633129 Wed Jul 01 09:58:30 -0700 2009 13 31 Home Cooking 0 4821359 I've read that freezing corn requires blanching the niblets first. Is this correct? , How long will the frozen corn remain fresh? How would I adjust baking time for the corn if it is already blanched. Do I defrost the corn before using. Thanks for any help! Wed Jul 01 09:58:30 -0700 2009 22620 DaisyM 1 4821463 yes, you absolutely need to blanch before freezing to denature certain enzymes that will begin to break down the corn and affect the texture, flavor and color. if you skip this step you'll end up with mush when you defrost & try to cook with it. assuming it's packaged/sealed properly, it will keep in the freezer for a looong time - at least 8 months, and up to a year. not sure what you're using it for, so i don't know what to tell you about adjusting "baking time" or defrosting until i have more info. but you generally want to thaw it a bit in the refrigerator before using to ensure that the interior of the kernels get cooked/heated all the way through. Wed Jul 01 10:22:03 -0700 2009 4821359 103920 goodhealthgourmet 2 4821875 Thank you! I'm planning on using a zip lock bag...is that okay? I'd like to freeze it for use at Thanksgiving. We make a baked corn dish that is amazing. It is corn from the cob, flour, and half and half baked in a cast iron pan at very high heat for about 40 minutes. I'm just wondering if I will need to decrease the cooking time because the corn was already blanched. What would you suggest? Wed Jul 01 12:25:45 -0700 2009 4821463 22620 DaisyM 3 4821900 Cut the corn from the cob....scrape the cob with the back of your knife to extract all of the juices....Heat on the stove stirring almost constantly...It will change color... from light yellow to a darker yellow...(The starch is being converted to a sugar)...It will also thicken slightly...Let it cool before you put it into your bag(s) and into the freezer.....Cook your recipe as you usually do...It will be done when it sets up...... Enjoy!. PS....Something to consider --- Use Corn Starch for you thickener in place of the Wheat flour.... Wed Jul 01 12:33:56 -0700 2009 4821875 65057 Uncle Bob 3 4821906 Ziplock bags are exactly what I use. Freezing it flat makes for easy storage. The blanching time should be short enough that there won't be enough change in the firmness of the corn kernels....no different than using frozen corn from the supermarket. Wed Jul 01 12:34:54 -0700 2009 4821875 10532 LindaWhit 4 4821925 Just want to clarify....I'm heating this in a pan as opposed to putting it in boiling water? Wed Jul 01 12:39:38 -0700 2009 4821906 22620 DaisyM 5 4822001 For blanching? No, you drop the shucked ears of corn in a large pot of boiling water, a few at a time, and then remove them after probably no more than 30 seconds, plunging them into ice cold water to stop the cooking. When they're cool, cut the kernels off the cob and pat them relatively dry, then pack them in the ziplocks. Wed Jul 01 13:00:54 -0700 2009 4821925 10532 LindaWhit 5 4822385 Hope this helps clarify things for you.... http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/how/freeze/corn.html Enjoy! Wed Jul 01 14:47:48 -0700 2009 4821925 65057 Uncle Bob 6 4822519 That says to blanch for 7-11 minutes for corn on the cob? I only cook my COTC for 3 minutes max in boiling water; there's no way I'd cook the corn for 10 minutes before freezing it for later use. Wed Jul 01 15:42:25 -0700 2009 4822385 10532 LindaWhit 7 4822644 Linda's right, 7-11 minutes is too long. at that point you're not blanching it, you're cooking it! i do mine for 3-4 minutes, max. Wed Jul 01 16:29:48 -0700 2009 4822519 103920 goodhealthgourmet 7 4949550 This was the same concern I had. After researching it, the reason for the long time is to make sure the temperature of the cob is high enough to destroy the enzymes which rob the flavor. If you're going to eat it kerneled, blanch for only four minutes, and cut the kernels off before freezing. Hope this helps Sat Aug 15 16:46:59 -0700 2009 4822519 1101976 oilwell 3 4822019 for what's essentially oven-creamed corn, i don't see why you need to freeze fresh corn? blanched, frozen, thawed, heated, creamed... i'd pig out on the in-season stuff and just use frozen corn in november. Wed Jul 01 13:07:32 -0700 2009 4821875 30273 hotoynoodle 4 4822174 Thanks for clarifying the blanching. The dish only has two tablespoons of half and half. Baking it like this turns it into a cake and it is so delicious. It is a family favorite and I'd really like to make it at Thanksgiving. Wed Jul 01 13:50:44 -0700 2009 4822019 22620 DaisyM 4 4822373 Frozen supermarket corn just doesn't taste the same. I started freezing my own a couple of years ago, and my DH now turns his nose up at anything else. I buy corn several days a week during the season just for eating. When I get some that's especially sweet and tasty, I run right back to the farmstand and buy a couple dozen ears and do exactly what LindaWhit describes. Nothing like it in the middle of the winter. And it does last in the freezer until the next corn season. Wed Jul 01 14:42:47 -0700 2009 4822019 66030 lisavf