How to Freeze Corn on the Cob (Raw or Cooked)

If you want a whole year’s supply of corn in your home, this detailed walkthrough of how to freeze corn on the cob is just for you!

Apart from being delicious, versatile, and affordable, another great thing about corn is that it freezes well.

If you do it right, you won’t just have corn in the summer, but the entire year!

A-maiz-ing, am I right?

I’ll tell you everything you need to know about preserving this sweet golden crop.

Whether you plan on freezing just the kernels or the entire cob, I’ve got you covered.

There are several ways to go about it. You can either freeze the whole corn on the cob or just freeze the kernels.

You can blanch the corn beforehand, or just freeze it raw.

Before you begin the process, it’s important that you determine what you’ll do with the corn. 

Will you grill corn on the cob? Will you use it as a salad topping? Are you going to make corn soup?

The answers to these questions will decide the best freezing method for you.  

Do I have to blanch the corn beforehand?

If we’re talking about food safety, no, it’s not required. 

But if we’re talking about quality, though, then yes, I highly recommend it.

Blanching, the process of submerging food quickly in hot water, kills enzymes that cause the flavor, texture, and color of vegetables to change.

To help you decide, you have to again go back to what you plan on doing with the corn. 

For instance, if you want to eat fresh corn on the cob, you definitely need to blanch it before freezing.

Otherwise, the kernels will be dry and chewy once thawed.

On the other hand, if the plan is to make corn puree or soup, then it won’t matter if you blanch beforehand or not.

Can You Freeze Whole Corn on the Cob?

Absolutely.

This is the best method if you plan on eating it on the cob in the future. 

Other than that, it’s more advisable to freeze the just kernels. 

If you use the corn as a topping or to make soup or chowder, it’s much better to remove the kernels from the cob now than do so later.

This way, you can simply take out the kernels from the freezer and add them to whatever you’re making. 

How to Freeze Corn on the Cob

Cooked Corn on the Cob

1. Shuck the corn.

Remove the corn’s husks and silks. Fill a large pot of water halfway and set it over medium heat.

2. Prepare the ice bath.

Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with water and ice. Set aside.

3. Blanch the corn.

Once the water starts to boil, add the shucked ears of corn. Cook them for about 3-4 minutes, turning the corn every 1-2 minutes.

4. Submerge the corn in the bowl of ice water. 

This will stop the corn from cooking further. 

Transfer the corn immediately into the ice bath using a pair of tongs. Let the corn soak in the ice batch for 4-5 minutes or until cool to the touch.

5. Flash Freeze the Corn.

Place the corn on a baking sheet and freezer for 1-2 hours, or until frozen solid.

This will keep them from sticking together once you freeze them.

6. Transfer the corn to a freezer-safe bag.

Before sealing the bag completely, squeeze out as much air as you can. This will protect the corn from getting freezer burn.

Seal, label them accordingly, and freeze. Frozen corn will keep well for up to a year, but it’s best consumed within 6 months.

Raw Corn on the Cob

1. Shuck the corn.

Remove the corn’s husks and silks. Fill a large pot of water halfway and set it over medium heat.

2. Flash Freeze the Corn.

Place the corn on a baking sheet and freezer for 1-2 hours, or until frozen solid.

This will keep them from sticking together once you freeze them.

3. Transfer the corn to a freezer-safe bag.

Before sealing the bag completely, squeeze out as much air as you can. This will protect the corn from getting freezer burn.

Seal, label them accordingly, and freeze. Frozen corn will keep well for up to a year, but it’s best consumed within 6 months.

How to Freeze Corn Kernels

Cooked Kernels

1. Shuck the corn.

Remove the corn’s husks and silks. Fill a large pot of water halfway and set it over medium heat.

2. Prepare the ice bath.

Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with water and ice. Set aside.

3. Blanch the corn.

Once the water starts to boil, add the shucked corn. Cook it for about 3-4 minutes, turning the corn every 1-2 minutes.

4. Submerge the corn in the bowl of ice water. 

This will stop the corn from cooking further. 

Transfer the corn immediately into the ice bath using a pair of tongs.

Let the corn soak in the ice batch for 2-3 minutes or until cool to the touch.

5. Remove the kernels from the cob. 

Hold the ear of corn vertically, placing the bottom end against a cutting board. 

With one hand on the top end of the corn, slice the kernels off the cob with your other hand using a sharp knife.

Start from the top and slice straight down to the bottom.

Rotate the corn and repeat until the corn kernels on all sides are removed.

Break up large sections of kernels with your hands. 

6. Transfer the kernels to a freezer-safe bag.

Before sealing the bags completely, squeeze out as much air as you can.

This will protect the kernels from getting freezer burn.

Seal, label them accordingly, and freeze. Frozen corn will keep well for up to a year, but it’s best consumed within 6 months.

Raw Kernels

1. Shuck the corn.

Remove the corn’s husks and silks. 

2. Remove the kernels from the cob. 

Hold the ear of corn vertically, placing the bottom end against a cutting board. 

With one hand on the top end of the corn, slice the kernels off the cob with your other hand using a sharp knife.

Start from the top and slice straight down to the bottom.

Rotate the corn and repeat until the corn kernels on all sides are removed.

Break up large sections of kernels with your hands. 

3. Transfer the kernels to a freezer-safe bag.

Before sealing the bags completely, squeeze out as much air as you can.

This will protect the kernels from getting freezer burn.

Seal, label them accordingly, and freeze. Frozen corn will keep well for up to a year, but it’s best consumed within 6 months.

Tips for Freezing Corn on the Cob

• Use the freshest corn you can find! Frozen corn will taste exactly like it did the day it was frozen. That said, you want to preserve it when it’s at its best flavor and texture.
• When blanching the corn, do not add salt to the water. This will make the kernels tough.
• You can add a bit of sugar to the corn, though, if you want to sweeten it a little.
• Space-saving technique: store the corn flat. 
• Some walkthroughs will advise you to wrap the corn on the cob in plastic wrap before storing it in a freezer-safe bag. I don’t think it’s necessary. As long as you use excellent-quality freezer-safe bags, your corn will be more than okay.

Does Frozen Corn on the Cob Need to Be Thawed?

It depends.

If you’ll use corn as an ingredient in soups, stews, or anything that requires cooking, then there’s no need to thaw.

It’ll thaw as it cooks, anyway, so there’s really no point.

For frozen corn and the cob that you plan to eat as is, yes, you should definitely defrost it first. 

You can thaw and reheat the frozen corn on the cob either on the stovetop or in the microwave. For corn kernels, use the microwave method.

Stovetop:

1. Remove the corn from the bag. Place it in a large pot of water and bring it to a boil over high heat.

2. Once it’s boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cover the pot. Allow it to simmer for 6-8 minutes, or until it’s heated through.

Microwave:

1. Place 1-2 frozen ears of corn in a 2-quart microwave-safe dish filled with 1/4 cup of water. Cover it with a lid.

2. Microwave it on high for 7-9 minutes, or until it’s heated through. Flip the corn over midway through cooking.