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I’ve got a sweet corn canning recipe for you that may go against the grain. It seems to be that errrbudddyyy in the clurb be freezing their sweet corn and I’m just not about that life anymore.  Not only do I not want to pay electricity to keep SWEET CORN in my freezer, but I also don’t want to use up that precious real estate in said freezer when I could be jamming it full of something far more nutritious than corn.  

Now.  I like corn, but it’s corn.  You eat it and then it comes out the other end the same.  Corn.  If you eat an ear of corn off the cob, you’re just a glorified corn sheller… amirite?!  :D

I despise the ApPrOvEd sweet corn canning recipe and method because it produces an overcooked and almost burnt tasting corn (depending on the variety) that turns a sad beige or brown color many times.  If I’m going to add a tomato slice or lemon juice to it to preserve color, I may as well add enough and just reduce the processing time so it tastes better, too.  

So I went looking.  And talking. Or, rather, yapping.  I don’t care to talk to many folks, but you bring up canning and I’m in.  Thus, I learned about this super cool sweet corn canning method.  You add lemon juice for just a touch of acid to lower the pH in the jar, then sugar to offset the sour, and massively reduce the processing times in the pressure canner since you increased the acidity of the corn.  You’ll find in your journey of learning canning just how unbelievably stupid some of the canning rules are for home-canned goods.

Many folks have asked if the sugar and salt are necessary. And I’ll say this. Probably not, but this recipe is the exact sweet corn canning recipe I was given and it has served me well over the years, so I dare not deviate from it. If you would like to, by all means go for it, but I wasn’t the one that told ya to.

Is this sweet corn canning recipe considered rebel canning?

This recipe can be considered rebel canning.  This means this exact recipe has not been evaluated nor approved by the USDA or NCHFP (National Center for Home Food Preservation).  Does the mean this recipe is unsafe?  Sure doesn’t, as its one I and many others use and consume.  

What it does mean is as with any home canning, you should can at your own risk and use common sense.  Make your own decisions because what I do and say I’m doing in my own home should not affect what you do in yours.  If you are not comfortable with rebel canning, please don’t follow this recipe and use tested recipes instead.   In the end, you will have canned something you are afraid of and you will not eat it or use it and you will have essentially wasted your time and money and I definitely don’t want that for you.  

If you would like to can sweet corn using an approved recipe, check out the times from the NCHFP or reference your favorite trusted canning book.

Let’s get to pressure canning!

Equipment You Might Want

• ​Sheet Pan
• Corn Cutter Tool
• Canning Jars
• Canning lids & screw bands
• Pressure Canner
• Jar Funnel
• Jar Lifter

Ingredients

Per pint jar

• Fresh sweet corn
• 1 teaspoon bottled lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Boiling water

Step 1:  Prep

​Start by picking fresh sweet corn that is at the milk stage.  Look for brown silk and if you push your thumb into a kernel, white liquid comes out, not clear.

​Shuck your corn and get as much of the silk off as possible.  Some will always find its way in, but I’ve found pressure canning makes it disappear pretty quickly!

Rinse corn cobs under cool running water and set aside to drain.

Cut corn off the cob in whichever method you prefer.  I found a neat corn cutting tool my Mom told me about and, by golly, it made darn quick work of all the corn I picked.  I worked on a rimmed sheet pan and sliced the corn off with the cob on its side.  It worked perfectly, quickly, and easily.  The cutting tool I used is from OXO and is linked in the printable version of this recipe below if you’re interested.

Step 2:  Canning

Fill jars to 1 inch headspace with corn, tapping the bottom of the jar to settle the corn but not smashing it down with your hand.

Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to each pint jar.  Double these for quart jars.

Top off jars with boiling water to 1 inch headspace, removing air bubbles and adding more liquid if needed.

Wipe jar rims well, add a lid and secure with a screw band.

Pressure can at your elevations recommended weight for LOW ACID FOOD for 15 minutes for pint jars or 20 minutes for quart jars.

Once processing time is complete, shut off the heat and allow the pressure canner to cool and depressurize completely.

Once depressurized, remove jars to a heat proof surface lined with a clean towel to cool undisturbed for 18-24 hours.

Step 3: Storage

Once jars are cooled, removed bands, test seals, wash jars, label, and store in a cool dark place away from direct sunlight.  Room temperature is acceptable as long as jars are not exposed to extreme temperatures.

Shelf life is ’til you eat it.  If the seals good, they’re good.  Aim to rotate canned foods every 2 years for maximum nutritional benefit and palatability, but they’ll last much longer if needed.

Find more info along with tips and tricks for canning here if you’re new!

And that’s my sweet corn canning recipe to keep your corn fresh and delicious.  Ditch the freezer for corn, we don’t need her!

Delicious Sweet Corn Canning Recipe

4 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Canning Time: 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 1 pint

Author: Ruby – Red Feather Farm

Equipment

• Sheet Pan
• Corn Cutter Tool
• Canning jars
• Canning lids & screw bands
• Pressure Canner
• jar funnel
• jar lifter

Ingredients

PER PINT JAR

• 2-3 ears fresh sweet corn
• 1 teaspoon bottled lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup boiling water

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

• Start by picking fresh sweet corn that is at the milk stage.  Look for brown silk and if you push your thumb into a kernel, white liquid comes out, not clear.
• Shuck your corn and get as much of the silk off as possible.  Some will always find its way in, but I've found pressure canning makes it disappear pretty quickly!
• Rinse corn cobs under cool running water and set aside to drain.
• Cut corn off the cob in whichever method you prefer. 
• Fill jars to 1 inch headspace with corn, tapping the bottom of the jar to settle the corn but not smashing it down with your hand.
• Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to each pint jar.  Double these for quart jars.
• Top off jars with boiling water to 1 inch headspace, removing air bubbles and adding more liquid if needed.
• Wipe jar rims well, add a lid and secure with a screw band.
• Pressure can at your elevations recommended weight for LOW ACID FOOD for 15 minutes for pint jars or 20 minutes for quart jars.
• Once processing time is complete, shut off the heat and allow the pressure canner to cool and depressurize completely.
• Once depressurized, remove jars to a heat proof surface lined with a clean towel to cool undisturbed for 18-24 hours.
• Once jars are cooled, removed bands, test seals, wash jars, label, and store in a cool dark place away from direct sunlight.  Room temperature is acceptable as long as jars are not exposed to extreme temperatures.
• Shelf life is 'til you eat it.  If the seals good, they're good.  Aim to rotate canned foods every 2 years for maximum nutritional benefit and palatability, but they'll last much longer if needed.

Notes

This recipe is considered rebel canning, meaning this method and exact recipe has not been tested nor evaluated by the NCHFP or USDA.  Please use your own discretion and decide if this recipe will work for you, because what I do in my kitchen and share on the internet, doesn’t have to be what you do.