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    Home » How to Freeze Guides

    How to Freeze Corn on the Cob in the Husk

    UPDATED Sep 14, 2020 · PUBLISHED Jun 26, 2019 BY Marjory Pilley · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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    Corn on the Cob in the husk wrapped in plastic and ready to go into the freezer

    Learn how to freeze corn on the cob IN THE HUSK, without blanching it first. It's the easiest way to enjoy delicious, fresh corn once summer has ended!

    Corn on the Cob in the husk wrapped in plastic and ready to go into the freezer

    I was inspired to test this freezing method after several readers commented on the process to microwave corn on the cob in the husk and said they'd always done it this way! Really?!

    To Blanch or Not to Blanch before Freezing Corn

    Conventional guidance is that you must blanch vegetables before you freeze them. Blanching slows the action of enzymes that naturally occur in vegetables and degrades the quality (color, texture, and flavor) of the vegetables. Freezing slows down the action a little, but it does not stop it. This article on the Science of Freezing Food from the University of Minnesota Extension does an excellent job of explaining the nitty-gritty details.

    While blanching is definitely the most common way to prepare corn for freezing, you don't have to take this step.

    When it comes to corn on the cob, I've been pretty happy with the result when I freeze corn on the cob in the husk without cooking it first. It literally takes a few minutes to freeze corn this way and there is no mess at all. The husk may even reduce the opportunity for freezer burn.

    Hand holding previously frozen corn kernels with a cob and knife on a cutting board

    This method is ideal for shorter periods of storage...up to about 4 months. The biggest difference that I noted was that the corn starts to get a little softer as time goes on, which may not be a problem at all depending on how you are going to use it. It's perfect when you'd like to buy a little extra fresh corn at the farmer's market or when it goes on sale!

    Ways to Freeze Fresh Corn

    There are many options for freezing corn. You can:

    • Remove the husks, blanch the corn on the cob and then freeze the whole cobs of corn.
    • Shuck the cobs, blanch them, remove the corn kernels and freeze only the kernels.
    • Cook corn, allow it to cool, remove the husks and freeze the cooked cobs or the kernels that have been cut off the cob.
    • Freeze uncooked corn on the cob in the husk. This is the EASIEST method by far.

    Note: To blanch corn on the cob with husks removed, submerge the corn in boiling for water according to the guidelines below and then remove the corn to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.

    Blanching guidelines for corn on the cob are as follows:

    • Small ears: 7 minutes
    • Medium ears: 9 minutes
    • Large ears: 11 minutes

    How to Freeze Corn on the Cob in the Husk without Blanching

    1. Start with the freshest corn possible. If you start with corn that has been sitting on the counter for a few days instead of ones stored in the refrigerator, then you're already one step behind when it comes to quality!
    2. Don't peel or remove anything. If the husk is snug against the corn then it will help prevent freezer burn.
    3. Wrap corn in plastic wrap and/or place it in a plastic bag, removing as much air as possible. Use a FoodSaver to vacuum pack it if your have one.
    4. Store corn in the cob in the freezer until you're ready to cook it.

    Two cobs of corn: one wrapped in plastic and the other in a plastic bag, ready to go into the freezer.

    How to Cook Frozen Corn on the Cob in the Husk

    The magic continues when you're ready to cook frozen corn on the cob. Simply follow the directions to microwave corn on the cob in the husk.

    1. Remove it from the freezer. Many people find it best to allow the corn to defrost first.
    2. Place corn on a microwave-safe plate.
    3. Microwave on high using the guidelines for fresh corn. I don't find it necessary to add any additional time. But, the time frame for cooking will vary depending upon the microwave.
      • 1 ear – 2 minutes
      • 2 ears – 4 minutes
      • 3 ears – 5 minutes
      • 4 ears –  6 minutes
    4. Cut about an inch off the end of the corn that does not have the silk exposed.
    5. Grab hold of the end of the corn with the silk and pull off the husk and the silk.
    6. Enjoy on the cob or remove the kernels to use in recipes like Mexican Street Corn in a Cup, Shrimp Tortilla Soup and Fresh Corn and Black Bean Salsa!

