The Best Method for Freezing Summer Corn

This website isn’t known for its brevity—when we tackle a culinary question, we go deep, test methodically, and explain our results. This article may be a welcome change of pace, because there’s only so much one can say about freezing corn. It’s very simple and easy.

So, here’s what you need to know to preserve that summer sweetness for weeks or months after the last cob has made an appearance at the farm stand.

Why and When to Freeze Corn

Why freeze corn? To preserve it, of course. But there’s even more urgency than that. The natural sugars in sweet corn quickly convert to more complex starches, so if you find yourself with more corn than you can reasonably eat in a day or two, or if you just want to preserve as much of it as possible to enjoy other times of year, freezing is your best option.

Freezing Whole Ears Vs. Kernels

Most of the time, you’re better off cutting the kernels off the cob before freezing (follow our instructions for how to cut off the kernels with minimal mess). First, this saves space, since you’re removing the cobs before freezing, allowing for much more corn to be stored than if you froze the ears whole. Second, in most instances, frozen corn is best used in dishes that only require the kernels—while you can eat a defrosted and reheated ear of corn, it’s not as enjoyable as eating one fresh. The kernels, though, work great in all sorts of dishes, from casseroles to salads, soups, stews, baked goods, and more.

Another advantage of freezing just the kernels: Because they’re smaller, they freeze faster. That’s a good thing, because the faster they freeze, the smaller the ice crystals are that form inside them, leading to better preservation of texture (larger ice crystals do more cell damage, leading to softer, mushier results).

Should You Blanch First or Not?

It often makes sense to blanch vegetables before packing them away for a long, deep freeze—blanching inactivates enzymes that can lead to a loss in produce quality over time. I ran side-by-side tests with fresh summer corn to see if I could tell a difference between blanched* and raw frozen corn by freezing samples of both, then defrosting and tasting them a few weeks later.

* I should clarify, I didn’t technically blanch my corn, which would mean boiling it, but instead used my cold-start, no-boil technique for more precise temperature control and better results.

I’ll be honest: I couldn’t tell them apart. The raw corn tasted just as sweet and tender as the par-cooked. This is partly due to the ice crystals that do form during freezing—even if they’re smaller thanks to the speedy freezing of the corn kernels, they still inflict some cell damage on the corn, softening it to a more cooked texture. This is actually a handy technique that’s sometimes dubbed “cryo-blanching,” in which fresh produce is given a like-cooked texture without sacrificing any of its freshness.

So, should you par-cook the corn? I don’t have an conclusive answer, but if my tests showed anything, it’s that you can probably take a little shortcut here and skip the cooking. On the other hand, since the par-cooking didn’t harm the corn in any way, I think one could argue it’s still an insurance policy against any loss in quality from enzymes or other changes that take place in uncooked corn over time.

In short, “blanch” the corn (using my no-boil method linked to above) if you have the time, but know that you’ll probably be just fine if you just freeze the corn from raw.

Tips for Ensuring the Quality of Your Frozen Corn

Here are a few things you should try to do to ensure you frozen corn remains great over time.

• Freeze it flat: To speed up the corn’s freezing time and lock in its quality as quickly as possible, spread the kernels out on rimmed aluminum baking sheets and freeze on those. Then transfer the corn to zipper-lock bags or vacuum bags for long-term storage.
• Pack it Flat: Try to pack the corn flat in the freezer bags, squeezing out as much air as possible, for the most efficient storage and quickest defrosting times possible. Kenji has written about this before, and the advice is just as good today as it was then.
• Double-Bag for Security: While it uses more plastic, double-bagging the frozen corn helps keep freezer burn away. Once again, make sure to remove as much air from the bags as possible.
• Label Clearly: Make sure to write the date on the corn before you put it in the freezer so you know how old it is. It’s also helpful to include other information, including weights and volumes of the corn in each bag; this can help you determine how much corn you need to defrost for a recipe.
• Defrost Quickly on Aluminum Baking Sheets: Aluminum baking sheets don’t just help you freeze the corn, they also help defrost it quickly, thanks to the metal’s great heat conduction qualities. If you froze the corn in a thin, flat layer, it will defrost in no time while sitting on an aluminum baking sheet at room temperature. Then use the corn soon after to ensure its quality remains high.