Harvesting and Processing Sweet Corn
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Freshly harvested sweet corn tastes great frozen and can be used in winter for breads, soups, stews, and casseroles. |
By Charlie Nardozzi
The first step is to harvest sweet corn at the proper time. Sweet corn ears are ready to harvest when the silks (hairs) have turned brown and the ears have filled out. To be sure the kernels have filled out the entire ear, peel back the ear tip an inch or so and check. If the kernels are plump and juicy and squirt a creamy white juice when you pierce them with your fingernail, the ear is ready to harvest.
Once your sweet corn is harvested, process it quickly. Traditional hybrid and heirloom varieties lose their sweetness quickly after harvest. Newer sugar-enhanced and supersweet varieties stay sweet longer but still taste best if frozen, canned, or dried soon after picking.
I like to freeze whole ears of sweet corn. I have a chest freezer, so there's plenty of space for freezer bags filled with corn. I simply parboil the husked ears in water for 1 to 2 minutes, dip them in ice water until cool, dry them off, and seal them in a freezer bag. In winter I strip the kernels off the ear with a knife and use the corn for tacos, soups, casseroles, and omelets. I think they taste better stripped and cooked than steamed on the entire ear. You can also make corn relish, canned corn, or even dried corn. To dry, strip the parboiled kernels from the ears, place the kernels on a flat pan, and let them dry overnight in the oven on low heat. Store the dried kernels in glass jars in a dark, dry place, and rehydrate them in winter for use in breads, soups, and stews.
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