) – You Will Only Need This if Cutting Kernels off the Cob
- Freezer Bags – Gallon HERE (Walmart) or Quart HERE (Walmart)
- Freezer Bag Holders HERE (Amazon) – These are 100% optional but can make filling your bags much easier.
How to Freeze Corn on the Cob
The process for freezing corn is fairly simple even if you’re freezing corn on the cob. I am going to go through it all really quickly and I’m assuming you have fresh sweet corn on the cob. That way I can get all the instructions in there for anyone who may need them.
If a certain instruction does not apply to you, skip it and move on until you get to the ones that do apply.
Step 1. If you are blanching, prepare your ice bath with enough water to cover the ears of corn and start the blanching water boiling.
Step 2. Shuck the ears of corn. This means to snap the stem off, remove the leaves and remove any silky strings.
Step 3. Once the blanching water is boiling, add the ears of corn. Blanch it for 3 minutes then plunge into the ice bath.
Step 4. Cut the kernels off each ear of corn. We use a bundt cake pan (Walmart) for this but feel free to use what you want. The middle of the bundt cake pan is perfect for sitting the ears of corn on while you cut down the cob.
By the way, don’t toss those corn cobs! You can use them to make THIS corn cob jelly recipe (Six Dollar Family)! It tastes just like honey!
Step 5. Fill freezer bags with the corn kernels. Freeze flat.
How to Dehydrate Fresh Corn
Dehydrating corn is just as easy and will keep just as long if not longer. The process is the same up until step 5. If you are dehydrating your corn, skip the freezer bags.
Instead, lay them out on a cookie sheet in a single layer and dehydrate the corn in a 160°F oven or use a food dehydrator (Amazon) according to the directions.
How Long Does Frozen Corn Last?
The reason that learning how to freeze corn is so important is that it helps keep a product that spoils quickly otherwise fresh for a whole lot longer.
Frozen sweet corn will last at a minimum 12-18 months. However, with that said, we have eaten it as far out as two years and it still tasted as fresh as the day I froze it.
Ultimately, the best thing to do if you’re unsure is to thaw it and check for funky texture or smells. If you’re in doubt and it has been more than a year since you froze it, throw it away.
How Long Does Dehydrated Sweet Corn Last?
Dehydrated foods however last far longer than frozen foods. Dehydrated sweet corn an last as many as five years if it is stored in a dry environment and all the moisture was removed properly during the dehydration process.
How to Free Corn
Equipment
- 2 large heavy bottom pots
- Long Grilling Tongs
- Bundt Cake Pan or Large Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- Corn on the Cob or Frozen Corn
Instructions
- Shuck corn by snapping ends, removing leaves and strings. Blanch if preferred by cooking 3 minutes and plunging into an ice bath.
- Cut corn kernels off cob.
- Fill freezer bags., Freeze flat for best storage. Eat within 12-18 months.
