Drying Corn – awesome!

I love corn on the cob! I love frozen corn, cut from the cob. I wanted to have corn in my food storage. I bought dried corn. Paid well over $30 for a #10 can of dried sweet corn. I knew I couldn’t afford much. And when we opened it to try it, it was gone quickly. It was good but I knew I could never afford to store much. I tried drying my own. It was good too, not as good as the corn I bought but good still. I used it in stews and soups. I even tried grinding a little. It was even okay to eat plain but it was a lot of work. This year I discovered the art of drying frozen corn. It’s delicious. It’s reasonably priced, especially if you buy it on sale and it’s so easy. Just empty the bags of frozen corn onto your dryer trays lined with nylon netting and you are good to go. It dries relatively quick, about 3-4 hours depending on your dryer and the amount you are drying. No cutting it off the cob, no blanching, no mess, just easy and quick, it stores well, and it’s delicious. I finally feel like I can afford to have corn in my food storage. When buying frozen corn to dry, it’s good to buy on sale but it’s also important to buy corn that is sweet and tastes good. The sweetness intensifies when you dry it. It is a great snack right from the bottle in included in a salty snack mix; it’s good rehydrated and served with a butter sauce, or used in soups and stews. I love it when the things I do for my storage not only give me a feeling of accomplishment but also when they are easy and fun to do. I’m including a couple of recipes you can try.




Dried Sweet Corn with Butter Sauce
1 c. dried corn
2 c. cold water Soak 2 hours. Do not drain.
Add:
1 t. sugar
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
Cover and cook slowly until the kernels are tender (50 to 60 minutes). Taste and adjust seasonings if desired. Stir in:
1/3 c. cream
2 T. butter
Heat through. Serve in sauce dishes with sauce.

Creamed Dried Corn
If you have never had dried corn you really must give it a try. It goes back to the days when drying was used to preserve vegetables through the winter.
The dried corn has a rich, nutty flavor, very different from fresh.
2 cups dried sweet corn
3 to 4 cups boiling water
1 T. sugar
2 T. butter, or to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup milk (use evaporated for a richer flavor)
Place corn in large saucepan. Add boiling water and soak approximately 1 hour. Add sugar, butter salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer approximately 30 minutes. Add milk and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning. Reheats very well.