    Segments of Corn on the Cob cooked in the microwave in a bowl

    If you try this method, drop us a comment with your result or tag @DinnerMom or #DinnerMom on social media. We love to see what you are cooking up!

    How to Freeze Corn on the Cob in the Husk

    Freeze Corn on the Cob in the Husk without blanching it first. It's the easiest way to enjoy fresh corn once it's no longer in the grocery store.
    4.67 from 9 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes
    Servings: 4 cobs of corn
    Author: Marjory Pilley

    Equipment

    • Plastic Freezer Bag
    • Permanent Marker
    • Freezer

    Ingredients

    • 4 each Corn on the Cob Do NOT remove the husk

    Instructions

    • Place fresh corn on the cob with the husk in place in a plastic freezer bag.
      corn on the cob in plastic bag and wrapped in plastic wrap
    • Seal bag, removing excess air.
    • Use a marker to place a label and date on the bag. Store in freezer for up to 4 months.
    • When ready to enjoy, remove from freezer and prepare using favorite cooking method for frozen corn.
      Microwave Corn on the Cob being pulled from husk

    Notes

    Note: Many people find it best to allow corn to defrost before cooking it.
    Grab 5 Low-Carb SaucesAnd Get More Tips for a Healthy Kitchen JOIN HERE
    Nutritional and Food Safety Disclaimer

    More How to Freeze Guides

    • Can You Freeze Cream Cheese? How to Freeze and Defrost
    • How to Rice Broccoli and Freeze It
    • Crustless Quiche to Make Ahead and Freeze
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      Recipe Rating




    1. Sandi

      June 27, 2019 at 10:40 am

      5 stars
      I had no idea corn could be frozen...now I can buy corn on the cob in bulk at the Farmer's Market and enjoy all year long.

      Reply
    2. Kelly

      June 27, 2019 at 11:13 am

      5 stars
      This is such a great way to enjoy the flavor of fresh corn all year long! It tastes so much sweeter than the canned stuff.

      Reply
    3. Denise Simkins

      July 02, 2019 at 7:55 am

      I take the husks off and rinse the cons and let them drain then put them in freezer bags usually 6 ears to a bag, then freeze them. We just finished the corn on the cob that I froze last year in time for this year’s crop. We had no freezer burn and it tastes like it was just picked. Cook as you would fresh picked corn.

      Reply
    4. Vickie Taylor

      July 02, 2019 at 6:39 pm

      I have done this method of putting up corn for the past few years and I Love it, my family loves the corn better than cutting it off first then freezing it, I can put up a bushel of corn in no time and I usually put up at least 7 bushel, I have a good size family.

      Reply
      • Marjory Pilley

        July 04, 2019 at 8:44 am

        That’s a lot of corn!???

        Reply
      • Betty

        July 19, 2020 at 1:58 pm

        One lady said that corn frozen this way only last four months but you’re saying you’re last a year???

        Reply
        • Ruby

          August 23, 2022 at 10:15 am

          She was saying 4 months for on the cob and with it still in the shucks. I have for years shucked, silked, and never let a drop of water touch mine and then vacuum sealed it. Eaten as much as 4 years later and as good as the day we picked it. Been doing this for 50 years.

          Reply
    5. Jeanette Schutz

      May 20, 2020 at 6:51 pm

      So when cooking the corn from the freezer, do you thaw it first??

      Reply
      • Marjory Pilley

        May 20, 2020 at 8:22 pm

        Hi! You do not need to defrost it first!

        Reply
        • Marie

          September 21, 2022 at 4:47 pm

          Do u remove leaves and tusk ?

          Reply
          • Marjory Pilley

            September 22, 2022 at 7:37 am

            Hi! Leave the husk in place to help protect it in the freezer.

