Can your own corn from corn-on-the-cob (easy, reliable how-to directions, recipe, with photos and free) (2024)

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Can your own corn from corn-on-the-cob (easy, reliable how-to directions, recipe, with photos and free)

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Ifyou don't have room in your freezer, but you want to be able to enjoy the cornfrom your garden this winter, then home-canning your corn is the easy way to doit. Here's how to do it, complete instructions in easy steps and completelyillustrated. The corn will taste MUCH better than any canned corn you've everhad from a store. Frozen corn, of course, retains flavor better. Ifyou want directions for freezing corn,click here. One other important note: you will need a Pressure Canner.Corn is a low acid food, so you cannot use a water bath canner . Itmust be a Pressure Canner. Pressure canners cost more than water bath canners,but they are more versatile and last a lifetime, and your children andgrandchildren may be using it. See this page for more information about pressure canners.

See this FAQ for more details: Can I use a water-bath canner instead of a Pressure Canner for low acid foodslike corn?

Hot Pack v. Raw Pack? Hot pack means the corn is heated to boilingbefore we put it in the jars. Raw pack means it is placed into the jars withoutheating, and then the jars are processed in the canner. Which is better?Not much difference. Food safety experts prefer the hot pack method,because you can stir the corn the ensure it gets evenly and thoroughly heated.Raw pack instructions are here,should you prefer them.

Directions for Canning Corn at Home

Ingredients and Equipment

• fresh corn on the cob - any quantity. I figure 1.5 ears perserving.
• 1 Large pot of boiling water (for filling the jars)
• 1 medium sized pot of boiling water (to heat the cut corn)
• 1 sharp knife
• 1 Large spoon or ladle

Ideal ear - ripe but not bloated. the kernels are still tender(easily punctured with your fingernail) and the juice is milky).White, yellow or bicolor types are all fine!

Instructions

Step 1 - Get yer corn!

Startwith fresh corn on the cob - as fresh as you can get. If there is adelay between harvesting and canning, put it in the refrigerator or putice on it. The sugars break down quickly at room temperature.According to the USDA, about 32 pounds (in husk) of sweet corn is neededper canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 20 pounds is needed per cannerload of 9 pints. Note that a bushel weighs 35 pounds and yields 6 to 11quarts of canned corn, which is an average of 41/2 pounds of corn in thehusks per quart of finished canned corn.

Step 2 - Get the pots ready

This is also a good time to get the canner filled (about 2/3 full)with water and start it heating.

Step 3 - Husk the corn

Huskthe corn and pick off as much of the silk as you can. A softvegetable brush is the fastest and easiest way to get the remaining silkoff - just don't be too rough with it.

Step 4 - Cut the kernels from the cob

Obviously,if you are canning the corn on the cob, skip this step.

Whole Kernel Corn - Cut kernels from cob about 2/3 to3/4 the depth of the kernels. I hold the ear by the small end, and slide theknife down the ear. See the next photo.

Cream Style Corn - Cut kernel tips about 1/2 deep andscrape the cobs with the back of a knife to remove the juice and the heartof the kernel.

Anotherway to prepare cream style corn for canning is to cut and scrape the cornfrom the cob without blanching. Place the cut corn in a double boiler, andheat with constant stirring for about 10 minutes or until it thickens.

You don't need a special tool, just a very sharp knife!Some folks use an electric carving knife and report this is the easiestmethod, and a few use a meat slicer.

However, a number of people wrote into point out that they prefer one of the tools below, as do I, often becauseit is easier for them due to arthritis, or simply faster.

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As the corn piles up in your bowl, it will look like this!

Closeup, the corn comes off in strips. As you put these in the bag,they will easily separate into separate kernels.

Step 5 - Get a pot of water boiling

You will need this to supplement the water in step 10 to fill the jars afteryou pack them with corn.

Step6 - Heat the cut corn

Dump the cut kernels into a measure cup (so you know how much youhave) and then put the corn into a saucepan or pot. Add 1 cup of hotwater for each quart of corn. Heat the corn to boiling and simmer5 minutes.

Step 7 - Pack the jars

Filljars with corn, leaving 3/4 to 1 inch headspace (corn tends to expandmore than other vegetables).

Step 8 - Fill with hot water

Be sure to include enough cooking liquid to cover the corn and jostleout any air bubbles that may be trapped. You may add additional plainboiling water from step 7, if you are short on liquids from the heatedcorn. Still leave 3/4 to 1 inch headspace

Step 9 - Put the lids and rings on the jars

Wipe the rims of the jars, put the lids on and then the rings onsnugly, not not TOO hard.

Step 10 - Process the jars in the pressure canner

Followthe directions with your pressure canner and process the jars for thetimes and pressures below depending upon your altitude, type of pressurecanner and jar size. My canner is a dial-type, shown at left.

Once the gauge hits 10 or 11 pounds (depending on the type you have),start your timer going - see the table below for the time for the sizeof jar and altitude. Adjust the heat, as needed, to maintain thatpressure.

Note: the chart below will help you determine the right processingtime and pressure, if you have a different type of canner, or are abovesea level.

It is important to learn how to operate your pressure canner byreading the owner's manual that came with your particular canner. If youcannot find your owner's manual, you can obtain find one online: Here iswhere to find some common manufacturer's manuals:

• Presto canner manuals

or by contacting the company that made your canner. Give the modelnumber to the manufacturer, and they will send you the right manual.Moreinformation about pressure canners and a variety of models you can order.

Step 11 - Done!

