How To Can Sweet Corn – Preserve The Taste of Fresh Picked Corn!

You might be shocked at how easy it is to can sweet corn. The process is so simple that even the novice canner can master this recipe!

Corn kernels that are cut off the cob are placed in sterilized mason jars. Then boiling water is added to cover the top of the corn and then the canning lids and bands are put into place.

The jars are then carefully placed in the canner to be processed. That is it! No special recipe or formula, just sweet corn and water.

It is one of my favorite vegetables to can because I use corn so often in my recipes throughout the year. From my Corn Casserole that I serve at Thanksgiving and Christmas to Crock Pot Vegetable Soup, I seem to be opening a jar at least once a week.

It is a great way to store corn without it having to be placed in the freezer. Although I still freeze some packets of sweet corn (See: How To Freeze Sweet Corn), I also can several jars of it to be stored in my kitchen pantry.

This way I don’t have to worry about taking up valuable freezer space for items that I can’t process in a canner. Not to mention, I don’t have to worry about losing the entire batch if the power goes out.

However, in order to maintain great flavor and texture of the fresh picked sweet corn, there are some tips to follow when it comes to canning.

Tips For Canning Corn

1. Use Only Fresh Picked Corn on the Cob

There is nothing that screams summer more than the taste of fresh picked sweet corn! Whether boiling, roasting or grilling the sugary-sweet taste of a just-picked ear of corn is hard to beat.

Therefore, when it comes to how to can the best tasting sweet corn, it is best to use fresh picked corn. And by fresh picked, I am referring to the day that it was picked.

Luckily, because corn on the cob can be picked in bulk all at the same time, it isn’t hard to do. In fact, at most Farmer’s markets or road side stands, you can find corn that was picked the morning that it is being sold.

2. Blanch Sweet Corn Before Preserving

Just like when you freeze corn it is best to blanch it before canning. This is necessary because corn has active enzymes that can lead to a loss in color, nutrients, flavor and texture it they are not inactivated prior to storage.

This is where the blanching process is important. The hot, boiling water will stop the enzymes, keeping the corn fresh and crisp.

3. Use a Pressure Canner

In order to can sweet corn, a pressure canner is necessary. Because corn is a low-acid food it can not be canned using the hot water bath canning method.

The high temperature and pressure that happens in a pressure canner is the only way to destroy any bacteria from developing in the canned corn. It is the only way to keep you and your family safe.

However, pressure canners have come a long way in recent years. Unlike the horror stories of your mother or grandmother’s pressure canner exploding, it actually is a very safe and easy method of storing food.

As long as you follow the instructions of your specific canner, and a safe recipe for canning, it is a great way to preserve food. In fact, it is now my preferred method for canning tomato products such as pasta sauce and tomato juice as well!

How To Can Sweet Corn

*Complete recipe instructions including specific measurements, cook temperatures and times are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to keep reading for helpful tips and tricks when making this recipe.

As mentioned above, use only fresh picked sweet corn. Anything picked within 24 hours should be sufficient to use.

Start by shucking the corn and removing the silk. I prefer to do this outside to prevent little strands of silk from floating throughout my kitchen.

Discard the husks, placing them in your compost bin if you have one. While you husk the corn, bring a large stock pot of water that is 3/4 full to a boil.

When the corn is ready, and the water is at a rolling boil, place several ears of corn in the water. Boil for 3 minutes.

Then using tongs, immediately remove the corn from the water and place the cobs in an ice water bath for the same amount of time (3 minutes) to cool.

Repeat as necessary until all of the corn has gone through the blanching process. Next it is time to cut the kernels off the cob.

How To Cut Corn Kernels From The Cob

In order to can corn, you must first learn how to easily cut the kernels off of the cob. You can do this by using a bundt pan or a small dish placed upside down in a larger, shallow dish.

Place the stem end of the corn down on the center of the bundt pan or on top of the small, inverted dish. Then using a sharp knife, cut the corn kernels off the cob.

However, be sure to cut only about 3/4th off of each kernel, staying away from the cob itself. The white section that is closest to the cob is somewhat bitter and can be unpleasant tasting.

Once all of the corn is cut, it is time to start the canning process. Start by filling a large stockpot full of water and place over medium-high heat until it boils.

While you are waiting for the pot to boil, prepare the canning jars by sterilizing them. Be sure to read the instructions on the package of your canning jar lids.

The older canning jar lids need to be warm prior to adding them on top of the mason jars. However, the newer lids recommend adding them on top of the jars without heating them.

Once the jars are ready and the water is boiling it is time to put the corn in the jars.

How To Can Sweet Corn Using The Cold Pack Method

Place the cold corn kernels inside pint size mason jars. Fill the jars, leaving 1 inch headspace at the top of each one.

Then fill the jars with boiling water, covering the top of the corn kernels. However be sure to leave 1 inch head space to allow for expansion during the canning process.

Next using a clean washcloth, wipe the rims clean, add the lids, and finger tighten the bands. Using jar lifters, place the jars in the pressure canner that has the recommended amount of water inside it.

Repeat the process until the pressure canner is full. Pressure can pint jars with 10 lbs of pressure for 55 minutes.

If you used quart jars, increase the processing time to 1 hour and 20 minutes. Be sure to adjust for increased altitude as necessary.

Once the processing time is up, follow your manufacturer’s guideline for removing the jars from the pressure canner. For my Presto Canner that involves me waiting for the pin to drop, then removing teh weight and waiting 10 minutes.

Carefully remove the lid and use jar lifters to remove the jars from the pressure canner. Place them on a thick towel and let them sit overnight in a cool place.

Before storing, check to make sure that each jar is sealed by pushing down the center of the jar. If it doesn’t move, it is sealed properly.

If the lid moves up and down this means that the jars didn’t seal and the corn needs to be placed in the refrigerator.

Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place for up to 12 months.

Enjoy!

Mary and Jim

Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. The two are frequent speakers on all things gardening and love to travel in their spare time.

As always, feel free to email us at thefarm@owgarden.com with comments, questions, or to simply say hello! You can sign up for our free email list in the subscribe now box in the middle of this article. Follow us on Facebook here : OWG Facebook. This article may contain affiliate links.