I am not a very fast worker, so when I get produce for freezing or canning, I prefer to get a little bit at a time and process it before going on to more. I froze a dozen ears of sweet corn last week and it took me most of the afternoon.
This week my two granddaughters are here, and we got four dozen ears which were quickly put in the freezer with their help.
Since we don’t have corn in our garden we purchase it locally at the Farmer’s Market in town. And the window for good sweet corner is nearly closed, so we have to get as much as we can possibly handle now.
Now, the best way, in my mind, to freeze corn is the easy way. Blanche, cut off the cob, throw in bags and throw in the freezer.
I sent the girls outside and they husked all four dozen ears and brought them in a little at a time. I had hot water boiling in a large pan that held about six cobs. (When you put the cobs in, the temperature drops and the water has to reach boiling again before you start timing it.)
Cover the pot and check for boiling often. When it is boiling, set the timer for about six or eight minutes. Take out with a tongs and put immediately in ice water (make sure you have plenty of ice before you start – the corn gets the cold water hot very quickly).
As soon as you take the first cobs out, put more in, watch for the pot to start boiling, then start the timer again.
I have a Corn Cutter that I use but since I was using it, I had the girls use their paring knives. They each have a different colored one; it makes them feel more at home to dig in my knife drawer and find “their†knives.
To cut the corn with the cutter, slide a blanched cob across the blades and the corn falls into the bowl. To use a knife, stand the corn on end and slide the knife close to the cob to get the most corn off as possible.
I cut the corn off the cob into a large bowl. After the girls finished husking, they came in and started cutting the corn off.
Soon they had cut enough so that I was busy putting the corn into bags instead of cutting, myself. The system worked beautifully! And I have plenty of corn for the winter now.
The only problem is that they will be gone soon and the corn is gone, as well. It’s a struggle to find any good fresh local corn anymore. The window is closed and there is no more GOOD corn available.
But thanks to the girls, I have enough corn to last most of the winter. And we saved some so their Grandpa could have corn on the cob for supper tonight.
nice if you have the space. :)
You might can the corn if you don’t have freezer space.
I also take it one step further and make creamed corn before freezing. My grandma would freeze whole ears in ziploc bags and microwave them for dinner during the winter. Lots of options.
I need another upright freezer! Mine is PACKED!!!
Craigslist! We’ve gotten 3 chest freezers inexpensively that way.
everyone in my family eats more than a dozen ears PER PERSON PER DAY when the stuff is fresh. Cuting and freezing, wifey and I can knock out 10-12 dozen in an hour, we’ve put 50-60 dozen in the freezer in an afternoon. Keep your knife sharp and hit it with a honing steel after every 2-3 dozen. Makes a huge difference how fast you can zing the kernels off the cobs.
It’s great that you can do so much, so quickly. Normally I do it myself, unless I can convince hubby to husk. And, like I said …. I’m a slow worker – taking lots of breaks and sitting down because of my back. Speedy people have my awe!