How to Can Corn - From Corn
on the Cob!
using the "Hot Pack" method
Click here for a PDF print version
If you don't have room in your freezer, but you want to be able to enjoy the
corn from your garden this winter, then home-canning your corn is the easy way
to do it. Here's how to do it, complete instructions in easy steps and
completely illustrated. The corn will taste MUCH better than any canned corn
you've ever had from a store. Frozen corn, of course, retains
flavor better. If you 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 can not use a boiling water bath canner. It must be a
pressure canner. Pressure canners cost more than water bath canners, but they
are more versatile and last a lifetime, and your children and grandchildren 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 foods like corn?
Hot Pack v. Raw Pack? Hot pack means the corn is heated to boiling before we put it in the jars. Raw pack means it is placed into the jars without heating, 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
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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!
Start with fresh corn on the cob - as fresh
as you can get. If there is a delay between harvesting and canning,
put it in the refrigerator or put ice on it. The sugars break down quickly
at room temperature. According to the USDA, about 32 pounds (in
husk) of sweet corn is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of
20 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. Note that a bushel
weighs 35 pounds and yields 6 to 11 quarts of canned corn, which is an
average of 4½ pounds of corn in the husks per quart of finished canned
corn.
Step 2 - Get the pots ready
Get the large pot of boiling water ready (about 2/3 filled) and a LARGE bowl 2/3 filled with ice and cold water. 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
Husk the corn and pick off as much of the
silk as you can. A soft vegetable brush is the fastest and easiest
way to get the remaining silk off - just don't be too rough with it.
Step 4 - Blanch the corn for 3 minutes
All fruits and vegetables contain enzymes
that, over time, break down the destroy nutrients and change the color,
flavor, and texture of food during frozen storage. Corn requires a brief
heat treatment, called blanching, in boiling water or steam, to
destroy the enzymes before freezing. The duration should be just long
enough to stop the action of the enzymes; for corn to be canned, that is
3 minutes
Begin counting the blanching time as soon as you place the corn in the boiling water. Cover the kettle and boil at a high temperature for the required length of time.
You may use the same blanching water several times (up to 5). Be sure to add more hot water from the tap from time to time to keep the water level at the required height.
Step 5 - Cool the corn
Cool corn immediately in ice water. Drain
the corn thoroughly.
After vegetables are blanched, cool them quickly to prevent overcooking. Plunge the corn into a large quantity of ice-cold water (I keep adding more ice to it). A good rule of thumb: Cool for the same amount of time as the blanch step. For instance, if you blanch sweet corn for 4 minutes, then cool in ice water for at least 4 minutes.
Drain thoroughly for a couple of minutes.
Step 6 - 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 to 3/4 the depth of the kernels. I hold the ear by the small end, and slide the knife down the ear. See the next photo.
Cream Style Corn – Cut kernel tips about 1/2 deep and scrape the cobs with the back of a knife to remove the juice and the heart of the kernel.
Another way to prepare cream style corn for
canning is to cut and scrape the corn from the cob without blanching. Place
the cut corn in a double boiler, and heat with constant stirring for about
10 minutes or until it thickens; allow to cool by placing the pan in ice
water.
You don't need a special tool, just a very sharp knife!
However, a number of people wrote in to point out that the prefer one of the two tools below, often because it is easier for them due to arthritis, or simply faster.
As the corn piles up in your bowl, it will look like this!
Close
up, the corn comes off in strips. As you put these in the bag, they
will easily separate into separate kernels.
Step
7 - Heat the cut corn
Dump the cut kernels into a measure cup (so you know how much you have) and then put the corn into a saucepan or pot. Add 1 cup of hot water for each quart of corn. Heat the corn to boiling and simmer 5 minutes.
Step 8 - Pack the jars
Fill
jars with corn and cooking liquid, leaving 3/4 to 1 inch headspace (corn
tends to expand more than other vegetables). Be sure to include enough
liquid to cover the corn and jostle out any air bubbles that may be
trapped. You may add additional plain boiling water, if you are short on
liquids from the heated corn.
Step 9 - Put the lids and rings on the jars
Wipe the rims of the jars, put the lids on and then the rings on snugly, not not TOO hard.
Step 10 - Process the jars in the pressure canner
Follow
the directions with your pressure canner and process the jars for the
times and pressures below depending upon your altitude, type of pressure
canner 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 - for 25 minutes. Adjust the heat, as needed, to maintain that pressure.
