How to Make Cream-Style Corn | Chickens in the Road

Sep
11

I love cream-style corn! Making cream-style corn is one of those simple techniques that is mysterious if you don’t know how, so for those of you who never have, here it is. No more store-canned cream-style corn for you! (And use those corn husks! See how to dry corn husks at the bottom of this post.)

How to make Cream-Style Corn:

Blanch ears 6-10 minutes (less for small ears, more for large). Drain and cool. Cut kernels off, but not quite all the way down to the cob.

Scrape the cob for the “cream” and corn pulp.

Look at all the good, juicy corn cream!

The kernels tend to come off in strips. Don’t worry about it–you can break them up.

Now get some butter, salt, and pepper and just pull up to the bowl–

STOP THAT, SUZANNE. THIS IS FOR WINTER. WHEN YOU CAN’T EVEN GET DOWN YOUR DRIVEWAY AND YOU’RE STARVING.

Oh yeah.

I hope I remember to get enough aluminum foil, too.

Label and date freezer baggies. Ladle in the corn.

I got four quart-size baggies out of this batch. I stack them flat for freezer storage. I’ll be making more soon. Stocking up! (You can also can corn in a pressure canner.)

The corn cobs go to the animals.

Clover really goes to town on corn.

It’s unseemly. She forgets that she’s a lady.

CLOVER!

Oh, never mind, I understand. I love corn, too.

The husks will be used. No wasting!

How to Dry Corn Husks:

Spread husks out and leave them to dry in the sun in single layers. I set mine out in boxes on the porch steps. (Attempting to keep chickens and dogs from trampling them, and also situated so I can grab them quickly if it looks like it’s gonna rain.) Sometimes I also set them out on the porch railings. When drying corn husks in the sun, bring them in at night to keep the dew off them, too. Also, turn the husks so both sides get sun. Depending on the temperature and humidity in your area, it takes anywhere from several days to a couple of weeks to dry corn husks.

Corn husks are useful for all kinds of things. Wrapping fish to place on the grill. Making bows for crafts. Corn husk flowers, corn husk wreaths, and corn husk dolls. Tamales. And so much more!

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32 Responses
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9-11
3:28
am

The corn “cream”, scrappings, whatever you want to call it. I always have more than enough for cream style corn, but I have found a use for that extra. Glorious, so comforting corn chowder. Basically potato soup, but with the addition of the extra scrappings and a handful of corn kernels. Topped with crispy bits of bacon. A ham sandwich on grandmother’s bread, spread with DeDe’s pepper butter, and a cup of corn chowder. I’m looking forward to this come cold weather.

Kathy - Reply
9-11
4:30
am

Good ideas for corn. The animals are so cute!

Shelly - Reply
9-11
5:11
am

Looks good! Do the goats eat the cobs whole like that? Good way to recycle them.

Great idea – drying the husks. I think I will do that too!

Runningtrails - Sheryl - Reply
- 9-11
  5:19
  am
  
  They don’t eat the whole thing, they just chew on it for awhile!
  
  Suzanne - Reply
9-11
6:04
am

My first mother-in-law, from Alabama, taught me to do this same method for corn with a little difference….you cut the top of the kernels off first, the make another cut to get down to almost the bottom of the kernel then you turn the knife over to the blunt side and scrape the milk from the cob! Oh boy….good eating! I never froze it but used it fresh that day…in a big cast iron skillet with some butter, the corn, a little milk, salt and pepper. Stir often and cook on medium-low heat til it’s ready. Takes a good hour to cook it that way but you can’t get it much fresher!

Carol Langille - Reply
9-11
6:04
am

And, by the way, who doesn’t forget she’s a lady when eating corn on the cob? Or just the cobs, in Clover’s case!

Carol Langille - Reply
9-11
7:02
am

There is something I learned years ago about freezing corn. If you stack piles of still warm/not chilled corn together it will take many hours to freeze. In that amount of time there are enzymes in the corn that will be active. They will essentially use up all the sugar in the corn to try to make alcohol. This happens despite the fact that you cooked the corn. The corn will lose most of its great sweetness that is characteristic of sweet corn and you will be left with something tasting like field corm (what we used to call cow corn). My sister also had this happen with cooked winter squash that she froze in a large stack of bags. She said the stuff went from being unbelievably good to losing all it’s sweetness and tasting blah. Best bet is to lay out the corn in a single layer in the freezer so that it will freeze quickly. I know it ruins the stackability of the packages if they don’t freeze in a solid lump all stacked together. If you have the freezer room you can lay out the packages to freeze on cookies sheets so they will freeze nice and flat and then they are more easily stacked later.

I started using the vacuum seal bags last year and have found them to be ridiculously over price, but worth it if you are going to be storing foods for more than 3 months. They food really does keep better and does not get that nasty freezer burned taste. I have ended up using both the ziplock type freezer bags and the vacuum sealer bags and just using up the ziplock ones first. Saves some money using both and makes sure the food is high quality all through the winter.

I just did my corn and didn’t save any husks despite the fact that while I was husking the corn I thought these must be good for something. I await in anticipation to see how you use yours.

I believe in being prepared for the worst winter has to offer and then hopefully being pleasantly surprised at a mild one. Yeah for aluminum foil!

Sheila Z - Reply
- 9-11
  7:43
  am
  
  The corn I was using here wasn’t still warm. I chilled it before I cut it off, so the baggies going stacked into the freezer weren’t warm. But that’s good to know, thanks!
  
  Suzanne - Reply
9-11
7:11
am

Add bacon grease too!

Remudamom - Reply
9-11
7:21
am

Clover is too cute with that corn cob sticking out of her mouth. OMGOSH, it literally made me LOL.

