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Too much Corn

20 years ago

What would you do with extra corn? My corn did great this year and I've given away as much as I care to, but I have a box left that I need to do something with soon. I think it was Laurie talking about freezing it recently - how is this done? On or off the cob? Or does somebody know anything else good to do with it?

Comments (16)

  • 20 years ago

    My mom used to freeze corn on the cob with great success. These directions were found on the North Dakota State University Extension Service website. They are pretty accurate, IMO.

    CORN, sweet
    Select ears with plump kernels and thin sweet milk. Husk ears, remove silk and wash.

    Whole kernel and CreamedÂ
    Blanch, cool and drain. For whole kernel corn -- cut corn off cob about 2/3 the depth of kernels. For cream style corn -- cut at ½ depth of kernels and scrape cob with back of knife to remove juice. Package, seal and freeze.
    4 minutes

    On the Cob
    Sort ears according to size. Small ears -- 1¼ inches or less in diameter. Medium ears -- 1¼-1½ inches in diameter. Large ears -- over 1½ inches in diameter. Blanch, cool and drain. Package, seal and freeze.
    Small ears - 7 minutes
    Medium ears - 9 minutes
    Large ears -11 minutes

    Personally, neither I nor my mother every had any luck with cutting the kernals off a cob. However, I know a lady who did it every year and it was great. I would just get mush no matter what tool I used to do it. After trying 3 or 4 times, I gave up. I haven't had enough in the past few years to worry about it, though. But, in future I will only freeze it on the cob.

    Hope this helps
    Shauna

  • 20 years ago

    That's great Shauna, I wondered if it could be frozen whole. I can never cut the kernels off either. So blanching is pouring boiling water over it right?

    I might try cutting the kernels off some cobs though, and do it both ways. The reason I didn't want to give any more away is most of what I have left are small &/or imperfect cobs, and on some the slugs got into just the ends and slimed them up and ate the top kernels. Grrrrrr.... slugs... they also dessimated at least 75% of my tomatoes.

  • 20 years ago

    Blanching is basically boiling them in water. I put the cobs in a big stock pot filled with water. When the water starts to boil, then I time it for 10 minutes. After that I put them immediately into a sink filled with ice water to cool. As for cutting the kernals off, I use a good sharp knife. This year I picked off 97 cobs and cut the kernals off of each......ended up with 35 packages to freeze. I have frozen the corn on the cob too blanching it the same way, but I didn't have enough room in the freezer for that many cobs! Took me two full afternoons....thank goodness it's done for another year :^)

    Laurie

  • 20 years ago

    I've heard you can freeze them on the cob with the husk. Soak them in water first and freeze individually. Then you can throw them on the BBQ later on. The water/ice helps to "boil" them while cooking. I've never had extra corn to freeze so I haven't tried this.

    Syreeta

  • 20 years ago

    Having done this very job today, a serrated blade works very well in cutting the kernels off the cob.

    97 cobs, wow, great crop Laurie.

  • 20 years ago

    Thanks for the help gals, I got it done. I discovered the trick to getting the kernels off whole, using a razor sharp knife and cutting around rather than top to bottom. I froze two big bags of kernels and about 25 on the cob. I don't think I quite got to 97 cobs this year but it must have been pretty close after all the ones I ate and gave away... what a great feeling to produce one's own food in this day & age...

  • 20 years ago

    Hey how can you have to much corn when I can't even grow it here. :-( See the tears!!!

    I was raised in the land of corn.....and never gave it any thought till I couldn't grow it. I miss it much! All I have been able to get here is uhhh well...what I call cows corn....DH laughs when I say that.

    Ok I'll stop drooling now.

    Sierra :-(

  • 20 years ago

    I still have "The Shuttle" Sierra, should I send you a cob? LOL

    How awful not to be able to grow corn...

  • 20 years ago

    "The Shuttle" LOL.

    Ya it is awful not to be able to grow corn. Growing season is only about 86 days here.....and this year that wasn't even frost free days. I tried the short season corns but it doesn't get warm enough here. Oh well.....I can grow tons of really REALLY good peas. LOL! :-))

    Sierra

  • 20 years ago

    Keeping fingers crossed for my corn this year. It's just starting to darken a bit on the tassles. I hope it ripens, I hope it ripens, I hope it ripens (Shauna doing a "ripening" dance around her corn - ouch, that's a bad image - LOL).

    I know what you mean, Sierra. I always call it "pig corn" - about the same quality, I think. LOL

    Gillian, what a concept - cutting "around" the cob. I never thought of that. Maybe that's why I've only ever got mush. Thanks for the tip.

    Shauna

  • 20 years ago

    Have you cleaned up the corn yet?

    I also cut kernels off the blanched corn for a kernel corn and then freeze them just as others are recommending for you to do.

    The other way we enjoy having corn is creamed style corn.

    Creamed Corn

    Cut off the tops of the kernels on the raw corncob, scraping down each cob with your knife to get all of the corn. Then measure and add these ingredients:

    8 cups corn
    1 c. water
    1/4 c. sugar
    1/2 c. butter (you can use margarine but the corn will not stay fresh as long in the freezer then)
    1/2 t. salt

    Mix in a roaster and place in a 350F oven for 1 hour. I usually stir once, at half time. Cool, package in portion sizes and freeze.

    This makes the best creamed corn I have ever had. I think it is better than any creamed corn bought in the cans in the store.

    Just an extra...
    One year I had so much corn I also processed the kernels in jars and in a hot water bath. A friend of mine likes hers done that way. I do NOT recommend it, that is the worst tasting corn I have ever had. None of my family would eat it. Not that it was bad, physically bad, but processing corn changes the taste and changes it not for the better.

  • 20 years ago

    Dance Shauna Dance! :-)

    Sierra

  • 20 years ago

    My fingers are crossed for you too Shauna! Even if you have to pick it a little young, that is better than too old. I made that mistake two years ago. It was like flannel.

    VRG, yes I did freeze it all. Thanks for the creamed corn recipe though, I didn't even know it had other ingredients! I thought it was just a nice term for corn that is in small pieces LOL. My DH loves creamed corn. I have gotten used to it.

  • 20 years ago

    Just was looking at our long term forecast. This cold, wet weather is looking like the norm for Edmonton for the next week or so. Hardly corn ripening weather. Guess I just have to dance faster (but my legs are getting tired already!!)

    I'm going to have to try that creamed corn recipe. We love creamed corn and that looks exceptionally good. Thanks, valleyrimgirl.

    Shauna

  • 20 years ago

    Shauna,

    You're welcome. It is a simple recipe and sooooo good.

    Today is the 20th...did you try making it, and what did you think?

    Brenda (valleyrimgirl)

  • 20 years ago

    Still dancing really hard and waiting for it to ripen. I think it still needs another week. Touch wood - we had a f---- warning last night but still looks like we didn't get hit. Everything looks fine. I'm not sure why this corn is soooo late. It's 'Golden Bantam' which is 78 days and I'm already past 110 days, at least. However, I think it is just the cold and wet year. I remember thinking in July that the stalks seemed small and I know it didn't produce cobs until later than normal.

    Shauna

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