How to preserve corn for the winter: freezing

Oh, how good this ancient cereal crop is, the benefits that come from it are unsurpassed, and its taste is incomparable in any type of preparation. And in order to enjoy it all year round, you need to know whether it is possible to freeze corn in grains and on the cob for the winter, and also have the skills to do it correctly. Of course, there are other methods of preparing maize, for example, canning, but only cryopreservation can preserve the taste, juiciness and valuable composition of the grains.

The fact that regular consumption of corn has the most beneficial effect on health has been known to humanity for thousands of years. Even the ancient Mayans, whose diet was based on maize, had the opportunity to appreciate all its healing power.

Today, we evaluate food more and more by taste, but even here yellow grains do not give up their positions. Popcorn and canned goods are a prime example of this. And if you remember a beach somewhere in Crimea, then the first memories of your vacation will be associated with “hot, milky, juicy corn.” However, boiled cobs rubbed with salt remain a summer delicacy, and how you want to gnaw on a cabbage while sitting at home by the window, looking at the blizzard and blizzard.

And here a reasonable question arises: how to delay the day of farewell to maize for the long autumn-winter-spring months? Are there techniques in the bins of seasoned cooks that would allow them to preserve cobs throughout the year?

It turns out that there are ways to prepare corn for the winter in order to preserve its freshness, for example, you can freeze it, so it will practically not lose its inherent taste and healthy qualities.

There are several options for freezing corn: on the cob, in grains, or boiled. All of them are quite simple and do not take much time. But in this form, these cereals can be stored for quite a long time - from 1 to 1.5 years, such an “ice age” will not affect their characteristics in any way.

Preparing corn for freezing

Whatever method of cryopreservation we choose, the preparation of cobs in each of the proposed options looks the same. In addition, the result of our entire event also depends on the quality of the product, so for storage it is best to choose sugar varieties of corn, well-ripened specimens, but not overripe ones.

Please ensure that the pumps are free of damage, signs of damage and wormholes.

When starting to clean the cobs, the first thing we must do is remove all the leaves and brown fibers, after which we cut off the top tip, thoroughly rinse the yellow “bombs” in cool water and place them on a towel to dry.

Now you can proceed directly to the finishing processing of cereals.

Preparation and freezing

All methods of preparing corn for the winter are simple, following the tips and recommendations, you will quickly master the skills, and the corn will be able to lie in the freezer for up to 1.5 years, maintaining its beneficial qualities.

Any cryopreservation option has the same preparation. The main thing when harvesting corn is to choose a quality product, which should be:

• sugar grade;
• mature;
• no visible damage;
• no dark spots or traces of insects.

The cobs must be completely cleared of leaves and yellow tendrils, then cut off the upper cone-shaped part by 2-3 cm. Rinse the corn in clean, running water several times and dry it by placing it on a towel.

Now you need to decide on the choice of freezing method and begin the process.

Freezing grains

The grains are prepared both boiled and fresh. This method requires more time spent than freezing the cobs, but if there is not much space in your refrigerator, then there are no other options for freezing corn for the winter.

Freezing a fresh product: place the prepared cobs on a cutting board and use a sharp knife to cut off the grains using gentle movements from top to bottom. Pack the grains in small portions in bags or plastic containers and put them in the freezer. The boiling time for corn is 25-30 minutes, while the grains are not further defrosted, but are immediately placed in a pan of boiling water.

Freezing cooked grains. This method is the longest in time, but at the same time the most convenient, because corn can be immediately added to salads, soups and other dishes.

This method preserves all vitamins and prevents the grains from shrinking during prolonged freezing. For cooking, you will need a large saucepan so that all the prepared cobs can fit into it.

Freezing whole cobs

If you have a spacious freezer and like to enjoy delicious corn sprinkled with salt, then spend a little time learning how to freeze corn on the cob.

They can be frozen either fresh or boiled, the time will be the same. Fresh ones will need to be tinkered with after defrosting, and boiled ones will need to be tinkered with in preparation for cooling. Let's take a closer look at all the methods:

Freezing corn on the cob for the winter

This method is ideal for those who want to know how to store whole fresh corn in order to boil it on winter evenings and savor it with salt under some next “soap opera”.

Dry method

The first option is ridiculously simple. We don't have to do anything special. We wrap the dried pumpkins individually in cling film, or in paper towels, or simply put them in bags and place them in the freezer. When you want to eat corn, you just need to defrost it in the microwave.

Hardening method

In the second case, there are still some nuances, but maize prepared in this way after defrosting will be absolutely no different from the fresh product.

The trick here is in blanching, that is, in hardening the corn. To do this, we must dip the cobs in boiling water and literally after 10-20 seconds transfer them to ice water. Next, let them dry on a towel and pack them into bags, after which we put them in the freezer drawer.

Step-by-step instructions for processing, packaging and freezing

Processing using the dry method and “hardening” will differ. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages, but nevertheless allows you to preserve the beneficial substances and aroma of the vegetable.

Dry method

Pack the pre-prepared cobs into bags of 2-4 pieces (removing the air from them and fastening them with a zip fastener) or wrap each head individually with cling film. In this form, place the cobs in the freezer. In winter, all you have to do is take the corn out of the refrigerator, throw it into boiling water and cook for 20-30 minutes. We recommend putting in one bag the number of cobs that you use at a time. Repeated freezing is not advisable.

