Freeze Fresh Corn & Creamed Corn
Putting Away = prep it for storage to eat later
This technique comes from Juanita, my Southern grandmother who had her own garden. I’d spend summers with her putting away corn and peas, and it’s come in handy for keeping fresh corn past its prime season. I’ll include instructions for both removing kernels and for keeping the entire cob in tact. I’ll show you how she made creamed corn - with no cream. Let’s call this Juanita-style corn.
Start with shucking the corn and removing as much silk as you can. Wash the cob, and then find a large bowl or shallow tub. Something with low sides is ideal. And now we’ll slice off the kernels with a knife. I’m using a serrated knife so I have more control of each slice.
There’s two ways to cut the kernels: cut them as close to the cob as possible if you like entire kernels of corn. OR the creamed version where we just slice off the very top of the kernel - more like scraping off the tops - and then with a butter knife, push out the meat and juice of each kernel. It’s a little messy so set up your station outside, but it’s very tasty and it gives you a creamy consistency without using cream.
If you want to keep the corn on the cob, bring a large pot of water to a boil and blanch, or boil, the entire cob for 3 minutes. Set in an ice bath to stop the cooking. Then freeze in a ziplock bag or storage container.
For the kernels that you’ve cut off - pour them into a pot and add a little bit of water - no more than 1/4 cup for four cobs. And bring this to a boil for just a few minutes. We’re not looking to fully cook the creamed corn because we’ll do that when we’re ready to eat it. We just want to cook it enough to freeze it. So let this cool, then freeze it.
I have an aunt who blanches the entire cob and THEN cuts off the kernels for freezing - either way achieves the same end result.
If you’re ready to eat your creamed corn now, add a little more water and couple tablespoons of butter. Simmer your corn until it’s the consistency you like. As it cools, it will thicken, but avoid adding too much water or else it’ll be more like soup. Which is fine, too! This is where some cornbread comes in handy.
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