ottawa foodies

OK, I know to just cut it with a knife. But that's so messy and hacks all the kernels to pieces. OBviously since you can buy whole kernel corn, someone out there knows how to get the kernels off in tact.

Any ideas if this can be done at home, and if so, how?

I've always done the following:

Grab a fairly wide, round dish (at least a few inches deep) and stand up a corn cob (cooked or otherwise) on it's end. You can cut the very end of the cob off to ensure that it stands up easily.

Then take a grapefruit knife and work from top to bottom slicing off the kernels. This type of knife works really well, as it's thin and the curved blade catches an extra row or two of kernels with each swipe as opposed to a flat blade. I've also heard of people using a mandolin, but haven't tried it myself.

^ where do i put the corn?

Monty - you put the corn in the hole... har-dee-har-har.

*ahem* Mandoline

:o

Zym - you can buy an instrument called a corn cutter (corn kutter), which basically operates on the same principle as a mandoline, but it's curved to help get a nice close cut along the curvature of the cob of corn (say that 5 ten times quickly).

Chimi - ROTFLMFAO!!!

I saw Rachel Ray do a neat trick.

Take a big pasta server dish (the wide low style that usually comes with four bowls) and stand a cereal bowl upside down in the centre. Use the base of the cereal bowl to stand the cob on and slice carefully with knife. Through the magic of television all the kernels stayed in the bowl.

I've heard of people using a bundt pan, and standing the whole cob up in the middle (in the hole...har har..) to cut off the kernels. My parents got me a corn kutter a few years ago, and it works reasonable well.

Thanks for all the tips folks, but none of them address my original question of getting the kernels off whole, in tact. Like when you buy a can of whole kernels. I'm doing fine cutting the kernels off with the method I used. Just curious if there is a reasonable way at home to get them off whole.

This will do the job cleanly...
www.kuhnrikon.com

It can be ordered through Amazon but C.A. Paradis may have them (they carry Kuhn Rikon) or another kitchen supply store.

Concerning the Kuhnrikon product.

Looks like a mixed bag of reviews over on Amazon.com.

www.amazon.com

Of 24 reviews 15 were favorable and 9 would rather use a knife.

Zym - On the rare occasion when I've wanted my corn off the cob, I've used a knife. I do somewhere in my "gadget life" recall seeing a knife that was curved and was supposed to do a better job. Out of curiosity, I did a little googling, and came up with more info on those corn type mandolines. The WebSite says you can adjust it so it will take off the entire kernel.

www.leemfgco.com/corn.asp

Hey F&T .... When I took a peek at the corn stripper you found on google I nearly fell off my chair when I saw their "E-Z (Corn) Creamer" (see pic).

You use your power drill to turn a corn cob into a PVC pipe thingy.

"...let's do the HOKEY-pokey ..."

Captain C - I agree that contraption was beyond belief... but then again we are talking about a deep south invention. The whole concept is well lets just say more than a little HOKEY... like you I got the double entendre. LOL

The mandoline thingy on that same page, was what I was pointing out to Zym and it looks a lot more professional (and hence marketable).

You can order the corn zipper from Ashton Green as well. $16.95 plus s&h
www.ashtongreen.com

Hey F&T : I wasn't trying for a double entendre .... but now that you mention it.

If I keep it up and I'll probably win a corney trophy.

If you're even a bit handy/dextrous, the Kuhn Rikon Zipper works very well. Negative reviews would be from those that might say something like..."People have recommended I use a hammer for nails but I just keep denting my freakin' wall up. Hammers suck." :)

LOL! This forum topic deserves a gold medal on several fronts:

* Most belly laughs per post
* Most double entendres
* Most... uh... corny

Somewhat distressingly, Captain Caper's picture of the Kuhn-Rikon product reminded me of a frightening device that my Mom used to have for cutting foot callouses (see photo). In addition to callouses it can be used for removing (you guessed it) corns.

