Freezing & Cooking Sweet Corn

How to keep our hand-picked Nirvana sweet corn tasting like summer, whether you're eating it tonight or saving it for January.

Keeping fresh corn fresh

Sweet corn is at its best the day it's picked. As soon as an ear leaves the stalk, its natural sugars slowly start turning to starch, and warmth speeds that up. Nirvana is a supersweet variety, so it holds its sweetness much longer than old-fashioned sweet corn, but a few simple steps help a lot:

• Get it cold quickly. Put your corn in the refrigerator as soon as you get home. Don't leave it in a hot car.
• Leave the husks on until you're ready to cook. Store the ears in a plastic bag in the fridge.
• Enjoy within 2–3 days for the best flavor, or freeze it (below) to keep it for months.

How to freeze sweet corn

Freezing is the easiest way to enjoy KiDZ Corn all year. The key step is blanching, a quick dip in boiling water that stops the natural enzymes that would otherwise make frozen corn lose its flavor, color and texture. Don't skip it, and don't use a microwave to blanch, since it doesn't heat evenly enough.

Option 1: Whole-kernel corn (most popular)

1. Husk and clean. Remove the husks and silk and rinse the ears.
2. Blanch the whole ears for 4 minutes in a large pot of boiling water. Start timing when the water comes back to a boil. Work in batches so the water returns to a boil within about a minute.
3. Cool fast. Move the ears straight into a sink or tub of ice water until they're cold all the way through, then drain.
4. Cut the kernels off at about two-thirds of their depth. Standing the ear in the center hole of a Bundt pan catches the kernels neatly.
5. Pack and freeze. Fill freezer bags or containers, leaving about ½ inch of headspace, squeeze out the air, label with the date, and lay bags flat to freeze.

Option 2: Corn on the cob

Blanch whole husked ears in boiling water, then cool them in ice water for about twice as long as you blanched them. Drain well, wrap each ear (or bag several together), label and freeze.

Blanching times are for boiling water and follow the National Center for Home Food Preservation guidelines.

How much corn should I order for freezing?

As a rough guide, a dozen ears gives you about 6–8 cups of cut kernels, depending on ear size. Planning a big freezing day? Place a pre-order or bulk order so we have it picked and ready for you.

How to cook fresh sweet corn

Boiling (the classic)

Bring a big pot of water to a boil. Add the husked ears and cook 3–5 minutes, just until heated through and bright. Fresh supersweet corn needs very little cooking, so overcooking is the most common mistake.

Grilling

• In the husk: soak the ears in water for 15 minutes, then grill over medium heat for about 15–20 minutes, turning every few minutes. The husks steam the corn and peel off easily.
• Husked: brush with oil or butter and grill over medium-high heat for about 8–10 minutes, turning often, until lightly charred.

Microwave (fastest)

Microwave one ear, still in its husk, for about 3–4 minutes (add about 2 minutes for each extra ear). Let it rest a minute, cut off the stem end, and the ear slides right out of the husk and silk.

Straight from the field

Really fresh Nirvana corn is sweet and tender enough to eat raw. Try cutting the kernels into salads and salsas.

Cooking frozen corn

Frozen kernels can go straight into a skillet, soup or casserole with no thawing needed. Frozen corn on the cob cooks best partly thawed, then boiled for 3–5 minutes or grilled.