How to Freeze Corn: Easy Guide for Freezing Corn On or Off the Cob (2024)
Learn how to freeze corn, either on the cob or off the cob, as sweet kernels. Some folks turn their nose up at canned corn. I like it, but I have to admit that freezing corn results in a fresher dish on your table.
Of course, nothing beats corn on the cob picked fresh from the garden, with butter and salt dripping down your chin! But the season for fresh only lasts so long, canning and freezing keep that summer taste all year.
This Page Includes:
Freezing Corn: Step-By-Step Directions
How to Freeze Corn Off the Cob
How to Freeze Corn On the Cob
Recipe Card
{FAQ} What About Freezing Corn with the Husks On?
{FAQ} Cream-Style Corn Recipe After You Have Preserved It
{FAQ} How Do You Use Home Frozen Corn?
{FAQ} Can You Freeze Corn on the Cob Without Blanching?
{FAQ} How Long Does Frozen Corn Keep in the Freezer?
Freezing Corn: Step-By-Step Directions
Here’s how to freeze corn.
First, you’ll need to husk corn and remove silk. Then blanch the ears of corn.
Get your corn huskers (shuckers or whatever you call it) to work! Make sure they (or you) do their best to get all the hair (silk) off.
While the corn is being husked, start boiling water, either in a large stockpot or your blancher. I find a large stockpot works well for me. Blanch your corn 3-5 cobs at a time, depending on the size of the corn and the size of your pot.
Plunge the cobs in boiling water for 5-6 minutes, depending on the size of the cob. Larger cobs will be blanched for a longer time.
Start counting your time as soon as the cobs enter the water. Do not wait for the water to come to a boil again. Remove cobs with tongs. Place immediately into a sink or pot of ice water to cool and stop the cooking process.
Allow the corn to sit in the water for at least 2 minutes. Keep this water cold, adding ice if necessary. Remove the cobs from the cold water and allow to drain.
If you are freezing it off the cob…cut the kernels from the cob.
If you want to freeze corn on the cob, skip down lower on the page.
How to Freeze Corn Off the Cob
How to Slice the Kernels from the Cob
Set the cob on end and run your knife down the sides, cutting off the kernels. Or use this handy tool to slice the whole cob at once. (Try not to cut into the cob. I aim for getting off about 3/4 of the kernel.)
I use a large cookie sheet to catch the kernels; a large, flat dish like a cake pan would also work.
Be warned…it is messy. The kernels will spit juicy goodness all over. I have a large kitchen counter that works well because it is easy clean up. You might even want to do this outside on a tabletop or somewhere you can clean up easily.
Watch my short video just below to see the easiest method we have found. When you have a few cobs to do, the above method works fine. But if you have a lot of corn to process, try this bucket method my husband came up with.
The tool you see him using in the video is the same tool you see in the image above. I believe it is called a corn stripper. They are sold at Amazon and many farm supply stores. The one we have is many, many years old. It is not marked with a name brand of any sort, so I’m not sure what exactly it is. 🙂
Place the corn into freezer containers. (I prefer freezer bags.) Remove as much air as possible, seal, label, and freeze.
Place bags in the freezer in single layers. This allows the corn to freeze quickly. When the corn is completely frozen, you may stack the bags for convenience.
If you want cream-style corn, simply scrape the corn cobs with the edge of your knife after you cut the kernels off. This will remove any juice and pulp left on the cob. Stir this into the corn kernels in a large pot. Package just the same as above.
How to Freeze Corn On the Cob
Personally, I’ve only done this once or twice. I just don’t care for frozen corn on the cob, as I find the taste is not as good…and it takes up way too much freezer space to freeze the whole cob. I’d much rather freeze the kernels only.
But if you want to, learning how to freeze corn on the cob is super easy too.
Husk and blanch corn cobs using the same blanching methods as described above.
Cool and drain cobs. Wrap ears individually with plastic wrap. Then place the cobs in gallon freezer bags or wrap in freezer paper.
Seal, label, and freeze. Place cobs in freezer in a single layer. Allow to freeze completely, then stack for convenience.
Recipe Card
Freezing Corn
Sharon Peterson
Learn how to freeze corn, either on the cob or off the cob, as sweet kernels. I have to admit that freezing corn results in a fresher dish on your table than canned corn.