Whenthe processing time from the chart above is up, turn off the heat, andallow the pressure canner to cool and the pressure to drop to zerobefore opening the canner. Let the jars cool without beingjostled. After the pressure drops to zero (usually, you can tell but the"click" sound of the safety release vents opening, as well as but thegauge. Let the pressure in the canner drop to zero by itself. Thismay take 45 minutes in a 16-quart canner filled with jars and almost anhour in a 22-quart canner. If the vent is opened before the pressuredrops to zero OR if the cooling is rushed by running cold water over thecanner, liquid will be lost from the jars. Too rapid cooling causes lossof liquid in the jars!

Later, when you are ready to serve the corn,it just takes about 3 or 4 minutes in the microwave (from frozen) or in thetop of a double boiler. The corn doesn't need to be "cooked", justheated up!

Tips:

• Harvest early in the morning, especially if the weather is hot, to getpeak flavor.
• Harvest the corn at its peak maturity (milky fluid in the kernels,kernels tender, and not bloated). Immature corn is watery when cooked andover-ripe corn is chewy and doughy.
• Process promptly after harvesting, or keep cooled in the fridge or withice until then.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What causes corn to turn brown during processing?

   This occurs most often when too high a temperature is used causingcaramelization of the sugar in the corn. It may also be caused by someminerals in the water used in canning.

2. Aspirin / Salicylic Acid? My mother canned corn using salicylic acid.The only recipe I have is: 7 cups corn 1/2 cup salt 1 cup sugar 1t.salicylicacid 1 cup water Let boil several minutes. What do I need to know to cancorn using this method?

   You may have heard of someone's grandmother canning corn by boiling thecorn, adding aspirin or salicylic acid from the drugstore, then sealing thecorn in jars with no further processing. According to theUniversity of Illinois, a recipe circulated several years ago, usingaspirin to acidify tomatoes and beans for canning. Aspirin is notrecommended for canning. While it contains salicylic acid, it does notsufficiently acidify low acid foods like tomatoes or beans for safe hotwater bath canning. Low acid foods (without added acids) should only beprocessed safely in a Pressure Canner. Lemon juice or vinegar is recommendedto acidify tomato products for safe water bath processing. You can also seean article in JAMA (the Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol.289 No. 13, April 2, 2003, titled "Is salicylic acid as a food preservativeharmful?"; from which the abstract states: "salicylic acid, inthe ways in which it is used in the preparation of food products,is not only not harmful, but is a preservative to health, inasmuchas the process of decomposition which it prevents would be farmore dangerous."

Comments and Tips

• Comments from a visitor on August 15, 2009: "Hi, I just wanted toshare that we use an electric knife to remove the blanched corn from thecob. It is the easiest quickest way we have found for this part of theprocess. Last night we processed 10 dozen ears of corn in two hours. Pleasepass it on. My 80 year old grandma taught me this trick! Thanks, kim"

Pressure canners!

If you want to can low-acid foods such as red meats, sea food, poultry,milk, and all fresh vegetables with the exception of most tomatoes,you will need a Pressure Canners. These foods fit into the lowacid group since they have an acidity, or pH level, of 4.6 or greater. Thetemperature which must be reached and maintained (for a specified amountof time) to kill the bacteria is 240 F. Pressure canning is the onlycanning method recommended safe by the U.S.D.A. for low-acid foods such asvegetables, meats, and fish. Ordinary water bath canners can only reach212 F and cannot to kill the types of bacteria that will grow in low acidfoods. This temperature can be reached only by creating steam underpressure as achieved in quality pressure canners.

There are several manufacturers of pressure canners. The twoleading ones are Presto and All American (Wisconsin Aluminum). They are moreexpensive than water bath canners, but extremely well built - I bought minein 1988 and it still looks and works like new!

Presto 01781 23-Quart Pressure Cooker/Canner

Click here for replacement Presto Pressure Canner Gaskets

See here for related tools, equipment, supplies on Amazon	Presto 01755 16-Quart Pressure Cooker/Canner This is usually about $72 PLUS SHIPPING. (which is also a GREATprice for a Pressure Canner, although, I think the 23 qt above for $7more is a better value.). Click on the links at left or above for more info and currentpricing. It is available from the sellers .com (click on the box linkat left) Click here for replacement Presto Pressure Canner Gaskets
See here for related tools, equipment, supplies on AmazonSee here for related tools, equipment, supplies on AmazonSee here for related tools, equipment, supplies on Amazon	All American Pressure Canner and Cookers - In 3 Sizes Click on the box at left to order See the seller's website for features, pricing and user reviews! This is usually one of the best-priced pressure canners.There is also a 16 quart version for even less. Click on the links at left or above for more info and current pricing. Click on the box at left for more information.
See here for related tools, equipment, supplies on Amazon	All-American 41-1/2-Quart Pressure Cooker/Canner Features 41-1/2-quart pressure cooker/canner holds 32pint jars or 19 quart jars Made of durable, hand-cast aluminum withattractive satin finish Exclusive "metal-to-metal" sealing system for asteam-tight seal; no gaskets Geared steam gauge, automatic overpressurerelease; settings of 5 psi, 10 psi, and 15 psi 19 inches high with 15-1/4-inch inside diameter;made in USA
See here for related tools, equipment, supplies on Amazon	Pressure canners for Induction Cooktops! Features Extremely versatile, pressure canning is the only safe method ofpreserving low-acid foods with a ph level of more than 4.6. Can and store your favorite preservative-free recipes at once.Perfect for soups, vegetables, baby food and so much more! Reduces cooking time by up to 70%! Save time in the kitchenwhile preparing healthful recipes with all-natural ingredients. Pressure cooker can be used independently to prepare ready toserve meals. Fast cooking translates to less energy consumption. Save time in the kitchen while preparing healthful recipes withall- natural ingredients. Reviewers report excellent results on induction cooktops
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