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!

And don’t worry, it’s a breeze!

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

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

A-maiz-ing, am I right?

And you can freeze the kernels or the whole cob, depending on how much room you have.

So let’s find out how to freeze corn on the cob, shall we? That way, you can throw some on the grill even when it’s snowing!

Do I Have to Blanch the Corn Beforehand?

In terms of food safety, no, you don’t need to blanch corn before freezing.

But in terms of quality, the answer is yes, you should blanch corn before freezing it.

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

But really, it kind of depends on what corn recipes you plan to make.

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?

Yes, it’s a great way to store it for use later.

That said, it’s more advisable to freeze the just kernels if that’s what you’ll use later. 

For example, if you plan to use the kernels in a recipe, it’s easier to freeze them as kernels than try to cut them off a frozen cob.

How to Freeze Corn on the Cob

You have 2 choices for freezing corn on the cob: freeze it raw, or freeze it cooked.

Below, I’ll cover both methods so you can choose which works best for you.

How to Freeze 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 them. Frozen corn will keep well for up to a year, but it’s best consumed within 6 months.

How to Freeze 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.