            Reply
    6. freedomwriter

      May 31, 2020 at 6:59 pm

      Excellent article! Does it have to be microwaved out of the freezer? Can it be boiled or steemed?

      Reply
      • Marjory Pilley

        June 01, 2020 at 7:24 am

        Yes! Cook it any way you like!

        Reply
    7. Paul

      June 03, 2020 at 2:10 pm

      Using the unblanchi g meth pi d when freezing, should the corn thaw completely before cooking on the barbecue grill?

      Reply
      • Marjory Pilley

        June 04, 2020 at 7:55 am

        Just as with any other method of cooking you can do it either way. However, I would prefer to grill mine straight from the freezer or partially thawed. Thanks for the question!

        Reply
    8. Ann Gowin

      June 29, 2020 at 12:42 pm

      Been doing this for a long time. Always happy with the results.

      Reply
    9. Anita

      August 01, 2020 at 6:07 pm

      do you remove the silk first before freezing in husk?

      Reply
      • Marjory Pilley

        August 01, 2020 at 6:19 pm

        Nope! Just put in a plastic bag in the freezer!

        Reply
    10. Theresa

      August 06, 2020 at 1:29 am

      I have tried many ways to freeze corn on the cob an I've had no success, it was terrible, an tasted like the cob, not sure what i did wrong seeing all the positive comments.

      Reply
      • Marjory Pilley

        August 06, 2020 at 7:22 am

        Hi! I'm happy to help troubleshoot. But, a few thoughts...it will always taste better fresh! After that, this method works best for shorter periods of storage. Finally, I generally use corn frozen this way off the cob as a side or incorporate in other dishes.

        Reply
    11. Annebelle

      August 10, 2020 at 8:28 am

      Trying this for the first time! We are wrapping it in saran wrap, then into vacuum sealed bags. Excited to see how it tastes in December!

      Reply
    12. Julie

      August 10, 2020 at 9:27 pm

      If u roast the corn before freezing can I then heat it on the grill or in the microwave?

      Reply
      • Marjory Pilley

        August 12, 2020 at 7:17 am

        You should be able reheat corn any way you like if you cook it before freezing it.

        Reply
    13. Connie

      August 17, 2020 at 4:40 pm

      5 stars
      If a person was too but a Lot of corn it says s it's only good ( Frozen) up to 4 months

      Reply
    14. Connie

      August 17, 2020 at 4:42 pm

      OMG Buy a lot ( of corn)

      Reply
    15. Janet Felker

      September 12, 2020 at 11:21 am

      If I freeze the corn on the husk, take it out can I roast it in the oven frozen with the husk on?

      Reply
      • Marjory Pilley

        September 13, 2020 at 8:29 am

        You should be able to cook using any method used before. I've never tried that before, but I'm definitely going to next time I have corn on the cob!

        Reply
      • Kim

        September 29, 2021 at 4:04 pm

        Did you try this (frozen, in the husk, roasting in the oven?) How well did it work?

        Reply
    16. Titan

      May 10, 2021 at 7:49 pm

      We have a 100 acre farm with a grower that plants 30 acres of corn. We don't clean it, shuck it, just put it in a double paper bag, 20 to 30 ears, pull it out as we want it. Never had a problem. Most grocery stores have paper bags, Kroger, HEB does, just as for them if you don't see them

      Reply
    17. Susan Dottino

      June 07, 2021 at 1:29 pm

      5 stars
      I have been cooking my corn on the cob this way for a long time.
      I am so happy to know I can freeze it fresh. Thank you so much for that information

      Reply
    18. K.B.Roadsend

      June 09, 2021 at 5:55 am

      I am sure tickled to hear of this I have nave never been one much for microwaving but just one of me left so it seems a pity to heat the house up for just one meal so I have began putting up my own frozen dinners .Most every package says machines are different and times may vary Past couple of years I have been taking corn shuck and all wrap it with a wet cotton sock then put that in a plastic grocery bag ,put it in th machine 5 minutes then turn it 90 degrees and hit it another 5 minutes turns out the best texture and sweetness I have ever had Stumbled my way onto this page wondering about easy frezing Im sure gonna give this a try as ,as much as I like corn having it 3 meals a day plus desert does get a little long And I have never had good luck blanching it and then getting it to have much quality when cooked again Thanks a million for the suggestion

      Reply
    19. Sandy

      July 11, 2021 at 8:05 pm

      Do you remove the plastic wrap before microwaving? Thank you so much for the information. I have been microwaving fresh corn wrapped in a paper towel for years and love it, but I would love to try this.

