Corn on the cob - for freezer
 

I know there has been lots of discussion in the past re freezing vegetables
(particularly runner beans) and whether or not they should be blanched. What
about corn on the cob? My two freezer books both state that corn should be
blanched for 5-8 minutes but hubby (he who will be eating them) thinks it is
OK to freeze without blanching. Would welcome any comments

Jeanne

In article ,
" Jeanne Stockdale" writes:
|
| I know there has been lots of discussion in the past re freezing vegetables
| (particularly runner beans) and whether or not they should be blanched. What
| about corn on the cob? My two freezer books both state that corn should be
| blanched for 5-8 minutes but hubby (he who will be eating them) thinks it is
| OK to freeze without blanching. Would welcome any comments

Most books grossly overstate the time needed for blanching - they
date from the time when cabbage and carrots were boiled for an
hour[*]. With most vegetables, it does help, but it is enough to
drop them in water and bring it back to the boil.

I would be surprised if sweetcorn was much different.
[*] Often with soda added.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

In article ,
jane writes:
|
| Yikes!
| 5-8 minutes is all you need to cook them for to be fully cooked!!!!!

For the infant cobs normally eaten in this country, yes.

| As a child I used to boil corn cobs for 20 minutes - as per old
| British 'kill it by boiling' rules. It came as a revelation that you
| only need to boil for 5 minutes when fresh and about 8 when frozen!
| And they are much sweeter as a result...

Being brought up on mealies, I prefer more mature ones, which
do indeed need 20 minutes or longer. They are less sweet but
nuttier (no personal remarks about me, please!)


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

"Nick Maclaren" wrote in message
...

In article ,
" Jeanne Stockdale" writes:
|
| I know there has been lots of discussion in the past re freezing
vegetables
| (particularly runner beans) and whether or not they should be blanched.
What
| about corn on the cob? My two freezer books both state that corn should
be
| blanched for 5-8 minutes but hubby (he who will be eating them) thinks
it is
| OK to freeze without blanching. Would welcome any comments

Most books grossly overstate the time needed for blanching - they
date from the time when cabbage and carrots were boiled for an
hour[*]. With most vegetables, it does help, but it is enough to
drop them in water and bring it back to the boil.

I would be surprised if sweetcorn was much different.

[*] Often with soda added.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.

Your comment re boiling for an hour and adding soda reminds me of when I
lived at home prior to getting married. My mother decided I needed some
practice at cooking so I had to help with the roast dinner at the weekends.
On Sundays, she would go off to church and leave me to cook the veg. She
told me that when cooking cabbage, add one teaspoon of salt and a pinch of
bicarbonate of soda (the latter is supposed to help maintain the green
colour). One particular Sunday I got it the wrong way round - a pinch of
salt and a teaspoon of bicarb - I have never seen such bright green cabbage
before or since!!! Since the day I got married (over 37 years) I have never
added bicarb.

Jeanne

"michael adams" wrote in message
...



Do as your husband wishes.

He'll know whether he was right or not in 9 months time, when
he comes to eat them.

Or you could blanch half of them on the sly, and offer to sell
them to your husband after he finds out the hard way.

In theory, blanching destroys natural enzymes which cause deterioration
in frozen vegetable tissue the longer it's frozen.

However, maybe this is all wrong. Or maybe the people who don't bother
with
blanching don't actually store their frozen vegetables long enough for it
to make a difference. Maybe.

As in many things, I'd imagine relevant experience is probably the best
guide.




michael adams

...
Husband here !
Do as I wish - I wish !!!
I tend to agree with Jane, especially as I prefer my veg on the firm side
anyway.
Picking and freezing day tomorrow.
I may try blanching a couple of the later pickings (some not quite ready
yet) just for comparison purposes.
I will report in several weeks time.

Pete
www.thecanalshop.com

On Fri, 19 Aug 2005 12:32:48 +0000, Nick Maclaren wrote:


In article ,
jane writes:
|
| Yikes!
| 5-8 minutes is all you need to cook them for to be fully cooked!!!!!

For the infant cobs normally eaten in this country, yes.


The big ones too. I boil them for about 5 minutes before eating, and they
taste great (at least fresh allotment ones!).

Regards,

Paul.

--
Remove _rem_ before replying by email.

In article ,
Paul Taylor wrote:
On Fri, 19 Aug 2005 12:32:48 +0000, Nick Maclaren wrote:
In article ,
jane writes:
|
| Yikes!
| 5-8 minutes is all you need to cook them for to be fully cooked!!!!!

For the infant cobs normally eaten in this country, yes.

The big ones too. I boil them for about 5 minutes before eating, and they
taste great (at least fresh allotment ones!).

Size and maturity are two different things. You wouldn't like a
semi-mature one cooked like that :-)


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.