How To Freeze Corn in 6 Easy Steps

Hub’s favorite time of year has got to be when the sweet corn harvest starts. And not just any sweet corn. Nope. He’s very particular about where we get our sweet corn. Earlier this summer, when he saw that I started adding corn on the cob to our dinners, he casually mentioned that his favorite farm stand was open. And a few weeks later, when I said I was going to get some bushels of corn for freezing, he asked where I was getting them from. You’d think I’d learn by now that I can’t get corn from anywhere else.

In my area of PA, like with a lot of other fruits and veggies, we get a very short window for the sweet corn harvest. So when the time does come, I use that month to the best of my ability and attempt to freeze enough corn so we don’t have to worry about buying any until the sweet corn comes into harvest the following year. We enjoy using our frozen corn for a variety of things from a vegetable side at dinner, to adding it into our taco meat, to using it as ingredients in our winter soups and stews. As a matter of fact, buying bushels and freezing corn is a really easy way to help give us that summer taste in the middle of winter, and help remind us that warmer weather is coming.

How to Freeze Corn in 6 Easy Steps

Prep the Corn

Try to use the freshest corn possible. When I get our bushels, I am able to order them for what day I have a lot of time to focus on processing them. The best part about this is, I know the bushels are picked that morning so they are really fresh. Each bushel holds approximately 50 ears; some of the bushels I got this year had 60 or more ears of corn.

When you get them home, husk them and try to get all the silk off. When I’m doing corn in this quantity, I like to store them in one of our coolers so I don’t have to worry about them rolling off of the counter while I’m in the zone. If you are doing the same, make sure the cooler has been washed out before and after you use it.

Wash the cobs to remove the remainder of the silk, and remove any imperfections.

Blanch the Corn

Blanching your corn is just a submerging it in boiling water, followed by submerging it in ice water. This allows the enzymes within the corn to stop breaking down. Don’t be alarmed. All fruits and vegetables contain enzymes that break down over time. If the food isn’t blanched, the enzymes will continue to break down and the nutrients within the food is destroyed, as well as the altering the color, taste and texture of your food while it sits in the freezer.

To blanch corn, you submerge it in boiling water for 5 minutes and then in an ice water bath for another 5 minutes. I prefer to use my 12 quart pot, the same one that I use for making chicken broth. It can hold up to 12 ears of corn at a time. For blanching corn in this quantity, I grab a 16lb bag of ice at a grocery store for $3 and make an ice water bath in a second cooler. It helps the process go smoothly, and I’m not making out freezer go into overdrive trying to freeze enough water for blanching well over 100 ears of corn.

Cut the Corn Off the Cob

Using a steak knife, very carefully cut the corn off the cob. For this job, I use an older and duller steak knife because I’m accident prone. It’s sad but true… I’ve had more ER visits than the kids combined.

This summer though, I bought this corn zipper* off amazon for our second two bushels. I had such an easier time using this compared to my preferred knife.

For a Cream-Style Corn {optional}

This is a completely optional step. If you want a cream-style corn, carefully use the back of the knife to scrape out the milk and tips of the corn. Be warned though, this will make a gigantic, sticky mess. This is how my mother-in-law taught me, so this is how I’ve done it in previous years. If I’m looking to save time though, I’ll skip this step.

Bag the Corn

Label your freezer bags with the date and amount of corn. Scoop your corn into your bag, squeeze out the air and seal. I freeze in 2 cup increments, simply because it’s an easy amount for dinner sides and adding to soups and stews.