Learning how to freeze sweet corn is simple and easy and a great way to add more food to your long-term food storage. Freezing sweet corn is my preferred method for preserving corn. I have canned sweet corn in the past, but it is a long process and the end product is not as fresh as I would prefer. Freezing sweet corn can also be messy, so I prefer to do it outdoors as shown in the video below. The cleanup is so much easier outdoors, and it’s fun to spend a day outside with family freezing sweet corn for winter.
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil while getting the corn shucked.
Shuck the corn by pulling off all the outer layers of husk and silk. Stack corn up on baking sheets.
When the large pot of water comes to a boil, place the corn in the boiling water. Cover with a lid to make it return to a boil faster.
Boil until the raw corn kernels start to change color. Usually just a few minutes.
Remove blanched corn from pot using tongs and place back on the baking sheets to cool. You can also place them in a big tote of cold water to chill until you're ready to move on to the next step.
When cool enough to handle, using a cutting board and electric knife, cut off the corn from the cob. Be careful not to get too deep and cut off some of the cob as it doesn’t taste very good.
Place cobs on a baking sheet nearby until they can be scraped. As your cutting board fills up, add corn to a large bowl.
Scrape each ear of corn using a pairing knife held at a downward angle away from the cob. I like to scrape the cobs right into the big bowl of corn kernels, so that it all gets mixed nicely. Scraping the cobs will remove any of the last of the corn that is still on the cobs. You don’t want to waste any!
Freezing The Corn
Label each freezer bag with the year you are freezing the corn.
Using a measuring cup, scoop the cut corn into freezer bags until they are as full as you want them. I usually put 4-5 cups of corn into each bag
As soon as the bags are cool to the touch, lay them flat in a single layer in the freezer. Do not pile them on top of each other until they are completely frozen.
To prepare frozen corn, take a bag out of the freezer and run it under hot water until you can remove the freezer bag. Place corn in a pan on the stove top with a little bit of water in the bottom. Put a lid on the pot and cook on medium high heat until thawed. You can add a little bit of butter and salt if desired. You can also just place it frozen right into a crockpot or pot of soup and let it thaw naturally as the soup cooks.
Store in the freezer for up to one year.
Notes
Freezing Tips
When placing the corn in your freezer, be sure to lay it out flat, and do not lay the bags on top of each other. Corn can take awhile to freeze, and if you pile lots of bags on top of each other, sometimes the bags in the middle do not freeze very fast. They can actually taste sour if left that way long enough. I always make sure that I lay everything out flat to freeze for at least 24 hours, and then stack it up in my freezer.