Wondering how to freeze corn on the cob? If so, you are in the right place. We are going to show you just how easy freezing corn can be!
HOW TO FREEZE CORN ON THE COB
Chances are if you have landed on this post about how to freeze corn on the cob, you likely are considering freezing corn (in large quantities) or you have corn in your possession and are trying to figure out how to freeze sweet corn.
When it comes to freezing corn, you have two options. Freeze the entire ear of corn or remove kernels from the cob and freeze those. Today, we are talking about how to freeze corn kernels!
If you are looking for delicious recipes to make with your freezer corn, you might want to check out our zucchini corn fritters, our hot corn dip or maybe summer corn chowder!
Regardless, of whether you have the corn or you are thinking about freezing corn, we are here to help! The process of freezing corn is actually pretty simple and can be easily accomplished with any skill level!
I love to "put up" food to eat all year, another food that I preserve is tomatoes! It is actually quite easy! Check out How to Can Tomatoes to learn more!
EQUIPMENT NEEDED FOR FREEZING CORN ON THE COB
So how exactly do you freeze corn on the cob? You will need some simple kitchen equipment to get you started:
Large Pots - you want to be able to boil many cobs of corn at a time. The bigger the pot the more you can boil. The pots I use are hand-me-downs from my mom and family. They are HUGE canning pots and they make it a little bit easier when it comes to freezing corn on the cob.
Lipped Cookie Sheet - I use these for everything in my kitchen, but for this process, I like to use them to put my bags of corn in the freezer so that they freeze totally flat. I flatten out my bags of corn before putting them in the freezer, so once frozen, my bags will lay flat and stack nicely. This saves room in the freezer.
Knife - A good sharp knife that you're comfortable with is best. Cutting corn off of the cob is tricky! Always be careful when using knives in the kitchen!
Quart Sized Freezer Bags for storing our frozen corn. If you do not use plastic or baggies in your kitchen, use whatever storage containers fit your needs.
HOW TO STEPS FOR FREEZING CORN
This section tells you a recap of how to freeze corn on the cob. For more precise steps please see the recipe card below (at the end of the post)
- Remove husks and silk from corn. This can be tricky, just do the best you can.
- Place corn into boiling water for 3 minutes. (We are not boiling the corn for a long time.)
- Place corn into a pot of ice water for 3 minutes. (This is important to STOP the cooking.)
- Cut corn kernels from cobs. (Be careful with that knife!)
- Place corn into freezer sized quart baggies or storage container of your choice.
- Freeze up to 8-12 months.
These steps match the numbered photos above and are for illustration purposes. For the complete list of ingredients and instructions on how to freeze corn on the cob, please see the recipe below.
TIPS FOR HOW TO FREEZE CORN ON THE COB
- Use quart sized baggies over containers. Not only is it easy to get the corn into the baggies, It is easy to get all the air out. Baggies can store completely flat in your freezer and can be quite the space saver.
- When blanching your corn on the cob, start counting your time as soon as the cobs enter the pot of water. Do not wait for the water to boil again.
- Sugar and Salt - Many people add a bit of salt to the water while boiling, we advise against this as it seems to toughen up the corn. On the other hand, some put a pinch of sugar in the pot during boiling to help sweeten the corn. But typically, if your corn is fresh, you will not need the additional sugar.
WHEN FREEZING CORN, HOW LONG DOES IT KEEP IN THE FREEZER?
Typically, you can keep frozen vegetables in your freezer for 8-12 months. Just keep an eye on your frozen corn to watch for freezer burn. Freezer burn draws out the moisture of the food product and does not affect the safety of it. You can see eat it, but it might not taste as good.
CAN YOU FREEZE CORN ON THE COB WITHOUT BLANCHING IT FIRST?
It is possible, but it is not recommended if you plan to store the corn longer term. It is said that the blanching process helps to preserve and store the corn if you are wanting to freeze it for 6-12 months.
HOW LONG DO YOU DEFROST FROZEN CORN?
I typically remove the bagged frozen corn, the day before I want to use it. I put it on a plate in my fridge and then it is defrosted when I am ready to use it. I do this if a recipe calls for unfrozen corn. If you are making a soup or chowder you can toss it in still frozen.
CAN I FREEZE AN ENTIRE EAR OF CORN?
YES, you can freeze entire ears of corn. We prefer to remove the kernels and only freeze those as we enjoy that texture better. Oftentimes, when freezing corn still on the cob, you can get a mushy texture of the corn. We have found this method of freezing corn (kernels only) to be more fool-proof!
RECIPES THAT USE FROZEN CORN
Not only do we love freezing corn to have as a side dish all year long, but we also enjoy it in many of our recipes. One of my favorite ways to use frozen corn is in our sweet vegetarian chili. There is nothing better than a warming bowl of chili on a cold day with some delicious corn included!
Another way to use up our frozen corn is in our corn potage recipe. Corn Potage is a deliciously creamy corn soup, popular in Japan. You will love how easy it is to make this corn porridge using frozen corn and other simple ingredients. This vegetarian potage recipe is easy to make vegan too. And of course, it work in our Vegan Corn Chowder!
If you are freezing corn, it does not have to be for just chilis, soups and stews. You can also use it to make appetizers, like this Hot Corn Dip. This dip is easy to make and will please a crowd of your friends!
You can even toss the frozen corn onto salads. It makes a great salad topper all year long! I have even swapped out canned corn for frozen corn in this Air Fryer Creamed Corn Casserole recipe. Still add the creamed corn but sub in the frozen corn instead of the canned corn.
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How to freeze corn on the cob
Ingredients
- 4 dozen ear of corn this can be any amount, the directions will not change
Instructions
- Remove husks and silk from corn.
- Place corn into boiling water for 3 minutes.
- Place corn into a pot of ice water for 3 minutes.
- Cut corn kernels from cobs.
- Place corn into freezer sized quart baggies.Freeze up to 8-12 months.
Notes
- Use quart sized baggies over containers. Not only is it easy to get the corn into the baggies, It is easy to get all the air out. Baggies can store completely flat in your freezer and can be quite the space saver.
- When blanching your corn on the cob, start counting your time as soon as the cobs enter the pot of water. Do not wait for the water to boil again.
Thank you for the tips and tricks. I was wondering how to freeze a corn on the cob. Here we go! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks!
What an informative post! Will definitely be freezing my corn now thanks to this great idea!
So glad it was helpful!
I have never tried this before and I'm so excited to know I can do this. I never know what to do with excess corn and I get tired of always having to run to the store when I need some frozen corn. Thanks for the tips!
You are welcome!
This is a great idea. I am a much bigger fan of freezing corn versus canning it. I am definitely going to give your way a try. Thanks for your great and helpful tips!
Yes, Freezing is much easier!
This is so handy! We eat a lot of corn so freezing it would definitely be helpful!
We love corn too!