180 ears of corn? No problem!

[ScotO]

Dad and I did our annual corn blanch yesterday evening. Ended up blanching over 16 dozen ears, and we got 22qt. bags each for the freezer. Nothing like having good, local corn in the middle of winter!

Any excuse to get the big kettle on the fire is good for me!!

Anyone else doing any food freezin' out there?

 

[Ashful]

Scotty, you never cease to amaze me, buddy. Corn, maple syrup, custom wheelbarrows, wood flooring, masonry...

 

[save$]

Looks really good. I don't know where you get all your energy! Warm, safe and well fed = happy family.

 

[Bret Hart]

I'm jealous. Our garden spent too much time under water. If we actually get any corn it's going to look like those miniature ears that you find in Chinese food.

 

[ScotO]

Thanks for.the compliments, guys! I was born and raised to work hard for what I have, I guess its just out of habit that I stay busy.......
Bret, this has been the best year for corn in many years in our area, we're literally SWIMMING in it. Amish over the.mountain said as long as we don't get frost early, we should have sweet corn right up til October.......

I'll be freezing some Silver Queen when it comes on here in a couple weeks, as well as some beans, brocolli, cauliflower, and tomatoes........

We'll be doing a big kettle of ham and mean soup too, once the weather gets cold. It'll be a party where everyone I know around here can bring their clean mason jars, a 12 pack of their favorite brew, and come jar up some soup for.their.own use......

 

[Swedishchef]

Wow Scotty. That is really impressive! I am jealous. Something tells me I may start doing the same....

 

[Jack Straw]

We froze a bushel of local grown sweet corn. It's great to have in the dead of winter!

 

[Ashful]

Thanks for.the compliments, guys! I was born and raised to work hard for what I have, I guess its just out of habit that I stay busy.......

Yeah... but you get cooler stuff done.

My yesterday, but typical of any day:

6:30am - 7:30am: getting myself and kid ready for school / work
8am - 5pm: work (and surfing hearth.com while waiting on computer simulations)
5:30pm - 6pm: dinner
6pm - 8pm: mowing lawn
8pm - 8:30pm: getting kid ready for bed while mom cleans up from dinner
8:30pm - 10:30pm: sanding and re-staining a 240 year old floor
10:30 - 11:30pm: shower, check email, download photos from recent mini-cation to beach with kid

lather, rinse, repeat...

 

[lukem]

We blanched and froze 80 bags last week. Picked 36 more ears last night.

 

[PapaDave]

Awesome Scotty.
I wanna' know where you got that kettle.
We won't get enough of anything from the garden this year to do any blanching/freezing/canning.
We'll have to suffer with cooking it as it comes out of the garden.
Did that with some green beans a couple days ago. Stir fried in a pan with some garlic/butter/olive oil.
Mmmm, mmmm, good.

 

[ScotO]

Awesome Scotty.
I wanna' know where you got that kettle.
We won't get enough of anything from the garden this year to do any blanching/freezing/canning.
We'll have to suffer with cooking it as it comes out of the garden.
Did that with some green beans a couple days ago. Stir fried in a pan with some garlic/butter/olive oil.
Mmmm, mmmm, good.

Dave, I built that kettle out of a 1950's Speed Queen wringer washer tub!!
We used it for maple syrup for several years. It holds over 20 gallons!

 

[Jack Straw]

Dave, I built that kettle out of a 1950's Speed Queen wringer washer tub!!
We used it for maple syrup for several years. It holds over 20 gallons!

Scotty, you should have your own reality show!

 

[PapaDave]

Dave, I built that kettle out of a 1950's Speed Queen wringer washer tub!!

I seem to vaguely remember you mentioning that at some time or another.
Excellent repurpose.

 

[mywaynow]

How you removing the kernels? I used a knife last year and found the corn a little soggy as a result of cutting kernels in pieces, releasing the fluids. Someone has got to make a de-kerneling tool. I vac packed the stuff, and it was tasty. Just need to find the last piece of the puzzle to make it perrrrfeccttttt.

 

[Jack Straw]

We use a knife, maybe you over cooked it?

 

[mywaynow]

Blanched for 2 minutes. Some kernels were plump and fresh, some not so much.

 

[firebroad]

We blanched and froze 80 bags last week. Picked 36 more ears last night.

You must have a monster of a freezer, or several!!

 

[Jack Straw]

Blanched for 2 minutes. Some kernels were plump and fresh, some not so much.

That's how long we cook it.

 

[DevilsBrew]

Now all you need are the potatoes, shrimp, and crab!

 

[lukem]

You must have a monster of a freezer, or several!!

Two big chest freezers. This wasn't all for us...it was a family event.

Need to make some room....cider day is right around the corner. Hoping to freeze 60 gallons this year.

 

[ScotO]

I bought one of those cheesy 'corn cutters' a couple years ago and tried it.....proved to be worthless unless you want to make creamed corn (which I don't like at all). I simply use a razor sharp filet knife, and I hone it once or twice during the cutting festivities...
I try and keep the knife at the "happy place".....that area right near the base of the kernel, but not in the cob. Either way you slice it (pun intended), the homegrown corn tastes far and above better than the store bought stuff. Nothing like sweet corn for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, and also for dinner once a week when the snow's flying......

 

[lukem]

I bought one of those cheesy 'corn cutters' a couple years ago and tried it.....proved to be worthless unless you want to make creamed corn (which I don't like at all). I simply use a razor sharp filet knife, and I hone it once or twice during the cutting festivities...
I try and keep the knife at the "happy place".....that area right near the base of the kernel, but not in the cob. Either way you slice it (pun intended), the homegrown corn tastes far and above better than the store bought stuff. Nothing like sweet corn for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, and also for dinner once a week when the snow's flying......

We make something for Thanksgiving with sweet corn, sweet taters, onions, and bacon. It is way good.

 

[ScotO]

We make something for Thanksgiving with sweet corn, sweet taters, onions, and bacon. It is way good.

I may have to coax that recipe from you.....sounds like something I'd be all about...especially the bacon part....

 

[WellSeasoned]

Its all in the name- overkill

 

[firefighterjake]

He builds a classic wheelbarrow out of a rusty hoop of metal.
He can build a stone chimney with rocks found in his driveway.
He blanches enough corn to feed a small village in Bolivia for eight months.
When he makes maple syrup the trees practically weep in delight.

Scotty Overkill . . . the world's most interesting man.