Corn is a tasty and healthy product that mankind has been using for food for several thousand years. In its raw form, it can be stored for 1-1.5 weeks. To be able to use the product throughout the winter and spring, it can be frozen. You will find information on how to freeze heads of cabbage and corn kernels in this material.

Advantages and disadvantages of freezing

Freezing is considered the best way to preserve food for a long time.

• It has the following advantages:
• With this method, the maximum amount of valuable elements, taste, juiciness and smell of products are preserved.
• The ability to use the product all year round.
• Profitability, lack of need for expenses for additional ingredients.
• Little waste of time.

• The disadvantages include:
• The need to have a roomy freezer.
• The unsuitability of the product for re-freezing.

Selection and preparation of corn for freezing

Whole cobs with intact grains that do not have wormholes are selected for freezing. They should be mature, but not overripe. Best of all freeze sugar varieties. Cereals need to be frozen immediately after harvest: after long-term storage, the taste will deteriorate and juiciness will decrease.

Did you know? According to scientists, Mexicans cultivated corn 7-12 thousand years ago. The cobs were discovered in ancient excavations dating to 4250 and 2750 BC. e. They are much smaller than modern ones.

1. Clear of leaves and brown fibers.
2. Cut off the top.
3. Rinse under running water.
4. To dry.

When grains are frozen, the following preparations are carried out:

1. Ears are cleared of leaves.
2. Washed.
3. Dried.
4. The grains are separated from the cobs by hand or cut with a knife.

How to freeze corn for the winter

In order for corn to retain its taste and valuable elements during freezing, it is necessary to strictly follow the technology. There are 2 ways to store the product in frozen form: on the cob and in grains. For freezing, you need special packages (most conveniently with a zipper), plastic containers (for grains) and a freezer that maintains a temperature of –12 ... –18 ° С.

Important! In one package it is necessary to put as many heads of cabbage or their parts, how many will be used at a time. Repeated freezing of the product is unacceptable.

On the cob

Freezing corn on the cob for the winter is as follows:

1. Pack a few cabbages in bags or wrap 1 piece each with cling film. Also, the ear can be cut into several parts.
2. Put packages in the freezer.

Another way to freeze is after blanching. Such a product after extraction from the freezer does not need long-term heat treatment. In addition, it retains juiciness.

The technology for freezing blanched corn is as follows:

1. Pour water into a large pot.
2. Put it on the stove and boil.
3. Place peeled heads in boiling water.
4. Cook over medium heat until the grains are soft (about 7-10 minutes).
5. Cool the heads at room temperature.
6. Place in bags or wrap in cling film.

Important! When freezing heads, you need to ensure that all parts are wrapped in polyethylene. Otherwise, weathering and loss of juiciness will occur.

In the grains

This option is good in that it saves space in the freezer. The cleaned dried grains must be placed in plastic containers or bags, leveled and sent for freezing. Like cobs, grains can be frozen after blanching. To do this, you first need to boil the heads of cabbage (we described the technology in the previous subsection), cool and separate the grains. Then they should be laid out in small portions in bags, let out air, leveled into one layer and well sealed.

Video: freezing corn kernels

How much can be stored

A frozen product can be stored without loss of nutrients for 6–8 months: in the future, their number will decrease. You can use the product throughout the year. In defrosted form, corn should be eaten within 1-2 days.

Did you know? Corn is the second most sold cereal in the world after wheat.

How can i use

Corn, frozen on the cob, can be eaten whole, used to prepare first courses. It is convenient to prepare stews, casseroles, salads from a product frozen in grains, add to the children's menu, and also use to decorate various dishes, etc.

Do I need to defrost before use

If corn is used in heat-treated dishes, then it is not necessary to defrost it. It should immediately be thrown into boiling water and boiled until soft grains for 20-40 minutes. When using a product that has been boiled before freezing, it must be placed in boiling water and boiled for 3-4 minutes. It is also possible to place heads and grains in a microwave, where you should turn on the Defrost mode. Frozen grains are added to dishes without defrosting.

Thus, a great way to preserve corn for a long time is freezing. As a result of this simple procedure, the maximum amount of valuable elements remains in the vegetable. Each culinary specialist can decide whether this or that option is convenient for him, because you can freeze corn in several ways: on the cob and in grains, without cooking and after boiling.