Hardening method

The blanching method is called a kind of hardening of the product. The sequence of actions for this method is as follows:

1. Prepare two pans - with boiling water and cold water (you can add ice cubes).
2. Place the prepared cobs in hot water for 5 minutes. During cooking, all heads of cabbage should be completely immersed in water. They can be turned over if necessary.
3. Then place in a pan of cold water for 3 minutes.
4. Repeat the procedure 3-5 times.
5. Place the cobs on a thin, lint-free towel and wait until they dry thoroughly.
6. Next, wrap each fruit separately in cling film and place in the freezer.

Harvesting corn grains for the winter

When talking about freezing maize, we mostly opt for the bulk option. And this is understandable, because such corn is convenient to use for vegetable soups, salads, pizzas and other snacks.

Cereals prepared in this way do not need long-term cooking, since they enter the ice chamber after a short heat treatment, and we will store already boiled corn. And now we’ll tell you how to prepare it correctly.

1. First, we need to choose a pan large enough to fit all the cobs, which we must completely fill with water.
2. Now put the jug on the fire and wait until the liquid begins to boil. After boiling, cook the corn for 5 minutes.
3. While the maize is cooking, we should prepare the second stage of processing - cooling. This will require ice cubes and cold water, with which we must fill a large and deep bowl.
4. Now the cherished 5 minutes have passed, the grains have boiled a little. Now you need to remove the cobs from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and place them in ice water to cool. Thanks to this thermal contrast, the grains will not shrink, and seed husking will become much easier.
5. Then we take the pumpkins out of the “cooling liquid”, place them on a towel and leave to dry.
6. After this, we need to remove all the grains from the cobs, pack them in zip bags and send them into the cold for long-term storage.

How to freeze corn at home

1. When purchasing an ear of corn, be sure to burst several of its grains - whitish juice should ooze from them. If this is not the case, then the corn is already mature and you will need to cook it much longer than young corn. Clean the corn cobs from leaves and plant fibers and rinse in water. Using a sharp knife, cut the kernels from each cob, being careful not to go too deep so as not to cut off the tough core.

2. Pour all the cut grains into a saucepan or cauldron.

3. Add salt and granulated sugar. Pour boiling water and place the container on the stove. Boil for 5 minutes from boiling if the corn is young, and 25-30 minutes if it is mature.

4. Place the corn kernels in a sieve or colander and rinse them with ice water. Due to the temperature difference, the shell of each grain will become less dense. Let the remaining water drain out.

5. Place all cooled grains into freezer bags or containers. Tie them or seal them with lids and place them in the freezer for 30 minutes. During this time, the grains will completely freeze. The shelf life of this product is about 1 year.

To add corn kernels to a salad, simply create a marinade based on salt, sugar and vinegar, boiling water, and then dip some of the frozen kernels into it. They are already boiled, so the grains only need to cool in the marinade so that you get tasty and aromatic corn, just like from a can.

How to cook frozen corn?

Many snack recipes include corn, and to create a culinary masterpiece from frozen corn, you should first heat-treat it in boiling water. But how to properly cook this cereal after icy hibernation?

But even here, in such a seemingly simple matter, there are some subtleties. For example:

• Frozen cobs can be thawed first in the microwave by wrapping them in a damp paper towel. Next, as usual, boil the maize in a saucepan with salted water for about 40 minutes.
• It is better to throw frozen grains directly into boiling water, without first thawing, and boil for 15-20 minutes. This time will be enough for the grains to become soft and juicy.
• Also, resourceful cooks have another ace up their sleeves - a multi-cooker recipe on how to make frozen milk corn. To do this, maize grains (200 g) are placed in the bowl of the unit, butter (1 tbsp) and milk (1 tbsp) are added there, the stewing program is set and in 15 minutes the multicooker will prepare a real summer “yummy”. And then you yourself, add salt, pepper, add grated cheese, this is a matter of everyone’s taste.

Enjoying the taste of sunny summer on chilly autumn days or frosty winter evenings is real if you know how to freeze corn for the winter according to all the rules.

Is it possible to freeze corn on the cob?

Frozen corn on the cob is a simple winter preparation that will help preserve the product for a long time. After defrosting and cooking, you can enjoy tasty and juicy cereal, just like in the summer.

Will the taste and beneficial properties be lost?

Freezing corn on the cob helps preserve not only its beneficial properties, but also the taste of the fresh plant. Cereal grains contain B vitamins, magnesium, phosphorus, iodine, potassium and calcium. Consumption of the product has a positive effect on the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract and the immune system as a whole.

Frozen vegetables, fruits and berries retain nutrients better than their canned counterparts. In addition, it is very tempting to be able to enjoy products in winter that seem to have just been picked from the garden.

Can you freeze boiled corn?

To cook or not to cook cobs for freezing, that is the question? It all depends on how long you will store them later: frozen raw corn can be stored for 6 months, but boiled corn can be stored for no more than 2 weeks. That's all.

Let's start cooking:

1. Peel the corn cobs and place them in a pan with young leaves and stigmas.
2. Fill with water and boil for up to 1 hour, depending on ripeness.
3. We take out the cobs and place them on a plate until they cool completely.
4. And then we cut off the grains with a knife, without touching the hard part of the cob.
5. We put all the cooked grains in vacuum bags and store them compactly in the freezer.

After defrosting, you will be happy to eat the finished corn all at once, but if there is any left, you can leave it in the refrigerator until the next lunch.

For harvesting, sugar corn varieties of milky ripeness are selected. For long-term storage, you can freeze whole cobs, but freezing the grains will allow you to efficiently load your freezer and provide yourself with an appetizing vitamin supplement throughout the winter. They can be prepared both fresh and blanched. The most practical is a small plastic container for one-time use.

To add piquancy, the frozen product is marinated without even defrosting. Bright sunny grains can decorate any salad, enrich the taste of first and second courses, and vegetable stews.