I did do a search on this board.
I have done several searches.
I'm asking here because of differing opinions I've found.
Mad-tartin here said boil in heavily salted water. How much is heavily salted and for how long a boil? Cool. In iced water?
Other sources have said blanch for eight minutes and cool in iced water for 16 minutes.
Another says blanch for a few minutes, cool, freeze.
You can understand why I'm confused.
Sweet corn will be available soon. I do have a vacuum sealer and want to freeze enough for several months, well into winter.
Thanks.

From the moment it is picked, sweet corn begins to lose it's natural sugar content - which equals flavor. So, the traditional freezing directions that I have always heard are to blanch sweet corn on the cob briefly, then plunge it into ice-cold water before putting it in the containers in which you will freeze it and then, of course, put it in the freezer. The purpose of doing it that way is to preserve as much flavor as possible.

I can remember my mom freezing huge amounts of corn when I was a kid. I believe she blanched it, cooled it and double bagged it before freezing. Nothing like an ear of corn in December!

When I had a big freezer, I used to do two bushels of corn each summer. The corn fresh picked for me just before I picked it up. I would bring a big pan of water to the boil while I husked the corn, when it was boiling, I would fill with corn and then when it returned back to boiling, I would take the corn out, put in ice water, then drain and bag and freeze. It always was great corn!

Martha

quote:

I would bring a big pan of water to the boil while I husked the corn, when it was boiling, I would fill with corn and then when it returned back to boiling, I would take the corn out, put in ice water, then drain and bag and freeze.

This is the method I have used all my life, as well as my Mother & Grandmother before me. Corn is always great, when ready to use, just cook as you would fresh corn.

I've frozen ears of corn and it's delicious in January. A friend of mine told me it wasn't really necessary to blanch the corn so I did some corn both ways and made sure I clearly marked the unblanched corn. Believe me the blanching is very important. The taste of the blanched corn was fresh and the other corn was old tasting. The amount of time the corn needs to be in the boiling water depends on the size of the ears of corn. My canning book said 7-11 minutes but I think I only did 5-6 minutes. Then you put them in ice water until they are completely cooled.

I always blanched for about 3 - 4 minutes then ice water. I always doubled bagged also.

When we eat freah corn on the cob I cook it for 3 minutes and it is delicious. Why do you need to boil it for so long before you freeze it?

There is a simpler way to freeze corn on the cob and that's to cut off the top (tassel) and cut the bottom as close to the end of the corn as possible. Leave in the husks and put in a brown paper bag (like you get at a grocery store...has to be paper not plastic) fold ends over and tape closed. Put in your freezer and when you need corn, take a few ears out, thaw a few minutes, husk and voi'la...fresh tasting corn! no blanching needed.

Fredger - you beat me to it. We have done our corn this way for the past 10 years or more. We don't wrap in brown paper bags, but we wrap in saran wrap, rolled several times, then store the indicually wrapped cobs in zip-loc bags. Our corn is wrapped and frozen within a very short time after being freshly picked. I allow it to dethaw about half-way, b/c half-frozen corn is easier to husk, and also easier to cut off the cob.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: 2SoldiersMom,

My father is a farmer, and a connoisseur of growing sweet corn besides field crops. The heck with the field crops if we were having a summer drought, but my dad hauls water out to irrigate the sweet corn patch (it's usually about 2 acres). So every summer my siblings, spouses and our children gather to "freeze sweet corn". Over the years we have tried freezing the corn on the cob in many ways. Quite frankly, we all still prefer to make Grandma's Freezer Creamed Corn (cut off cob, cooked, cooled, packed, frozen). Fresh Corn on the cob is available in our grocery stores almost all year long so when I want to I buy that. It's never as fresh as the local summer crop of sweet corn but really hits the spot in the off season. I also think Niblets frozen ears are very good as well.
But then you are hearing these ideas from a family who eats fresh farm sweet corn as a meal in its entirety. As a kid we ate 5 - 6 ears apiece at a meal. Mom made us eat half a sandwich so we couldn't tell her friends or my grandma that that was all we were fed for lunch, that she was an unfit Mother!
Oh, and last summer our middle son made sure he went to help on corn day because he knew that he wanted family grown, frozen, creamed corn on his high school graduation reception menu. And God forbid any of my siblings who didin't show up to help that day might get caught by him taking freezer corn home. (We all just leave the corn in one of the freezers at the farm and bring home a few at a time when we have family get-togethers).

My father is a farmer and a connoisseur of sweet corn. His field crops could be failing because of a summer drought, but he hauls water to irrigate the 2 acre sweet corn patch. As a family tradtion, my siblings, spouses and kids gather at peak of the corn season to freeze sweet corn. However we cut it off the cob and cream it. We have tried various methods to freeze it on the cob, but still prefer to use Grandma's Freezer Creamed Corn recipe. When hungry for corn on the cob in the other seasons, fresh is still available much of the rest of the year in our grocery stores. Frozen Green Giant on cob is pretty good too. At least either alternative helps satisfy a corn on cob craving.
But then I share these stories as a kid whose family made a meal of fresh corn on the cob in season. We'd each eat maybe 5-6 ears, Mom made us eat half a sandwich so she couldn't be claimed an unfit mother amongst her friends or MIL. YUM.
Oh, and my second son made sure he went along to help last summer on corn day. He knew he wanted frozen creamed corn on his high school graduation reception menu. And if he might have caught any of my absent siblings helping themselves to the frozen corn supply, look out. (we just leave the corn in one of the freezers at the farm and bring home a few at a time when we gather for family holidays.)
And I had many party guests compliment the corn we served at the grad reception.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Lurah,

Lurha, how do you make homemade creamed corn? It is one of my favorites.

