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    Home » Recipes » Sides

    July 21, 2021

    How to Freeze Sweet Corn

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    After testing several different ways to freeze sweet corn, I'm sharing the BEST way in terms of texture, flavor and ease of prep!

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    bowl of sweet corn

    If you don't know where I'm from, this post juuuuust might give it away! Us Iowans (and those from other midwest states) sure do love our sweet corn, so much so that we'll freeze it to enjoy year round.

    And from a little research, I learned that everyone does it just a little differently. So last summer, I bought a whole bunch of corn, shucked it and froze it using three different methods.

    After 11 months in the freezer, I heated each of them up and did a taste test. I'll walk you through each variation, talk through the results and give you my favorite recipe at the end!

    a stack of unhusked sweet corn
    a half shucked piece of sweet corn

    How to Freeze Sweet Corn: The Methods

    For all of the variations, the corn was first shucked and silks removed. The corn was all purchased from the same farm and prepared on the same day. Note that seasoning in the experiment is very simple so the focus was on flavor and texture of the corn. The corn was frozen in freezer baggies with 2 cups of corn each.

    A. Boil, Cut, Freeze

    The corn cobs were boiled for 6 minutes each. I was able to fit 6 cobs in my pot at a time, so I cooked them in batches until they were all cooked. As soon as they came out of the boiling water, they went into an ice bath. I used a cooler full of ice water as the ice bath. Once they were completely cool, I used a serrated knife to cut the corn off the cob. I measured 10 cups of corn in a large bowl and stirred in 1 tablespoon salt and 1 tablespoon sugar. It was then scooped into freezer bags and frozen.
    Why test this method? This was the most popular response when asked how followers cook their sweet corn.

    B. Cut, Boil, Freeze

    A serrated knife was used to cut the corn off the cob. 10 cups of corn went into a large pot with 2 cups water, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 tablespoon sugar. The mixture was heated at medium-high heat and boiled for 5 minutes. The corn was poured into large shallow pans to cool the mixture. Once the corn was cool, it was scooped into freezer bags and frozen.
    Why test this method? This was also a popular response. It uses fewer large containers (no ice bath needed) and time in the kitchen seemed to be shorter than in method A.

    C. Cut, Add Brine, Freeze

    A serrated knife was used to cut the corn off the cob. Each freezer bag was filled with 2 cups of the raw corn. A brine was made in a liquid measuring cup: 2 ½ cups warm water, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 tablespoon salt. The brine was stirred until the sugar and salt were dissolved. ½ cup of the brine was poured into each bag of corn, then the corn was frozen.
    Why test this method? This was a method I was super intrigued by as it seemed to save a lot of time and heat in the kitchen (no boiling!).

    bags of freezer corn with labels A B and C

    How to Freeze Sweet Corn: The Results

    The corn was first thawed overnight. Then the bags were cooked one at a time. For Methods A & B, they simply needed reheated. They were heated on medium-high heat until piping hot. For Method C, I boiled the mixture for about 5-7 minutes, as the kernels were frozen raw.

    Method A: This one was very good and was a close second to the winner. The flavor and texture was great; those who tasted thought the corn was a little more bland than Method B.
    SCORE: 9/10

    Method B: This is exactly when I want when I pull a bag of sweet corn out of the freezer! The texture and flavor was wonderful; all-around the favorite.
    SCORE: 10/10

    Method C: I wanted so bad for this one to be the favorite....it's just SO easy to make. However, it fell flat in terms of flavor and texture. Even after boiling 5-7 minutes, it still had a raw corn flavor and the flavor was bland.
    SCORE: 5/10