Note: the chart below will help you determine the right processing time and pressure, if you have a different type of canner, or are above sea level.
It is important to learn how to operate your pressure canner by reading the owner's manual that came with your particular canner. If you can not find your owner's manual, you can obtain find one online: Here is where to find some common manufacturer's manuals:
or by contacting the company that made your canner. Give the model number to the manufacturer, and they will send you the right manual. More notes on pressure canners from Colorado State University.
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Processing time for corn in a dial-gauge pressure canner |
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| Hot Pack | Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of | ||||
| Jar Size | Process Time | 0 - 2,000 ft | 2,001 - 4,000 ft | 4,001 - 6,000 ft | 6,001 - 8,000 ft |
| Pints | 55 min | 11 lb | 12 lb | 13 lb | 14 lb |
| Quarts | 85 min | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 |
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Processing time for corn in a weighted-gauge pressure canner |
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| Hot Pack | Canner Pressure (PSI) at Altitudes of | ||
| Jar Size | Process Time | 0 - 1,000 ft | Above 1,000 ft |
| Pints | 55 min | 10 lb | 15 lb |
| Quarts | 85 | 10 | 15 |
Step 11 - Done!
When the processing time is up, turn off the heat, and allow the
pressure canner to cool and the pressure to drop to zero before opening
the canner. Let the jars cool without being jostled.
Later, when you are ready to serve the corn, it just takes about 3 or 4 minutes in the microwave (from frozen) or in the top of a double boiler. The corn doesn't need to be "cooked", just heated up!
Tips:
- Harvest early in the morning, especially if the weather is hot, to get peak flavor.
- Harvest the corn at its peak maturity (milky fluid in the kernels, kernels tender, and not bloated). Immature corn is watery when cooked and over-ripe corn is chewy and doughy.
- Process promptly after harvesting, or keep cooled in the fridge or with ice until then.
Frequently Asked Questions
- 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.salicylic
acid 1 cup water Let boil several minutes. What do I need to know to can
corn using this method?
You may have heard of someone's grandmother canning corn by boiling the corn, adding aspirin or salicylic acid from the drugstore, then sealing the corn in jars with no further processing. According to the University of Illinois, a recipe circulated several years ago, using aspirin to acidify tomatoes and beans for canning. Aspirin is not recommended for canning. While it contains salicylic acid, it does not sufficiently acidify low acid foods like tomatoes or beans for safe hot water bath canning. Low acid foods (without added acids) should only be processed safely in a pressure canner. Lemon juice or vinegar is recommended to acidify tomato products for safe water bath processing. You can also see an article in JAMA (the Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol. 289 No. 13, April 2, 2003, titled "Is salicylic acid as a food preservative harmful?"; from which the abstract states: "salicylic acid, in the ways in which it is used in the preparation of food products, is not only not harmful, but is a preservative to health, inasmuch as the process of decomposition which it prevents would be far more dangerous."
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 low acid group since they have an acidity, or pH level, of 4.6 or greater. The temperature which must be reached and maintained (for a specified amount of time) to kill the bacteria is 240 F. Pressure canning is the only canning method recommended safe by the U.S.D.A. for low-acid foods such as vegetables, meats, and fish. Ordinary water bath canners can only reach 212 F and can not to kill the types of bacteria that will grow in low acid foods. This temperature can be reached only by creating steam under pressure as achieved in quality pressure canners.
There are several manufacturers of pressure canners. The two leading ones are Presto and All American (Wisconsin Aluminum). They are more expensive than water bath canners, but extremely well built - I bought mine in 1988 and it still looks and works like new!
| BUT, with a pressure canner it's easy. And although a pressure canner costs $100 to $200 (see this page for pressure canners models, makes and prices), they last a lifetime, and your children and grandchildren may be using it. You can also find free information from the USDA in this PDF file (it will take a while to load!) about selecting and using canners here! |
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Presto 01781 23-Quart Pressure Cooker/CannerAmazon usually has this (through the links at left) for about $79. (which is a GREAT price for a pressure canner). Click on the links at left for more info and current pricing. Features:
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Shown at left is
the Presto 23 quart pressure canner. Features below and click here for more information
or to purchase from Target.
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All American Pressure Canner and Cooker #921Features:
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