      Reply
      • Marjory Pilley

        July 12, 2021 at 7:48 am

        Remove the plastic wrap before microwaving and enjoy!

        Reply
    20. LeeAnn Ross

      July 19, 2021 at 7:02 pm

      5 stars
      We are starting to homestead this year and have grown our own corn. So very happy to hear that we can freeze without shucking the corn. We love having corn on the grill.
      Thanks bunches,

      Reply
      • Marjory Pilley

        July 20, 2021 at 7:41 am

        That's very exciting! Enjoy!!!

        Reply
    21. Jeanette

      July 21, 2021 at 4:17 pm

      2 stars
      So I tried your method and now I have a dozen ears of mushy corn. What can I do with mushy corn now??

      Reply
      • Marjory Pilley

        July 23, 2021 at 9:01 am

        I'm so sorry you did not have a good experience. I'm not sure if any of these apply, but it's best for very fresh corn, wrapped well, for shorter storage periods. That being said, you can still use the corn in soups and casseroles.

        Reply
    22. Sharon Farr

      July 26, 2021 at 4:01 pm

      Started doing this last year and it's a great way to put up corn on the cob.

      Reply
    23. alicia

      July 28, 2021 at 2:29 pm

      if i am going to microwave 4 frozen ears in the shuck. how long do i microwave it for ? it says on here 6 minutes , but i'm assuming that is for fresh corn. how long if its frozen?

      Reply
      • Marjory Pilley

        July 29, 2021 at 7:53 am

        Add 2 minutes and check to see if that does it. Just pull a little of the husk back on one of the ears. I haven't had to add much time when I cook from frozen.

        Reply
    24. Marilyn

      August 14, 2021 at 3:28 pm

      5 stars
      I freeze my fresh corn on the cob with the musk all of the time…. It turns out great, I just microwave it with the husk on it ,and it turns out just like it was fresh out of the garden!!!

      Reply
      • Denise

        July 23, 2022 at 3:31 pm

        Hi Marilyn - do you mean you microwave it with the husks on it for blanching purposes, or are you talking about when you take it out of the freezer to eat? Thanks for helping me learn!

        Reply
    25. Dave Noble

      August 20, 2021 at 4:30 pm

      i STRIPPED THE FRESH CORN AND WRAPPED IT IN SERAN WRAP THEN IN TIN FOIL
      IT HAAS BEEN IN THE FREEZER FOR 4 WEEK NOW, HOW MUCH LONGER CAN I KEEP IT FROZEN WITH THIS METHOD, AND WILL IT BE OK APPROX 3-4 WEEKS FROM NOW TO DO ON THE BBQ

      Reply
      • Marjory Pilley

        August 23, 2021 at 8:20 am

        Hi! It sounds like you removed the husk and with this method you leave the husk in place. If it's wrapped tightly you may be ok. We recommend storing corn no longer than 4 months using this method. The longer it is stored, the softer the kernels become. So, freezing unblanched corn is recommended for shorter storage periods (less than 2 months) IF you want to enjoy it as corn on the cob in the traditional way. Longer storage periods are perfect for soups, casseroles, etc. I hope that helps!

        Reply
    26. John Britt

      August 21, 2021 at 12:10 pm

      If l freeze the corn this way, can i pull the husk off and sous vide it ? Or do you suggest pulling husk off vacuum seal then sous vide right from the freezer ?

