How to Can Corn: Home Canning Methods for Preserving Corn

Canning is a food preservation method to that involves sealing food in jars. The jars are then heated to high temperatures, killing microorganisms and inactivating enzymes that could cause food to spoil. The heating process pushes air from the jar, creating a vacuum seal as the food cools.

Both a water bath canner and pressure canner can be used for home canning. Most recipes for canning corn call for a pressure canner due to its ability to eradicate botulism spores and extend the shelf life of canned corn. However, pressure canning presents a number of its own risks.

• Water bath canning: This method is a lower temperature canning process, ideal for high-acid foods and recipes that incorporate the correct measure of acid. It is recommended for fruits, jams, jellies, salsa, tomatoes, pickles, chutneys, sauces, pie fillings, and condiments.
• Pressure canning: This is a high-temperature method needed to safely preserve low-acid foods. It’s recommended for meats, poultry, vegetables, chili, and seafood. The USDA advises against using a pressure cooker for canning because there are too many different models with varying results. Pressure canning should only be performed by an experienced home chef who knows how to cook with pounds of pressure and properly read a dial gauge and weighted gauge.

When it comes to packing food into canning jars, there are two different methods: hot packing and raw packing.

• Raw packing: The raw-pack method is acceptable for packing veggies to be processed in a pressure canner. When raw packing food, place raw, room-temperature foods in a jar. Pour boiling water into the jars to cover the raw foods, leaving the amount of headspace in the jar specified by your recipe.
• Hot packing: When using a water bath canner, hot packing is preferred for its tendency to yield better color and flavor. When hot packing, cook the food for the specified amount of time before adding it to the jars along with the hot cooking liquid.

Fresh corn on the cob is the best corn for canning. Look for whole ears of corn at the farmer's market or grocery store that have plump kernels, bright green husks, and clean corn silks. For maximum flavor, it's best to process corn soon after it's been picked. If you cannot process the corn right away, store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container until you're ready.

While not recommended for the average home chef, pressure canning is an effective method for canning low-acid foods such as corn. Low-acid vegetables, such as green beans, beets, and potatoes, can be canned this way as well.

1. 1. Prepare the corn. Prepare corn for canning by blanching whole-kernel corn and cutting corn from the cob.
2. 2. Sterilize quart jars or pint jars. Wash canning jars in hot, soapy water, and rinse. Place clean jars in a water bath canner or other deep, large pot. Cover with hot tap water and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes. Keep them in hot simmering water until they are ready to fill. Place lids in a bowl and pour hot water from sterilizing pot over top. Once ready, remove one sterilized jar from the water and place it on a clean kitchen towel.
3. 3. Fill the jars, leaving enough headspace. Fill your canning jars with a mixture of corn kernels, canning salt, and hot water. It's important to leave one inch of headspace in the jar. Gently tap the filled jar on the counter to remove air bubbles.
4. 4. Clean and close the jars. Wipe off the rims with a clean towel and firmly tighten down the lids.
5. 5. Process the filled jars. Process jars in a pressure cooker for the processing time indicated by the canning recipe. A typical canner load of nine pints will need to be processed under twenty pounds of pressure. Follow your recipe step by step, being sure not to take any shortcuts or make adjustments.

If you don’t have the equipment or skills to pressure-can corn safely, consider trying one of these alternative methods for preserving corn.

1. 1. Freeze corn: You can freeze corn kernels for easy corn recipes like corn chowder, corn salads, and comfort food side dishes like creamed corn. To prepare corn for the freezer, use a sharp knife to slice off the kernels after blanching, then flash freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Pack the loose kernels into zip-top freezer bags or an airtight container. In addition to freezing corn kernels, you can also freeze whole ears of corn for up to a year.
2. 2. Pickle corn: Pickled corn is a way to preserve fresh corn kernels in a vinegar-based pickling liquid. Pair thinly sliced jalapeño and zesty black peppercorns with sweet corn kernels for a sweet, salty, and spicy bite. Fold quick-pickled corn into corn relish, salsas, and dips. You can also serve it on top of tacos, burrito bowls, and salads or add it to the filling of a quesadilla or grilled sandwich for a surprising hit of bold, briny flavor.
3. 3. Dry corn: You can dehydrate corn for later use in soups and stews. To dry corn, husk and trim the ends of the corn cobs. Blanch the corn cobs for a total time of four to five minutes. Once the corn cools, take cut corn from the cob and immediately dry the kernels in a dehydrator for one to two hours. When completely dry, corn kernels will shatter when smashed.

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