8 cups cut corn
2 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp sugar

Cut the tips only off the kernels of sweet corn, using the back of the knife to scrape the creamy milk from the rest of the kernel remaining on the cob. Cook over medium heat in a heavy bottomed saucepan, stirring constantly until mixture is near but not boiling, and the milkiness clears. Cool in a water bath, stir occasionally. Pack in freezer containers or HD zip loc bags. Thaw when ready to use, reheat over low to medium heat.

There are particular varieties of sweet corn that are more appropriate to use for preserving in this way than others. These ears are fatter, have twenty rows of corn, a shallow kernel and lots of milk in them. Good luck.

Thank you so very much for the recipe. I can't wait to try it.

Oh, the memories...

I grew up with a huge garden, that my sister and brother and I had to work in ALL summer long... (gripes associated with that withheld, yes we hated it)

We pretty much did corn on one big weekend. Two big washtubs were filled with clean water, we spread out a tarp and my mom would expertly WHACK the ends off of the corn and toss them to us to shuck and silk. They went into the water until we got it all done. The corn got blanched and cooled (just like mentioned above) and frozen for the rest of the year.

It's crazy that I have a black thumb now, don't you think? Maybe too much tomato-squeezing, bean-picking, corn-shucking...etc.

I picked 125 ears of corn yesterday afternoon and blanched, cut-off and froze 10 quarts of creamed corn! I am nearly dead tonight, but would love to have another 125 ears to do tomorrow. I hated gardening when I was a kid, too, but now that I'm old I don't mind it quite as much. Besides, real "home-made" cream corn is so yummy, especially in the winter months, and since you can't buy it anywhere (at least none that tastes like real corn) I plan to continue putting it up in the freezer every time I get a chance.

I'm a green horn at this freezing/canning stuff. Can you explain how you cool in a cool/cold water bath after it is 'cooked' in the pan? I have several ears that I am hoping will be good enough still to try to freeze, cutting off the cob. Never done that before, have always tried shucking and blanching, then freezing....not always successful either All that work and it didn't end up tasting that great

Ladeuce: the cooked corn mixture needs to be cooled before putting it in the freezer. So we transfer the corn mixture into big stainless steel bowl and set these in a bathtub of cold water, stirring it occasionally until it has cooled off considerably. You could add ice to the water bath if you'd like. This stirring is the job we give to the youngest kids, as long as they don't slop water into the bowls of our precious corn.
Where I grew up, our field crop land is prime land, so Dad's sweet corn patch was small by comparison so we had to guard the sweet corn from varmits like deer, racoons, bugs of many kinds, pranksters, etc. Like I mentioned before, if it was a dry summer, sweet corn got irrigated. We always had plenty but the sweat equity in freezing the corn sure makes it priceless.
And I was amazed at the compliments I received about the home frozen creamed corn we served at the grad. reception for our DS. We are going in a few days for our annual corn day. And DD wants to make sure we do enough for her grad recep. next spring. I'll have my carpal tunnel flared up again for sure.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Lurah,

I put 54 quarts of corn in the freezer this year.

When I freeze corn on the cob, I just cut the ends off, leaving on the husk and silk, put it in vacuum sealer bags and into the freezer. I don't blanch corn on the cob. When I'm ready to cook it, I simply get my water to a rolling boil and slip the frozen ears of corn and let it cook for 11-12 minutes. It might take a little longer if your water doesn't come to a boil fast.

When I freeze corn by the quart, I blanch it for 3-4 minutes and then put it into ice water (with ice cubes) and get it cold immediately. This stops the cooking and prevents the sugars from turning starchy. Then I cut if off the cob, place it into quart freezer bags and then into the freezer. When I'm ready to cook, I put it in the pan with a little water, on medium heat, and cook for about 4 minutes after it has thawed. Just before taking it off the stove, I add a big spoon of margarine or butter and let that melt.

I also canned 74 quarts and 1 pint of green beans over the weekend. Next, some tomatoes and tomato juice.

I love summer!

do ya'll use regular freezer bags or do you use a vacuum sealer?

For corn ON the cob, the vacuum sealer is great. For corn cut off the cob, I prefer regular freezer bags.

When you vacuum seal the corn on the cob, how many do you seal in the bag together, or do you seal each one separately? thx

I usually freeze 4-6 ears per bag. Since I'm using the vacuum sealer, I lay them out side by side and I can make the bag as large as I want.

When I cook the corn, I take it out of the bag to cook.

OK thanks

Yesterday was corn freezing day at the farm. My dad has been hospitalized and in rehab for 3 weeks before he comes home.
He had arranged a day pass so we picked him up on the way to the farm and he was so happy to be home again. He went back to the rehab center for therapy mid day and back out to the farm until supper time. I sent enough fresh corn on the cob to the rehab center for a shucking party in the afternoon and then arranged with the chef so they had it on their evening meal menu.
Dad even wanted to get back there for supper.
We only froze about 100 pints & 20 quart bags of corn this year.
I took a break from cutting corn off the cob to take my niece to her dental appointment so I could see my childhood dentist (I had been his first patient out of dental school). I didn't even get to introduce myself - he came along the hall and said "You must be little Jocelyn's aunt." I hadn't seen him in 25 years!