How to Freeze Corn on the Cob

Co-authored by Kyle Hall

Last Updated: March 29, 2019

Freezing corn on the cob is a convenient way to save your fresh corn for a future snack or recipe. You can easily freeze corn on the cob at home, either right out of the husk or by blanching it first. Freezing your corn unblanched is the fastest method to use, but it will only keep for up to 2 months. If you want to store your corn for longer, you should blanch it before putting it in the freezer so all of the enzymes and delicious flavors are preserved.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Freezing Unblanched Corn

1
Shuck the corn to remove the husk. Use your hands to peel back the layers until the whole husk is off the ear of corn.^{[1]
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2
Place the shucked ear of corn in a freezer bag. You can use a plastic container if you don’t have a freezer bag, but the corn may not keep as long because of the excess air in the container.^{[2]
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3
Press out excess air from the bag with your hands before you zip it shut. You want there to be as little air as possible in the bag so the corn stays fresh longer.^{[3]
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4
Place the corn in a freezer for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to cook the corn, remove it from the freezer bag and boil it for around 3-5 minutes.^{[4]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Blanching and Freezing Corn

1
Remove the husk from the corn. Use your hands to peel off each layer of the husk, pulling off any silks on the corn as you go. Set the shucked corn aside.^{[5]
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2
Fill a large bowl with ice and cold water. Use a bowl that’s large enough to hold the corn you’ll be blanching. You want there to be a lot of ice in the bowl; at least 2 ice trays full. Fill the bowl with cold water until the water line is about three quarters of the way up the side bowl. Don't put the corn into the ice water yet.^{[6]
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3
Fill a pot halfway with water and add 2 tablespoons (14.8 mL) of sugar. Make sure the pot is large enough to hold the corn. Set the pot on a stove top.^{[7]
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4
Bring the pot of water to a boil and set the ear of corn in the pot. The water may stop boiling when you set the corn in the pot. Wait a couple minutes for the water to re-boil before you start timing how long the corn's been blanching for.^{[8]
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5
Let the corn blanch in the boiling water for several minutes. The exact amount of time you should blanch the corn depends on its size:^{[9]
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- Small ears of corn that are 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) long should be blanched for 7 minutes.^{[10]
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- Medium-size ears of corn that are 6-8 inches (15-20 cm) long should be blanched for 9 minutes.^{[11]
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- Large ears of corn that are 8-12 inches (20-30 cm) long should be blanched for 11 minutes.^{[12]
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6
Remove the corn with tongs and place it in the bowl of ice water. Let the corn completely cool in the ice water. After a few minutes, feel the corn with your hand; if it still feels warm, let it cool longer.^{[13]
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7
Remove the corn from the ice water and set it on a cloth napkin. Use the napkin to slightly dry off the corn; it's OK if the corn is still a little wet after.^{[14]
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8
Wrap the ear of corn in aluminum foil. Twist off the foil at the ends so the corn is tightly sealed in the foil.^{[15]
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9
Put the corn in a freezer bag and press out any excess air. The less air that’s in the freezer bag, the longer the corn will stay fresh.^{[16]
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10
Store the corn in a freezer for 6-12 months. To eat the corn, remove it from the freezer bag and tin foil and boil it for a few minutes until it’s warm enough to eat. You can also let the corn thaw and then microwave it for 3-4 minutes.^{[17]
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