Putting Corn Up for the Winter
Jump to recipe
Freezing Corn and Making Corn Broth
August 31, 2015
Category
Produce Tips
Recipes
Corn freezes really well and there are lots of things you can do with it for winter meals. Like most vegetables that you freeze, corn needs to be blanched prior to freezing to stop the enzymes that will continue breaking down the corn even in your freezer.
If you think of the corn cobs as the "bones" of the corn, you may think twice before throwing them into your compost after cutting off the kernels. In the same way you would make a chicken stock, you can make a corn broth with those "bones" and then freeze it. You now have the base for a wonderful Corn Chowder!
If you think of the corn cobs as the "bones" of the corn, you may think twice before throwing them into your compost after cutting off the kernels. In the same way you would make a chicken stock, you can make a corn broth with those "bones" and then freeze it. You now have the base for a wonderful Corn Chowder!
Persons
10
Ingredients
- 1 Dozen Ears of Corn
- Water
Instructions
- Fill a large pot with cold water. Bring the water to a boil. In the meantime, shuck a dozen ears of corn and prepare a large bowl of water with ice in it.
- When the water is boiling, keep the burner set on high, drop in the corn, return to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. Do in two batches if necessary. After the two minutes, remove the corn from the boiling water and plunge into the bowl of ice water. Keep the water that the corn has boiled in on the stove and turn the burner down to low.
- Once the corn cobs have cooled (about 2 minutes) remove from the ice water. Using a large bowl, hold the corn cob in the center of the bowl and with a sharp knife, cut off the kernels using downward strokes. Be careful not to cut too deeply or you will get the tough ends of the seeds.
- Once all of the corn has been cut off of the cobs, return the cobs to the hot pot of water on the stove and return the heat to high. Bring to a boil and then turn down to medium. Keep the corn cobs, uncovered, simmering for 2 to 3 hours. The water will reduce by about half.
- In the meantime, spread the corn out on a cookie sheet and put into the freezer. The corn should take a coupe of hours to freeze. Once frozen, prepare quart sized ziplock bags by labeling them with the date and "corn." Use a 2 cup measuring cup to portion the corn into the bags. Before sipping the bag closed, remove as much air as possible. To store in the freezer, lay flat stacked on one another.
- Meanwhile, back at the corn broth, after the water has reduced by about half, remove the cobs and let them cool. Using the same large bowl, place the cob in the center of the bowl and this time use the back of a butter knife to scrape the remaining bits of kernel out of the cobs. Mix this with the corn broth and blend or use a stick blender to puree and make a rich and thick corn broth. Allow the broth to cool completely and package in Quart sized ziplock bags that have been labeled with the date and "corn broth." Store flat in the freezer as the flat packages are easier to manage and store.
- One dozen corn yields about 8 to 10 cups of corn and 2 quarts of broth.
© 2024 @2015 Muddy Boots CSA
