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We tried canning sweet corn for the first time this year and I worked great! Corn requires a pressure canner and a long processing time, but it is worth it! If you haven’t tried pressure canning, don’t be afraid to take the plunge! It is so rewarding to be able to can low acid foods and the rules of a pressure canner are easy enough to follow. Yes, very important to follow, but not difficult.
A disclaimer here: always follow a trusted canning resource, such as your pressure canning manual or local extension office. Do not take my directions below as your only source.
After shucking corn and cleaning off the extra silk, I blanched each ear for 3 minutes in boiling water and then placed in ice water to stop the cooking process. Then it is time to cut the corn from the cob. We tried out 2 different cutting devices and preferred the more adjustable wood option. You can check it out on Amazon here. #ad
FUN FACT: Each strand of silk connects to an individual kernel. When pollen from the tassel meets the strand of silk, it pollinates that kernel. For a full ear of corn, every strand of silk must receive pollen.
We opted to raw pack our corn into hot jars, topping off with boiling water with 1″ headspace. (Don’t just take my word for it though, consult your recipe!) I use a weighted gauge pressure canner that I love, an All American #ad, and although the recipe calls for 10 lbs at low elevations, we are just high enough to need 15 lbs for nearly everything. for me and my elevation, pints processed for 55 minutes at 15 lbs pressure and quarts for 85 minutes at 15 lbs pressure.
As always, familiarize yourself with your canner and the rules of operation, including letting it steam for 10 minutes before placing the weight, only starting your processing time after the required pressure has been met, and allowing it to fully depressurize before removing the weight. It isn’t as scary at it may seem. Following the rules makes for a safe experience and it can all be found in the manual for your canner.
I used about 54 ears of corn and ended up with 19 pints and 3 quarts total. Jars should seal after cooling, but keep rings on for about 24 hours. After that you will need to remove the rings to make sure they do not create a false seal. You want the lid to have the ability to pop off if the seal goes bad. For this reason, you should also avoid stacking jars on top of each other.
Another FUN FACT: Unlike most plants where we eat the fruit of the plant, we eat corn seeds. This means if 2 varieties cross pollinate, your crop will be affected. You may end up with kernels that are a cross of 2 varieties, such as sweet corn and popcorn varieties. To prevent this, plant your corn in blocks and plant different varieties away from each other, at least 100 feet apart. For this reason, we purchase our sweet corn from a local farm.
Have you tried anything new this year? Every season I try to expand into something new and this year I’m trying corn and pumpkin. The pantry is filling up! I hope you are enjoying this fall season as well.
-Christine