Remove immediately into a pot of ice water. Let sit for 2 minutes.
Cut kernels from the cob if desired. Or if freezing on the cob, wrap ears individually with plastic wrap.
Place in freezer bags/containers.
Remove air, seal, and label.
Freeze.
Notes
Last Updated: 6/3/2021
Keyword freezing corn, frozen corn, how to freeze corn
How to Freeze Corn Tips & FAQs
Can I freeze corn in a mason jar?
Yes you can freeze in mason jars. I generally don’t like to. I worry about glass breakage, they take up more room in my freezer, and you can’t get as much air out of the jar as you could a plastic bag.
If you want to though it is fine. You’ll want to use a wide mouth jar and fill it just up to the shoulder. This allows for expansion. If you fill it too much the jar may break as the food freezes and expands.
Why do I need to make a single layer of freezer bags in my freezer?
You want your food to freeze as quickly as possible. If you’ve got a whole stack of freezer bags the food towards the center of the pile will take longer to freeze. a single layer will freeze much quicker then you can stack your already frozen bags to save space.
If you need to you could go ahead and stack 2 or possibly 3 together. But a single layer is better.
What About Freezing Corn with the Husks On?
I have never done this myself. However, I’m going to put this right here as I’ve read many many comments from people who simply put the cob, husks and all, in the freezer. I’ve read rave results from this method. I admit, it is tempting. But I generally like to blanch first and with the husk on method that would not work. You might want to give it a try.
How Do You Use Home Frozen Corn?
Just like regular, store-bought frozen corn! 🙂 Heat it up and eat it. You can simmer it, bake it, put it in the microwave.
Can You Freeze Corn on the Cob Without Blanching?
You CAN freeze corn on the cob without blanching, but I don’t recommend it. Blanching helps preserve the taste and texture of vegetables during freezing, including corn on the cob. Not to mention if you’re cutting it off the cob, blanching helps make it a little easier to cut off of the cob.
How Long Does Frozen Corn Keep in the Freezer?
According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, frozen vegetables generally keep in the freezer for 8-12 months. No longer than a year is ideal. If it has been a year, just make a plan to use it up. I’ve kept mine in the freezer for longer. Just watch for signs of freezer burn.
Some other ways to preserve corn.
Corn relish recipes are simple and straightforward, which is one of the reasons it is so good! Learn how to make and preserve your own pickled corn with SimplyCanning.com
Corn cob jelly isn’t often heard of and can get various reactions. Until you try it, you don’t know what you’re missing! SimplyCanning.com takes you through the process in this easy-to-follow guide.
Canning corn at home is a good alternative to freezing it all. Save some freezer space and create convenience for easy meals and side dishes. All you need to know!
Remove the corn and immediately plunge in an ice water bath to stop the cooking. Allow the corn to cool in the ice bath before transferring to a paper towel to dry. Place the corn on the cob in a freezer bag and press out as much air as possible. Label and store the corn in the freezer for up to 6 months.
You can freeze corn that's still on the cob but give some thought to what you plan to do with it when you get it out of the freezer. The only reason to freeze it on the cob is if you will eat it on the cob later. Otherwise, it's worth it to put in the effort and remove it from the cob now, freezing only the kernels.
Note: We recommend blanching your corn before freezing. This process of briefly immersing food in boiling water and then plunging into an ice bath in order to halt the cooking process will ensure that you don't lose any flavor and texture.
To freeze corn without any cooking, peel the husks and silks off the corn.Cut into desired chunks, leave whole or cut kernels off the cob (raw) and store into zip-loc bags in the freezer.
The natural enzymes in corn need to be inactivated before freezing to prevent both loss of color and nutrients, and flavor and texture changes. These enzymes are inactivated by a hot blanch treatment.
This is the second easiest method, since you don't need to cook the corn first: Shuck and cut the kernels off the cob into a large bowl. Spoon kernels into freezer baggies (or containers), remove as much air as possible (I use my handy straw), seal and freeze.
Corn is one of the easiest vegetables to freeze, and during the growing season, it's one of the cheapest to stock up on. You can remove the kernels for easy meals in the future or freeze it on the cob if you prefer. Additionally, if you love to boil seafood, you can't have enough frozen corn to add to the pot.
