Canning Corn without a Pressure Cooker

One of the most popular and rewarding ways to preserve your favorite seasonal vegetables like corn is through canning. Canning sweet corn (or other varieties) without a pressure cooker or canner equipment doesn’t have to be difficult or time-consuming. In this blog post, we will explain how you can easily can your own corn without a pressure cooker. 

Canning Basics 

Before diving into how to can your corn without a pressure cooker, let’s first cover some basic canning information. Home canned foods are safe and nutritious if done correctly. All home canned foods should be processed in boiling water for the appropriate processing time, otherwise known as water bath canning. The length of time depends on the type of food you are preserving and its acidity level. To ensure that your food is processed safely, it is important to follow the instructions provided in the recipe exactly. 

Processing Corn Without A Pressure Cooker 

Canning corn without a pressure cooker requires some specific tools and supplies. Here’s what you’ll need to get started: 

• Fresh or frozen corn kernels from the grocery store
• Water-bath canner or large stockpot with lid 
• Quart jars, pint jars, or other canning jars with lids and rings (preferably wide-mouthed for easier packing) 
• Jar lifter or tongs to lift hot jars from the water bath  
• Funnel, ladle, and slotted spoon for filling the jars  

The Process  

Once you have all of your supplies ready, you can begin the process of canning corn without a pressure cooker. There are two popular canning methods, the raw packing method and the hot pack method. There’s no best way, and it’s more about what you are comfortable with. Here’s how to perform the hot pack method: 

1. Prepare your water bath by filling a large pot of water over halfway with fresh clean water. Bring it to a simmer over medium-high heat while you prepare the rest of your ingredients.  

2. Pack corn kernels in jars (not full ears of corn or corn cobs) and add boiling water until it covers the top layer of kernels, making sure to use a sharp knife to get rid of air bubbles. Leave about a 1-inch headspace at the top of each jar before closing.  

3. Seal each glass jar with a lid and ring after cleaning the jar rims, then lower them into the hot water bath using jar lifters or tongs. Make sure that there is enough space between each jar so that they won’t touch during processing.  

4. Cover the pot and bring it back up to a boil; let it boil for 45 minutes while stirring occasionally to prevent scorching on the bottom of the pot. When finished, turn off the heat and let cool completely before removing jars from the pot with a jar lifter or tongs onto kitchen towels or cooling rack; allow them to cool completely before storing away in a cool dry place away from direct sunlight or other sources of heat/humidity/moisture such as humidifiers or dehumidifiers).  

5. Once cooled completely, check the seals on each jar by pressing down on the center of the jar; if sealed properly, they should not move when pressed down firmly (if not properly sealed, discard contents immediately). Store unopened cans in a cool place away from direct sunlight for up to 1 year; once opened, store contents in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before discarding any remaining unused product after that point (this applies even if refrigerated).   

The other option is the raw pack method. In this canning process, you simply cut kernels off the cob before packing them tightly into jars. The jars should then be filled with either cold broth, cold water, or cold sugar syrup (depending on whether you want sweet or savory canned corn) before being sealed and submerged into boiling water for an hour and 15 minutes—which is again sufficient time to kill any bacteria present in your food. 

Air Pressure Method

Another alternative is the air pressure method, which utilizes hot air rather than boiling water to quickly heat up the jars and seal them shut. With this method, fill up pre-sterilized glass mason jars with pre-cooked corn kernels and seal them shut with lids and rings. Place these filled jars into a large pot or baking dish that has been lined with damp cloths or towels on the bottom lining of it. Fill up the pot or dish with enough steaming hot water so that it covers 2/3 of each mason jar’s lid height (do not fill so much water that it rises above the lids themselves). Bring this mixture to a boil over high heat for 1 hour, then turn off the stovetop burner immediately after 1 hour has elapsed (do not wait until all steam has evaporated from inside the pot). Let this mixture cool off for several hours before opening up any of your canned corn containers.  

Don’t be intimidated!

Home canning corn without a pressure cooker doesn’t have to be intimidating or difficult! By following these instructions carefully, you will be able to preserve delicious sweet farm fresh corn all year round! Be sure to review your recipes carefully before beginning any home canning project, and always use properly sanitized jars and lids when processing any type of food items in order to avoid any potential safety hazards associated with home food preservation processes like botulism or other food-borne illnesses which may arise if not done correctly! Enjoy!