How to freeze corn for the winter - whole cobs and loose kernels

The housewife, who decided to freeze corn for the winter, provided herself with valuable substances and a natural product instead of canned alternatives from the store. Frozen yellow grain retains its shape, it is easy to boil, fry and add to a variety of dishes.

Corn selection and preparation

Corn is usually frozen on the cob, which is quick and convenient. Choose fruits of medium ripeness, they are the most delicious and store well. Young corn will taste inferior to ripe corn, and overripe corn will lose all its characteristics in the cold. Finally, select cobs that are even and healthy looking.

How to prepare cobs for freezing:

1. Remove the outer leaves and stigmas.
2. Rinse the cobs thoroughly in running water.
3. Cut 2 cm off both ends - there are unripe grains there.
4. Dry thoroughly.

Advice
How to quickly check the ripeness of corn: press on the grain: if white juice comes out, then you can prepare it.

The ice pack lasts for about 1 year, but the magazine purity-en.htgetrid.com recommends eating the cobs before spring; by summer there will be very few vitamins left in the grains.

Freezing cobs

Freezing corn on the cob is easy. Both raw and blanched varieties store well. In this form, the grain remains the most useful; it is convenient to boil it and eat it directly from the head in winter.

Process for freezing raw corn:

1. Prepare food bags for freezing or special bags with a zipper.
2. Place the corn, one cob at a time, into separate bags. You cannot store it without packaging - the time period will be significantly reduced.
3. Release all the air and tie tightly.
4. Place the cobs in a row in the freezer section reserved for vegetables.
5. To prevent the product from absorbing foreign odors, do double packaging.
6. If you want to put corn cobs in a common container, then do this: first freeze them individually, and then put them in rows in a container.

With blanching, the harvesting process will take longer, but this type of corn will better retain its golden color:

1. Boil water in one saucepan. Pour cold water into another and add ice.
2. Place the corn cobs completely in boiling water in a colander and keep it there for 2-3 minutes, maybe 5.
3. After blanching, immediately plunge the fruit into a pan of cold water.
4. When the corn has cooled, wipe it dry with napkins and pack it in a convenient way.

Advice
Use the lowest freezer temperature to blast freeze. The faster the corn hardens, the more benefits it will retain, it will not become watery and will not lose its flavor. After quick freezing, set the standard settings -18-23 degrees.

Freezing grains

The cobs take up quite a lot of space. Corn can also be stored in grains, but to do this you will have to try and remove them from the cob.

How to remove corn kernels at home:

1. The most accurate, but time-consuming method is to separate the grains by hand. This way they will remain intact.
2. A quick method, but some of the grains may be damaged: place the cob vertically and use a sharp knife to go through the rows from top to bottom.
3. There are special devices for removing grains.

Advice
The grains are removed from the washed cob, but it is better to rinse them additionally in a colander and dry them.

How to freeze corn kernels:

1. Scattering, like corn cobs, tolerates blanching well. Keep the washed grains in boiling water or pour boiling water for a maximum of 5 minutes, then cool in ice water.
2. Distribute raw and dried grains into portioned bags. One package - one dish. This will be much more convenient than constantly breaking off pieces from the total mass.
3. Be sure to squeeze out the air and tightly seal bags and containers to prevent the corn from becoming damp and saturated with foreign odors.

Another popular way to store frozen corn is as mixed vegetables. This bag is easy to use for preparing lunch: throw the frozen food into a frying pan and simmer. Corn is mixed with green beans, broccoli, green peas, bell peppers and other vegetables, sometimes with rice and mushrooms.

How to defrost

Thaw the corn gradually:

• if the grains are raw, then let them thaw a little, only then put them in boiling water or in a frying pan. If frozen corn is cooked, it will become tough;
• You should not immediately move the cobs or grain from the freezer to the room, bypassing the refrigerator stage;
• defrosting in the microwave is possible, but it’s better to play it safe and wrap the cobs in a towel, otherwise they will become tough.

That's all the rules for freezing and thawing corn. Label the packages with the expiration date so you don't forget about your summer treats. Prepare the product in different ways: boil, stew, bake, add to salads. And enjoy the taste and vitamins.