    Cooked sweet corn labeled A B and C

    Tips for Freezing Sweet Corn

    • Plan to shuck the corn outside. If you've done this before, you know it can be a sticky job! Keep the messy husks and silks out of the house so you'll have a clean kitchen when you begin cooking!
    • Set up your stations before starting. Make sure you've got a large, clean work area and gather the supplies you'll need. You'll need large pots/saucepans, measuring cups, large spoons, salt, sugar, plenty of freezer bags, etc.
    • Use an angel food cake pan to hold the cob and to catch the corn (see photo below). A cousin gave me this tip years ago and I love how it keeps the cob from slipping out of your hand while cutting!
    • Cut the corn off the cob with an electric knife. If you have an electric serrated knife (like what you can use to carve a ham), it's super helpful when cutting corn off the cob. Your arms will be less sore the following day, ha!
    • Gather some help and turn on the tunes! Freezing corn was always a family affair for us. It took some time, but as they always say "many hands make light work." And when you've got some good music or a podcast to listen to, the time flies by!
    A man cutting corn off the cop using an angle food cake pan
    an angle food cake pan filled half way up with corn pieces.
    a metal pan full of corn pieces.
    a pan of corn being cooked on tehe stove
    a bowl full of corn.

    Other Iowa Favorites

    I always say that there are three foods I think of when I talk about Iowa: Sweet corn, pork and scotcheroos! Now that I've got the sweet corn complete, I think I've nailed the Iowa trifecta! 🙂

    Dr Pepper Pulled Pork is always a great option when feeding a crowd. It's easy and makes the tastiest sandwiches!

    Honey Garlic Pork Chops and French Onion Pork Chops are two of my favorite way to prepare pork chops! So much flavor to go with the tender chops!

    Scotcheroos are an Iowa classic - a no bake treat that nobody seems to be able to resist!

    Ever heard of Ham Balls?! Tender and juicy ham balls are coated in a delicious sweet and tangy sauce. This Iowa staple is perfect for potlucks, family gatherings and special occasions!

    a metal pan full of thawed frozen sweet corn.

    Connect with Dance Around the Kitchen!

    Follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook so you never miss a recipe!! And as always, thank you for following along with my blog, making my recipes, liking and sharing on social media and any other way you support Dance Around the Kitchen!  -Kelsey

    How to Freeze Sweet Corn

    How to Freeze Sweet Corn

    kelsey
    After testing several different ways to freeze sweet corn, I'm sharing the BEST way in terms of texture, flavor and ease of prep!
    5 from 1 vote
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    Servings 20 ½ c servings

    Ingredients
      

    • 12-14 ears of corn* husks and silks removed
    • 2 c water
    • 1 tablespoon salt
    • 1 tablespoon sugar

    Instructions
     

    • Use a serrated knife to cut the corn off the cob.
    • To a large pot, add 10 cups* corn, water, salt and sugar.
    • Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Let the mixture boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    • Pour the corn into a large shallow pan to cool.
    • Once cool, scoop into labeled freezer bags, remove excess air and freeze.
    • When ready to enjoy, thaw a bag of corn in the fridge (or microwave), then simmer until hot. If you'd like, you can add 1-2 tablespoon butter, black pepper, and/or additional salt.

    Notes

    *NOTE:  This recipe can easily be halved, doubled or tripled, depending on how much corn you have and how large your saucepan is.....
    -HALF RECIPE:  5 cups corn, 1 c water, ½ tablespoon salt, ½ tablespoon sugar
    -DOUBLED RECIPE:  20 cups corn, 4 cups water, 2 tablespoon salt, 2 tablespoon sugar
    -TRIPLED RECIPE:  30 cups corn, 6 cups water, 3 tablespoon salt, 3 tablespoon sugar
    Tried this recipe?Follow me at @dancearoundthekitchen.kelsey and let me know how you liked it!

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    about kelsey

    About Kelsey

    Combining my love for food and family is a pretty easy calculation. Almost all family gatherings include food… After all, a party without cake is just a meeting right? Read more...

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Jennifer says

      August 02, 2021 at 5:19 am

      5 stars
      Have always used method a, but looking forward to trying b!

      Reply
    2. Colleen says

      September 04, 2022 at 11:12 am

      I do B and have for years. Am I the cousin that told you to use angel food pan and electric knife? Just curious because I’m feeling REALLY special if I am- loloool

      Reply
      • kelsey says

        October 05, 2022 at 9:19 pm

        Well of COURSE you are!!! 🙂 Learned that from the best of the best....<3

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Kelsey! I am a wife, mother and BFFs with my KitchenAid mixer, happy to bring you easy meals and decadent desserts! Welcome to my blog!

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