The first thing I learned to freeze was corn, as it is a simple process and something both my husband and I really really enjoy. Corn is a staple at our meals, appearing at least once a week.
Freezing corn is a simple process. My husband likes to find a roadside stand with the peaches and cream corn or "super" sweet corn, because that is what he likes best and we feel that it retains a great flavor, even after being frozen for months. Starting with a good sweet corn is important, because then we don't have to add anything at all to our corn, not even butter! This year we got 5 (baker's) dozen which yielded around 70 cups of corn.
Step 1 Shuck the corn - easy enough. Try to get off as much of the "hair" as possible.
Step 2 Blanch the corn by boiling it in water for 5 minutes. Blanching destroys the enzymes in the corn that would cause it to lose its color, taste, and texture.
Step 3 Immediately place corn in ice cold water. This stops the cooking process
Step 4 Cut the corn off the cob either using a sharp knife or with a mandolin or a corn peeler tool like this one (which is what we use - so easy!). You want to cut about 2/3 of the kernel off, but don't cut into the cob. I cut my corn in a cake pan to make it easier and less messy.
Step 5 Measure your corn into Ziploc freezer bags. For the two of us, I usually put in two cups of corn into a quart Ziploc bag. Squeeze out as much air as you can from the bag. Then wiggle the corn around so that it lays flat and place in the freezer. Once it's frozen, then you can stand the corn upright, like a book, which makes for easy storing and grabbing.
I hope you enjoy making your own corn. I know you'll enjoy the fresh taste of summer in the middle of winter.
If you have any questions, let me know!
