Warning: Pressure canning is more effective to kill the botulism potential. Water bath canning corn is a traditional method and not a scientifically approved method. Try at your own risk!
Even though many people say that pressure cooking is the only way to preserve corn, it isn’t necessarily true.
There is one other method that people use to can your corn and other foods and keep them preserved for later use. This method is known as water bath canning and has been used for many, many years.
Pressure cookers were only made popular in the 20th century, and it is obvious that people wanted to preserve their corn before that as well. To do so, many people used the water bath method.
Water bathing is a very simple technique that requires minimal equipment. All it requires you to do is to put the corn plus salt water inside a sterilized jar and then put the jar inside a large pot.
Put water into the pot and then close its lid. Ensure that there are at least two inches of water up the sides of the jars before starting. Now just wait until the water is boiling rapidly and then you can start the timer.
Let it boil for the recommended time on the recipe and then switch off the heat once it is done. Remove the lid of the saucepan and then leave it as it is.
Just keep the jars of corn where they are and set another timer, this time for 5 minutes. Once the time is up, remove the jars from the water bath and place them on a counter to cool.
It is recommended that you don’t cover the jars or try to dry the water off them as it will evaporate on its own in a few minutes.
Leave the jars to cool overnight then store them in a cool, dry, dark place such as a pantry or cupboard. The lids should form a vacuum seal as the contents cool.
Please note that while this method is traditional, it is not safe and not recommended.
As you can see, you can preserve corn without a pressure cooker. However, there is also a big problem for those who intend to use this preservation method.
Water bath canning is mainly a method used to can foods with high acidity levels, such as fruit in sugar syrup, whereas corn is low-acid.
Using the water bath method will not eliminate all the dangerous botulism spores, whereas pressure cooker preserving will.
This is why we strongly recommend that you can corn and other low-acid foods such as meat, fish, and vegetables by using the pressure canner method.
Pickled Corn
As we’ve hinted above, it is safe to can high acidy foods without using a pressure canner or pressure cooker. If you don’t have one of these appliances but still want to can your corn safely, what about pickling it?
Pickling in vinegar provides the necessary acidity levels to safely preserve the corn. Pickled corn makes a delicious condiment and accompaniment to grilled meats.
Try serving some as a topping for avocado toast or put a spoonful on top of your salad. It’s great in tacos too…
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 8 ears of sweetcorn, corn cut off the cobs
- 2 cups white vinegar
- 1 cup water½ cup white sugar
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground coarse black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried chili flakes – optional
Here’s what you do:
- Sterilize your mason jars and lids.
- Prepare the corn and put it into a big bowl.
- Use a non-reactive pot and put in the vinegar, water, sugar, crushed garlic, salt, pepper, and chili if using.
- Bring this to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
- Add the corn to the saucepan and bring it to a boil again.
- Remove from the heat and spoon into the jars.
- Seal the jars well and allow them to cool.
- Keep in the refrigerator for up to 8 weeks.
If you are looking for a SAFE method, try PRESSURE CANNING corn as per the videos below!