      Reply
      • Marjory Pilley

        August 23, 2021 at 8:15 am

        I've never used a sous vide, but I understand that you would want to remove the husk before cooking. It will not come off too easily from frozen, so you would need to defrost the corn first. Just put the bag in the refrigerator for a few hours and remove the husk as you normally would.

        Reply
    27. Lynn M

      September 21, 2021 at 4:56 pm

      I followed your method exactly for 4 cobs of corn (fresh, frozen in husk, wrapped tightly, put in 1200 W microwave right from freezer for 6 minutes on HIGH for all 4 cobs. They were still ICE COLD! So 5 more minutes ON HIGH, then 4 more minutes ON HIGH, moved corn around, 3 more minutes ON HIGH, then ANOTHER 3 minutes! Ridiculous! 21 minutes to cook the corn! Next time I will try defrosting it before cooking because I sure can’t figure out what I could POSSIBLY have done wrong! 🤷‍♀️

      Reply
      • Marjory Pilley

        September 22, 2021 at 8:19 am

        Thanks so much for sharing your comment and experience. It definitely does not hurt to partially defrost first, especially when cooking 4 at once! The timing varies with the size of the cobs too. I'm cooking some more frozen corn as I write this and will update the tips section!

        Reply
      • Kim

        September 29, 2021 at 4:07 pm

        Thanks for posting this, I plan to do the same and I figured 6 minutes would be way too short from frozen

        Reply
    28. Marilyn Brookes

      May 11, 2022 at 4:14 pm

      Deep South question here. I make corn pudding and "fried" corn, both of which use the milk scraped from the cob. Will the frozen in the shuck corn have this milk?

      Reply
      • Marjory Pilley

        May 12, 2022 at 9:59 am

        Yes it does! I think it would be perfect in those recipes!

        Reply
    29. Anne

      August 27, 2022 at 1:43 am

      When freezing uncooked corn on the cob still in the husk, is it necessary to wrap the corn in plastic wrap before putting it in freezer bags?

      Reply
      • Marjory Pilley

        August 28, 2022 at 6:21 am

        Hi! It provides a little extra protection, but is not absolutely necesssry.

        Reply
    30. KD

      September 13, 2022 at 6:14 pm

      Why can't you blank corn before shucking. The husks on many newer varieties are tough enough to deter starlings they would surely protect from freezer burn. I rarely clean my salmon (depending on size) before freezing to prevent freezer burn and that works best

      Reply
    31. Valli

      September 17, 2022 at 3:38 pm

      Can I freeze on cob as you suggest partially defrost and then cut kernels off and use?

      Reply
      • Marjory Pilley

        September 19, 2022 at 7:22 am

        The process you described might work. However, the kernels are not as firm using this method. So take that into consideration.

        Reply
    32. Jeanne Wocking

      October 07, 2022 at 1:08 pm

      5 stars
      I have done this for years with excellent results. Fast no mess.

      Reply
    33. Sylvia

      October 25, 2022 at 4:14 pm

      Sorry to be a party pooper, but I tried the microwave recipe for uncooked unhusked frozen corn on the cob. The kernels were soft and watery. Ugh! The chickens liked them though!

      Reply
      • Marjory Pilley

        October 25, 2022 at 5:17 pm

        Thanks for commenting! They won't be firm like fresh corn and are best used in recipes where they are incorporated like soup or a casserole.

        Reply
    34. Mary Ann

      January 15, 2023 at 8:07 pm

      Hi! I used this method freezing several dozen ears. When I go to cook them, no matter the method, they come out soggy. What am I doing wrong?

      Reply
      • Marjory Pilley

        January 16, 2023 at 1:54 pm

        Hi! The kernels will not be firm as they would be fresh, so they are best used for soups, casseroles, or dishes where the texture will not be an issue. Also, the freezing process is best if it's not for done for an extended period of time. 2-3 months is ideal. Also, it's important to wrap tightly, and ideally twice. I hope some of those tips will help.

        Reply

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