Summer corn is my children’s favorite food. On the cob and off the cob. On the grill and boiled. They’ll take their corn any way they can. In years past, we’ve spent all winter missing the surprise sweetness of that first kernel bursting on the tooth. But this winter, I’ve got some surprises in store for the kids. Inspired by the busy squirrels in my backyard, I’ve stockpiled bags and bags of sweet corn in our freezer.
Preserving corn for winter is far easier than canning jam. All you need to do is get yourself to your farmers’ market this weekend and buy as much corn as you can. Preferably find some corn that was picked that morning.
Then get your corn home, shuck it, and cut the kernels off the cob. Try to cut the kernels as close to the cob as possible, to trap the juices in the kernels. But if you cut into the kernels and the juice seeps out, just leave the corn out for five minutes for a seal to develop.
If you have a vacuum sealer, put it to work. If not, a box of ziploc bags should do the trick. Bag the kernels by groups of cob, depending on how much you eat at a time. I bagged ours in groups of three cobs, and filled a section of our freezer. In a few months, when frost and snow covers the ground, I’ll surprise the kids with sweet corn for dinner. Until then, every time I open the freezer, it’s like a spot of summer sunshine winking at me.
