As much as a lot of people may say that a pressure cooker or canner is the only way to preserve corn and other vegetables that is not true. There are other methods you can apply to can your vegetables including corn. One effective method of canning corn is water bathing. This method has been used for many years by a lot of people. To can corn using the water bath method simply follow these steps.
Contents
The Tools Required To Can Corn
- Jars (pint/quart)
- Lids/seals and rings
- Large pot
- A large salad bowl or small bowls for holding corn
- Sharp knife
- Jar lifting tongs
- A funnel (optional)
- Magnetic lid lifter
- Colander for draining
- Clean towels and dishcloth
Prepare The Corn
For each pint jar, you need about 4 medium long ears of fresh corn on the cob. Each quart jar will need about 8 ears. So you should determine the number jars you need and measure accordingly. The first step is to remove the husks and the corn silk from each ear of corn. Rinse the corn ears and slice off the kernels into a large bowl. You can a sharp, serrated knife for this process.
Blanch Your Corn
The next step after washing and preparing your corn is to blanch them. First drain any leftover water after rinsing and place it in a large pot of boiling water. Let your corn sit in the pot of boiling water for about 2 minutes or so. It is important to note that this step is for blanching and not for cooking the corn. When you are done drain the corn using a colander.
Clean Your Jar Rims
It is crucial to clean your jar rims before placing the lids on your jars. You should also ensure that the lids and the jars are clean and that they do not have any residue on them. You can simply do this by wiping them down with a cloth. If you do not clean your jar rims well you risk bacteria growth in your canned corn.
Packing
This water bathing technique is a very simple technique that anyone can use. You simply need to put the corn inside the jar. Another necessary step is to release trapped air. In order to do this simply press the corn or the lid of your jar so that you release any air that is trapped inside your jar. Releasing the trapped air will help you preserve the shelf life of your corn. It is not uncommon for air to be trapped. After packing the corn ensure that there are no air bubbles or pockets of air inside the jars. If so, they must be removed. The best way to remove air bubbles or pockets of air in the jars is by placing a non-metallic spatula or plastic knife inside the canning jar. Gently press the spatula against the corn in order to create a path for the trapped air to escape. Repeat that process several times around the inside of the jar. Sometimes air bubbles may not be visible because they can be trapped between the corn but they must be removed. It is best to use the spatula each time to remove any invisible or visible air bubbles.
Water Bathing
After blanching and packing place your jars inside a pot of hot water. Before you do that make sure that the lids are tightly closed. Make sure that the water inside your pot covers at least 1 or 2 inches of the jar before you boil the water. After putting the jars inside the pot close the lid and let the jars sit in there until the water has boiled. Set a timer for about 5 minutes and turn off the heat. Afterwards, take the pot’s lid off and then leave it as it is. Make sure that you keep the jars with the corn where they are and let them sit for another 5 minutes or so. After the 5 minutes have passed take the jars out and place them somewhere where the cold cannot reach. Make sure that you do not cover the jars or try to clear the water off of them because it will simply evaporate in a few minutes. Simply let the jars sit on their own for about 14 hours before storing them.
Clearly it is possible to can corn without a pressure cooker or canner. On the other hand it must be noted that there may be problems for those that intend to use this method. Water bathing is a method used to preserve high-acid foods, but corn is low-acid. This means that using the water bathing method will not get rid of all the botulism spores, but a pressure cooker will. This is because botulism spores don not die at 212F, which is the boiling point of water. A pressure canner boiling water at 15PSI raises the boiling point to 250F or so which can kill the spores. As such we recommended that you can your corn with the help of a pressure cooker or pressure canner.
Tips For Canning Corn
It is best to sterilize the tools and materials you will use when canning corn. If you can sterilise your jars, rims and lids the better. Preparing the jars in boiling water is crucial from a sanitation point of view. Also, there are many methods that require you to soap-wash or boil the rims and seals as well. It is best to take time with prepping your tools and jars so that your end product will be shelf-safe for a long period of time. Another important tip is using unused seals. The lids with their seals are only good for one use. Once you’ve consumed all of the vegetables from the sealed jar, toss them or recycle them. Lastly, do not forget to check your jar for cracks or chips because that will prevent your lids from sealing properly.
