How to Preserve Corn

Preserving corn is the best way to enjoy this delicious summer treat all winter long. So whether you’re harvesting sweet corn at home or stocking up on a great deal, let’s talk about all the best methods for preserving corn.

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When it comes to preserving corn on the cob, I would say the most popular method is freezing corn cobs whole or in kernels. A close second would be canning fresh corn – which you can do either plain or pickled. But let’s get into each preservation method in more detail & we’ll even share a great corn relish canning recipe!

Best Methods for Preserving Corn

How to Freeze Fresh Corn

If you’ve got the freezer space, frozen corn is your most versatile storage option. Because the corn hasn’t really been cooked, it can still be used in fresh corn salsa, on top of salads, & for basically any corn recipe.

Freezing corn will make it last roughly 8-12 months. You can either freeze corn on the cob or stripped off in kernels. But either way, you’ll want to blanch the corn first. Blanching corn will give you the best flavor & texture results when you enjoy your corn later.

Start by shucking the corn – removing as many silks as you can – and then drop the cobs of corn in a boiling pot of water for 2-3 minutes. When they’re done, dunk them in ice-cold water to cool down & prevent further cooking. At this point, you can freeze corn on the cob whole, or use a knife to strip the kernels from the cob.

How to Can Corn

Pressure canning corn is a great option for preserving plain corn kernels or making creamed corn. The jars will fill up your shelves, instead of your freezer, but canning fresh corn will make it last well over a year.

Here’s a quick synopsis of the pressure canner creamed corn recipe we use from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving.

Husk corn, remove silks, and wash. Blanch corn in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, or until crisp-tender. Drain and discard liquid. Wait until cool enough to handle or dunk in ice bath. Using a knife, cut kernals from the cob. Scrape cobs with spoon to extract pulp & milk. Measure kernels, milk, & pulp together.

For every 2 cups of corn mixture, add 1 cup of boiling water to pot & combine in a stainless steal saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, reduce heat, and simmer for 3 minutes – or until heated through. Ladle hot corn & liquid into hot jars. Process in pint jars for 85 minutes.

On the flipside, canning corn in water bath canners works well for recipes that are high in acid. If you’re looking for inspiration, this is our favorite corn relish canning recipe for a Sweet ‘N’ Spicy Canned Corn Relish.

How to Dry Corn

Drying corn is a great option to save corn seeds or to create a high-carb snack for chickens. We usually select the largest ears of heirloom corn from our harvest and hang them in the shop to dry as seeds to plant the following year. The remainder of the small corn cobs are hung to dry for poultry snacks. Chickens in the cold expel more energy trying to stay warm, so they require extra high-carbs/high-protein snacks during the winter.

If you’re looking for a high-protein snack option, check out the black soldier fly larvae available from GrubTerra. They’re our favorite! And use our code “LPF” for 10% off the entire website.

So, what do you think? Do you feel ready to start preserving fresh corn? What’s your favorite preservation method? Send us an email or leave a comment below! You can also let us know on our Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, or Pinterest pages.

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