Cece

Cecelia - Reply
9-11
7:58
am

I dont blanch the corn before cutting off the cob.. It has much more milk in it that way and I think tastes better. Also you can put it in the oven in an open pan for about 30 minutes (depending on the amount) The corn only has to come to a boil to be cooked…Remember, it will be cooked again when it is eaten later..

jane - Reply
- 9-11
  8:05
  am
  
  The Ball book recommends blanching first when freezing cream-style corn, but not blanching first when canning cream-style corn. (Have no idea why.)
  
  Suzanne - Reply
  - 9-11
    6:56
    pm
    
    Suzanne, that is because the corn is cooked when you can it… it isn’t when you freeze it.
    
    Linda - Reply
    - 9-11
      6:59
      pm
      
      Yeah, I think that’s the point, that it needs to be cooked a little (one way or another, blanching or cutting off then cooking) before freezing. I’m not sure about freezing without cooking at all in one way or the other (as another commenter mentioned). That’s not what the freezing guidelines are for corn.
      
      Suzanne - Reply
- 9-11
  6:53
  pm
  
  Oh I don’t blanch mine either. I cut it off the cobs and then cook it on the stove with a little cream, butter, and salt and pepper. Let cool then I bag and freeze.
  
  Linda - Reply
9-11
8:06
am

Bwahahaha Clover is a riot! I cracked up! My kids want to know what I’m laughing at…. nuthin.

Debbie - Reply
9-11
8:20
am

We cut all our corn off the cobs first, then we put it on the stove and heat it up really good, then we set it to the side and let it cool down, then we freeze it in the ziplock bags…

The first post I ever read of yours was the aluminum foil post, after that I was hooked..

Tammy - Reply
9-11
9:28
am

this brings back memories of helping my mom “do corn” years and years ago. we would “do” over a hundred bags a day to have enough for a family of five all winter. yum. Clover knows…

Miss Becky - Reply
9-11
9:34
am

I saw the greatest tip on the Today show the other day for cutting corn off the cob and not making a mess.

You get a bundt cake pan. The round one with the hole in the middle. You hold the corn on the hole and cut straight down with your knife and all the corn goes into the cake pan.

I hope I explained that correctly. Wish I could show a picture!

trish - Reply
9-11
10:05
am

You’ve just taken the mystery out of home-made creamed corn. I’m afraid I’m addicted to the canned version, but that’s because – as I’ve said before – I don’t like to cook!!! But an old friend, a fantastic southern cook, and her mom always make it from fresh corn for family gatherings and I was always in awe….as I am of you!

Winter, for all my single years, has meant making stew, chili and beefy vegetable soup in the crock pot and freezing small containers for myself. Looks like it’s time to get started – just bought a new crockpot Wed. to replace the one I gave away in Atlanta.

.Nancy in Iowa - Reply
9-11
10:09
am

Learned how to freeze corn from my Grandmother years ago. Still do it every year. My favorite part is when the corn is cut off the cob in big strips. The bigger the better. I love to eat it then. I love your yellow pyrex bowl. Have one just like it. I’m anxious to see what you do with the dried husks.

Melinda from Washington - Reply
9-11
12:39
pm

wow your pets is so cute
and your tips is very useful,I’ll try it with my little chickens
thanks for the post

Chickens - Reply
9-11
6:50
pm

I love frozen cream style corn. I add a bit of cream to mine, but I suppose I could always add it while heating for a meal…

Linda - Reply
9-11
7:30
pm

Clover is a riot. Your farm is like heaven!

monica - Reply
9-11
10:06
pm

my mom makes a fried corn dish that tastes a lot like cream style corn, only better, she cuts and scrapes the corn off the cob, then she mixes the corn with just enough flour to make it floury, lol. about a quarter cup to a butter bowl of corn. Then, in a pan with about 1/4 inch of grease, she adds the corn, cooking it on low until it is browned, stirring constantly. (like you would make gravy, just add corn) after cooking it for about 30 to 45 minutes, she adds water and a lil bit of milk to make it creamy. mmmm goood! plenty of salt and pepper also!

Amber - Reply
9-12
6:00
am

This is great. I just got a freezer and am getting back into that and canning/jams. Is there a good way to freeze corn on the cob? Great site.

Lois Klein - Reply
- 9-12
  6:23
  am
  
  The Ball Blue Book of Preserving says for corn on the cob to blanch ears of corn. Cool. Drain. Wrap in moisture/vapor-proof film. Pack in plastic freezer bags.
  
  Suzanne - Reply
9-12
6:22
am

Becareful that dogs don’t get the cobs. They can easily get intestinal blockage if they eat corncobs.

Vicki in Michigan - Reply
9-12
12:47
pm

I would have to add some sugar..I love creamed corn. I have only had it in the can, that I remember..prob. had some fresh at some point. But the can says it has sugar in it. LOL

Donna - Reply
- 9-12
  1:03
  pm
  
  Fresh corn is soooooo sweet, naturally!
  
  Suzanne - Reply
9-14
8:35
am

Georgia had a very bad corn year this year! We have corn for a couple of weeks but none to be found for over a month. I managed to get 2 bags frozen and that is it! I can’t find any anywhere.

Christy O - Reply
9-26
11:43
am

There sure are a lot of ways to make Cream style corn! I just learned how to make my grandmother’s version. Her secret was to use dry nonfat milk. I posted the recipe on Facebook for family and friends if you want to try it.

http://www.facebook.com/photo_search.php?oid=139436943322&view=user#/group.php?gid=139436943322

Dave - Reply