Recipe: How to Freeze, Grill and Roast Corn

Corn is one of the most versatile vegetables. It can be prepared in so many ways, including grilling it and adding it to salads. You can even store it for use in future seasons. Nothing is better than having a taste of summer during the cold winter months. Get the freshest corn from Lenexa Farmers Market vendors during the summer.

Learn how to make the sweetest corn available to you for the rest of the year, and how you can also enjoy it this week too. 

Preparing corn to freeze

1. Remove corn husks and silks, break off the end of the stalk. Some people blanch their corn before freezing, while others do not. If you want to blanch your corn, go to step 2. If not, skip to step 3.
2. Blanch corn by bringing water to boil in a large pot. Add multiple cobs to pot and let simmer for 2 minutes.  Remove with tongs and lay out on a cookie sheet to drain and cool. 
3. Once cool, you can cut all of the corn off the cob or leave it on the cob. If you are storing a lot of corn, cut it off the cob to take up less room in the freezer.
4. Place corn in freezer bags, remove air and place in the freezer.

Grilling corn on the cob

Ingredients

Fresh corn on the cob with husks on

Stick butter

Seasoning salt of your preference

Directions

1. Gently pull back corn husks and remove silk.  
2. Remove the paper at one end of the stick butter, leaving the rest of the paper to hold onto. Spread butter on kernels liberally.
3. Sprinkle with seasoning salt.
4. Fold the husks back up on the corn. You can remove one of the longer husks and tie the husks to the corn. 
5. Place on grill that is approximately 400 degrees F for 30 minutes.  
6. If you like grill marks on the corn, pull back the husks and place back on the grill until you have grill marks.

Roasted corn edamame salad

Recipe credit: Alton Brown (lightly adapted)

Ingredients

2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 2 years of corn)

2 cups fresh or frozen shelled edamame

¼ cup scallion, finely diced

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon kosher salt (or more to taste)

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 cup fresh tomato, chopped

¼ cup fresh basil, chopped

2 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Combine the corn, edamame, scallion, olive oil, salt and pepper in a 9” x 13” metal pan, stir. Place on middle rack for 10–15 minutes, until the edamame begins to brown. Remove from oven and place in refrigerator until completely cool, approximately 30 minutes.

3. Add the tomato, basil and vinegar to the edamame mixture and toss to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning, as desired. Serve chilled or at room temperature.