How to Dehydrate Corn: Extended, Step-By-Step Directions
First thing to do is blanch your corn for 3-5 minutes. We used our volcano grill out in the car port for this step.
Then you will need to cut the corn off the cob. An easy way to do this is to hold the cob on end and slice down each side cutting the corn kernels off. Don’t cut too deep or you’ll get tough bits of cob.
Spread it out on a dehydrator tray. Make a single layer, breaking up any large pieces where the kernels stuck together.
Dry at 120 degrees until crispy. The moisture level needs to be very very low. Mostly crunchy is not good enough. It should be hard dry. This can take anywhere from 12 up to 14 hours.
The last step is to remove your corn from the trays and store in an airtight container…of course, I use canning jars.
Yep, I’m thinking I’ll be dehydrating corn…at least some of it each year.
Recipe Card
Dehydrating Corn
Ingredients
- Sweet corn
- Water
Equipment
- Dehydrator
- Large pot and basket or blancher
- Sharp knife or corn stripper
- Airtight container
Instructions
- Blanch corn for 3-5 minutes.
- Cut corn off of the cob.
- Spread kernels in a single layer on a dehydrator tray, breaking up any large pieces.
- Dry at 120 degrees F until crispy (12-14 hours).
- Store in an airtight container.
Processing
Last Updated: 6/9/2021
Dehydrating Corn Tips & FAQs
Stripping Corn Off the Cob
So my husband and I have an ingenious way to strip corn off the cob. There are multiple was to do it… this turned out to be our favorite. Quick and easy if you’ve got lots of corn! We posted this video 10 years ago! (as of 2022) It is one of our most popular videos. Check it out Cutting the Corn Off the Cob on our channel. Subscribe while you are there. 😁
How Long Does Dehydrated Corn Last?
Corn can be saved for about 5 or 6 years. This will depend a lot on how it is stored. What are the conditions, is the package air tight? Keeping as much air out of your package is important and don’t store your corn where it is hot or in direct sunlight.
Can You Dehydrate Corn Too Much?
No, I don’t think you can dehydrate corn too much. The dryer the better. It needs to be crispy not chewy. You could possibly over cook the corn as you dry it. Keep the dehydrator on the correct temperature and have patience. You don’t want to cook the corn, you just want to dry it.
How Do You Cook/Use Dried Sweet Corn?
Dehydrated corn can be rehydrated and just eaten as is. Add some butter and salt and serve.
To rehydrate your corn you can simply soak it in hot water for 30 minutes to an hour. If you think of it ahead of time you can also just add cold water and soak the corn in the refrigerator overnight. The hot water will rehydrate faster than cold.
My favorite way to rehydrate corn is to add it to soups and allow it to rehydrate right in the recipe. I do this with carrots as well. Or rehydrate it and use in a casserole or on a salad.
Can You Eat Dried Corn?
So this question I’m assuming means can you eat it in the dried state. Not rehydrating and using it. And…. I suppose you could suck on it and it would probably taste fine. But careful you don’t try to crunch it up. It is not really meant to eat dried.
If you want to snack and you’ve never had freeze dried sweet corn, you might want to try that. WE LOVE freeze dried sweet corn as a snack. It is a light crunchy texture. Like chips… sort of. But dehydrated foods will have a hard un-chewable texture.
What Does Dehydrated Corn Taste Like?
The texture of the rehydrated corn will not be QUITE like fresh. But it is really really close. It will still have that golden color, the nutrients are retained and the flavor is the same. You know how fresh corn will pop in your mouth? a bit of crunch. Rehydrated will be just a bit chewier. Not bad… just different.
Related Pages
Canning Corn
Canning corn at home is a good alternative to freezing it all. Save some freezer space and create convenience for easy meals and side dishes. All you need to know!
How to Freeze Corn: Step-By-Step Guide for Freezing On or Off the Cob
How to freeze corn, on or off the cob. It is an easy and nice alternative for preserving your harvest or farmer’s market haul. Learn more at SimplyCanning.com.
Corn Relish Recipe
Corn relish recipes are simple and straightforward, which is one of the reasons it is so good! Learn how to make and preserve your own pickled corn with SimplyCanning.com.
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Page last updated: 6/9/2021
I want to try drying corn! I had some in a salad kit that my daughter bought and I loved it. I dried, summer squash, zucchini, string beans and tomatoes this last year. I like the squash and zucchini plain for a snack, but sadly it is all gone now. It is so easy to add a handful or two of dried string beans to soups and stews. With freezer space limited it was nice to store the beans in the cupboard in about 1/4 the space these would have taken in the freezer!
This is fantastic! Thanks for posting 🙂 So when drying out do you put it in an oven? Or it this the old UK – US temperature difference, where here it’s at best 75 fahrenheit on summer days.
Hi there,
Thanks for your question! The corn is dried in a dehydrator (https://www.simplycanning.com/category/dehydrating/), at the temp setting of 120 degree F. For you, I think that would be about 48 degrees C. 🙂
-Rachel (Sharon’s assistant)