Getting Ready to Preserve Corn
- Select only tender, freshly-gathered corn in the milk stage.
- Husk and trim the ears, remove silks, and wash.
Canning Corn
- Wash ears and blanch 3 minutes in boiling water.
- Cut corn at about three-fourths the depth of the kernel. Do not scrape from cob.
- Add ½ teaspoon of salt to pints or 1 teaspoon to quarts, if desired.
Hot Pack:
- Add 1 cup of boiling water to each 4 cups of corn.
- Heat to boiling and simmer 5 minutes.
- Pack corn hot, leaving a 1-inch headspace.
- Fill jar to 1 inch from the top with boiling hot cooking liquid.
Raw Pack:
- Pack corn into hot jars, leaving 1-inch headspace.
- Fill jars to 1 inch from the top with boiling water.
Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims and adjust lids. Process hot or raw pack in a dial-gauge canner at 11 pounds pressure or in a weighted-gauge pressure canner at 10 pounds pressure for altitudes up to 1,000 feet. Process pints for 55 minutes and quarts for 85 minutes.
Freezing Corn
Corn-on-the-cob:
- Blanch small ears (1¼ inches or less in diameter) for 7 minutes, medium ears (1¼ to 1½ inches in diameter) for 9 minutes and large ears (over 1½ inches) for 11 minutes.
- Cool promptly and completely to prevent a “cobby” taste.
- Drain and package. Seal, label and freeze.
Whole Kernel Corn:
- Blanch for 4 minutes. Cool promptly, drain and cut from cob.
- Cut kernels from cob about two-thirds the depth of the kernels.
- Package, leaving ½-inch headspace. Seal, label and freeze.
Cream-Style Corn:
Option # 1:
- Blanch for 4 minutes. Cool promptly and drain.
- Cut kernel tips and scrape the cobs with the back of a knife to remove the juice and heart of kernel.
- Package, leaving ½-inch headspace. Seal, label and freeze.
Option # 2:
- Cut and scrape the corn from the cob without blanching.
- Place the cut corn in a double boiler, and heat with constant stirring for 10 minutes or until it thickens. Allow to cool by placing the pan in ice water.
- Package, leaving ½-inch headspace. Seal, label and freeze.
For more information on preserving foods at home, request HGIC 3240, Beans, Corn & Peas, or HGIC 3040, Canning Foods at Home.
Originally published 10/01
