Canning corn - Raw Pack Method

This is so much better than buying canned corn. I could tell you all about what happens when corn in canned in a factory, but let's skip that and get right into the goodness of canning your own corn.

You don't have to grow your own corn in order to can any. Go to a local Farmer's Market, or a farmer or friend that grows corn and get fresh corn to can. They can do all the work and you reap the benefits! We have gotten corn from a sweet Amish family that we stop in to see through out the summer.

Start with fresh corn on the cob - as fresh as you can get.   According to the USDA, about 32 pounds (in husk) of sweet corn is needed per canner load of 7 quarts; an average of 20 pounds is needed per canner load of 9 pints. Note that a bushel weighs 35 pounds and yields 6 to 11 quarts of canned corn, which is an average of 4½ pounds of corn in the husks per quart of finished canned corn.
 Cut the kernels from the cob

Whole Kernel Corn – Cut kernels from cob about 2/3 to 3/4 the depth of the kernels.

Pack raw corn loosely in clean, hot Mason jars, leaving 1-inch headspace, (corn tends to expand more than other vegetables). Cover with boiling water leaving 1-inch headspace. Adjust jar lids.

 Put the lids and rings on the jars

Wipe the rims of the jars, put the lids on and then the rings on snugly, not not TOO hard.

Dial Gauge Canner—Process at 11 pounds pressure - Pints 55 minutes and Quarts 85 minutes. For processing above 2,000 feet altitude, see chart for recommended pounds of pressure.

Weighted Gauge Canner—Process at 10 pounds pressure - Pints 55 minutes and Quarts 85 minutes. For processing above 1,000 feet altitude, see chart for recommended pounds of pressure.

When the processing time is up, turn off the heat, and allow the pressure canner to cool and the pressure to drop to zero before opening the canner.  Let the jars cool without being jostled.

When it is time to eat, you just heat the corn up - it is cooked already and is delicious!

Jelly

I have always had fun making jelly or jam. If you strain the juice out of the fruit, that is a jelly - it is usually clear. If you keep the fruit in the final product, that would be a jam.

Some of the traditional ones I have made are Wild Blackberry and what I call Three-Berry (which is a combination of whatever berries I have on hand). This could include any berry such as blackberry, raspberry, blueberry, strawberry... etc

Here are some of my unusual favorites: 

My daughter Bethany and I made Red Grapefruit Jelly one spring when we were visiting my mother in Florida. A friend had a grapefruit tree that had an abundance of fruit. She brought over a box full, and knowing we couldn't eat it all, we made jelly:

PINK GRAPEFRUIT JELLY

31/2 C. fresh squeezed red grapefruit juice

1/4 C. lemon juice

7 C. granulated sugar

2 (3 oz.) pouches liquid pectin

Red food coloring (optional)

Combine juices and sugar. Bring to a rolling boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and quickly skim off any foam. Stir in liquid pectin. Add 6 to 8 drops of red food coloring. Ladle into hot sterilized jars and cover with lids and rings. Process jars in boiling water for 10 minutes to seal. Makes 6 jars.

Mountain Dew and Pink Grapefruit

My son loved to drink Mt. Dew, so for Christmas one year, I made him Mountain Dew Jelly. It is delicious:

MOUNTAIN DEW JELLY

3 1/4 C. Mountain Dew

2 T. lemon juice

4 1/2 C. granulated sugar

1 pkg. Sure Jell pectin

Pour the Mountain Dew and lemon juice into a 6- to 8-quart pot. Bring to a boil and allow to boil for 3 minutes. Let it cool slightly, then follow the Sure Jell directions. Process for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.

NOTE: You can use more Mountain Dew and reduce it to 3 1/4 cups for a more concentrated flavor.

CORNCOB JELLY

12 dried red corncobs*

3 pt. water

1 pkg. powdered pectin

3 C. granulated sugar

1 T. lemon juice

* Red corncobs come from what is termed "field corn" that is raised to feed animals. However, you can use corncobs from the sweet corn you have just had for dinner!

Rinse cobs well. Break in half. Boil gently 30 minutes and strain the juice through a wet cloth. Measure to get 3 cups. If necessary, add water.

Add the pectin and bring to a full rolling boil.

Add sugar and heat to dissolve.

Bring to a boil again, boil for at least a full minute or until it starts to jell - another minute or so. Skim; pour into sterile glasses or jars and seal.

The corncob jelly takes it's color from the cobs that you use. I have always just used the cobs from dinner and the jelly is a pale yellow. It has a wonderful flavor that is good on toast, biscuits and popovers.

Hints for Successful Jam & Jelly Making

Make only one batch at a time. Doubling the recipe does not make the jelly jell (I have had many mistakes by trying this) 
It is now recommended that all jelly be processed for 10 minutes in a boiling water bath.

To prevent growth of molds and loss of flavor and color, pour hot product into hot canning (mason) jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace for jams, butters, conserves, marmalade and preserves, and 1/8-inch for jellies. The small amount of air trapped between the lid and the product will be heat treated during the water bath processing.

Wipe jar rims, adjust lids (place hot flats on jar and screw band/ring on tightly).

Freezing Corn

Well corn season is in full swing and although I do not have a corn patch, Jim gets our corn from a lovely Amish man in Ohio.

I have tried my hand at canning corn and today I am freezing corn.

If you want to know how to can corn, or to make  corn cob jelly follow these links

Directions:

After I shuck the corn, I drop about 4 ears into boiling water for 4 minutes (after the water comes back to a boil, I start timing it). I then drop it into a bowl of ice water to stop the sugars from turning into carbohydrates.

Taking a sharp knife, I cut the kernels off the cob. I place the spent cob into a bag to freeze for later use as corn cob jelly.

4 - 5 ears of corn is enough to fill a 1 quart freezer bag. I use the zipper and close it until it is almost closed. Because I don't have a food saver machine (they run over $100, plus the bags are more expensive), I use a straw. When the bag is almost closed, I suck the rest of the air out of the bag using the straw, and quickly zip the bag closed. This gets the extra air out of the bag, which is what caused freezer burn.

It takes about 40 ears to fill up 8 quart bags

I filled one bag only half-full so I have a smaller serving. You can see how the bag had the air sucked out of it.

I read somewhere you can put water in this, freeze it and then get all the air out of the bag, also.

:)