Freezing corn on the cob can be done without blanching! Here's what you'll need to freeze corn on the cob: Fresh sweet corn. Freezer ziploc bags or vacuum sealed bags (or try these silicone reusable bags!)
Fill a large pot with water at least halfway and bring to a boil. Add frozen corn, cover, and return to a boil. Once boiling, remove the cover and boil 5-7 minutes or until hot and the kernels are tender. Serve with butter and salt.
Corn-on-the-cob – Water blanch small ears (1¼ inches or less in diameter) 7 minutes, medium ears (1¼ to 1½ inches in diameter) 9 minutes and large ears (over 1½ inches in diameter) 11 minutes. Cool promptly and completely to prevent a "cobby" taste. Drain and package. Seal and freeze.
Using tongs, add the shucked ears of corn to the boiling water for 3-4 minutes. Remove the corn cobs from the boiling water with tongs and immediately submerge them in the ice bath, letting stand for 5 minutes.
Shuck, clean, and cut off any bad spots. Once the water is boiling hard, add corn and let the water return to a boil. Once the water is boiling again, boil the corn for 4-5 minutes. Cool the corn in a large pot using cold water and ice until the corn is cool enough to handle.
Keeping the husk on the cobs helps to slow the drying-out that occurs once corn kernels are exposed. If you're planning to eat the corn in the next day or two, immediately put the unhusked, loose ears into your refrigerator to keep them fresh. Coldness slows down the sugar-to-starch conversion process.
Corn is best eaten the same day it's purchased. If that isn't possible, store unhusked ears of corn loose in the refrigerator – don't bunch them together in a plastic bag. For best flavor, use corn within two days. Keep husked corn refrigerated, in plastic bags, and use within two days.
Yes, you can freeze corn with or without the husk. I'll first explain how to freeze corn on the cob without the husk. Shucking and then blanching corn cobs prior to freezing them is the most common method for freezing corn.
Yes, you can freeze raw corn on the cob or loose kernels. Though it can be a little more watery and chewy once cooked. However, it's simple to do and comes down to preference. Use the same method to flash freeze the corn and place them in a Ziplock or vacuum-sealed bag, removing all excess air.
You only need to blanch the corn, not fully cook it. Remove cobs and place them into a big bowl of ice water for a few minutes. This stops the cooking process and preserves the corn's texture.
Vacuum sealed corn will stay fresh for over one year. This method will protect your cobs from freezer burn and keep them fresh for over a year - perfect for waiting out for the next harvest.
How to boil frozen corn. Generally, you'll want to boil frozen corn longer than fresh corn. Frozen, shucked kernels also cook quicker than frozen corn on the cob. Add either to boiling water and cook the shucked kernels for 2–3 minutes or until tender and frozen cobs for 5–8 minutes or until tender.
Can you freeze corn on the cob? Yes, you can freeze corn with or without the husk. I'll first explain how to freeze corn on the cob without the husk. Shucking and then blanching corn cobs prior to freezing them is the most common method for freezing corn.
Using tongs, add the shucked ears of corn to the boiling water for 3-4 minutes. Remove the corn cobs from the boiling water with tongs and immediately submerge them in the ice bath, letting stand for 5 minutes.
It is better to freeze corn with the husk still on, because it can help to prevent freezer burn. However, shucking them first will save you time later on.
Fill a large pot with water at least halfway and bring to a boil. Add frozen corn, cover, and return to a boil. Once boiling, remove the cover and boil 5-7 minutes or until hot and the kernels are tender. Serve with butter and salt.
Boil for 6 minutes. Don't wait for the water to come back to a boil before starting the timer. You only need to blanch the corn, not fully cook it. Remove cobs and place them into a big bowl of ice water for a few minutes.
Unsurprisingly, frozen cobs take longer to boil than their fresh counterparts. Add them to boiling water, lower the heat, and cook them for about 5–8 minutes. Enjoy the taste of summer year-round with these recipes that incorporate frozen corn: Corn muffins.
Hobby: Reading, Ice skating, Foraging, BASE jumping, Hiking, Skateboarding, Kayaking
Introduction: My name is Cheryll Lueilwitz, I am a sparkling, clean, super, lucky, joyous, outstanding, lucky person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