On a more serious note, and as a vote of confidence for Kuhn-Rikon, I own a pressure cooker from them that is absolutely top notch even if it was a tad pricey. If they make a corn dekerneler, I'd expect it to work at least halfway decently.

OXO Corn Stripper

www.williams-sonoma.com

New gadget from Lee Valley

www.leevalley.com,40733,40734

Get the kernels off easily

Can anyone vouch for the J.B. Lee's Corn Cutter and Creamer that Zym pointed out.

Sold at Lee Valley for $11.50.

This old thread still makes for a fun read!

I put up some of my corn yesterday - first bag pictured. I got 12 bags, most about 2 cups, from 28 cobs. I'll be doing a couple more sessions to have enough corn for the year. This was the first year that I didn't bag enough so I'm looking to do maybe 60 or more bags (more than we need but our dd & and her dh are moving back to Ottawa and I know they will appreciate some for their freezer).

I remember first having home-frozen corn soon after meeting my dw, at her grandma's where there was always a bowl of it at dinner - It is sooo much better than frozen or canned Green Giant or any other maker I've eaten. We've been freezing it ever since we had a garden, some years more than 250 cobs stripped of their kernels.

We've always used a knife or cleaver and I have a routine down where I blanch 3 cobs in boiling water for 3 minutes, remove (and add 3 fresh cobs to the water), drop them in a jug of cold water for a couple minutes (while I slice off 3 previous cobs) then remove them to drain in the dishrack before slicing off the kernels into the large jellyroll pan. I highly recommend freezing corn when you find someone with good corn at a good price - try a dozen or 2 and see how it works for you. Btw I save milk bags to freeze corn (peas, tomatillos, etc.). The frozen corn can be nuked to thaw a bit then added to chili, soups, casseroles, etc. or brought to a boil in some water for a minute, or cooked in some hot melted butter only for a real treat.

On the weekend there was a story on corn cutters that rated their abilities to strip corn from a cob (see www.ottawacitizen.com). Only 1 of the 4 tested proved to be a stud-o-matic, the Kuhn Rikon Corn Zipper; the rest were less than the best or big duds, including J. B. Lee's Corn Cutter and Creamer - a big dud apparently, Captain Caper. Might have to look for one myself, though I don't have much issue using a good sharp knife (mind you, an extremely sharp knife too easily removes cob along with the corn, and cob-in-your-corn just has the wrong texture).

I went to a couple of places looking for the Kuhn Rikon corn zipper. CA Paradis does not carry it nor does Canadian Tire and Home Hardware. If someone finds one, can they please post where they fou d it? Oh, Grace in the Kitchen doesn't have it either.

www.tweedandhickory.com

KANATA
Tweed & Hickory: store #01
Ladies' Wear - Men's Wear - Kitchen Home

499 Terry Fox Drive, Kanata, Ontario K2T 1H7
Tel: (613) 271-7052
Fax: (613) 271-9807

NEPEAN
Tweed & Hickory: store #07
Ladies' Wear - Men's Wear - Kitchen Home

3161 Greenbank Road, Nepean, Ontario K2J 4H9
Tel: (613) 823-6415
Fax: (613) 825-3972

Andy, a question: why do you blanch the cobs before removing the kernels and freezing? Is this step necessary or have you simply found it preserves the corn better?

Hi Johanna. Good question - one I am not entirely sure the reason I have is valid or not. Blanching is supposed to preserve vitamins and possibly other nutrients, making the corn keep nutrition levels higher for the duration of storage. The real reason I blanch is because that's what my dw did, and her mother before her, and her mother before her...can they all be wrong???
Oddly, I never blanch my peas- they get shelled immediately after picking and go quickly to the freezer. We just finished what I think is the last picking today (I did, however, optimistically plant more peas yesterday, hoping for a good stretch of frost-free weather into September.)
I have never not blanched corn so I can't answer your questions fully - sorry.

Andy's right (mais bien sûr) and doing the correct steps for corn i.e. blanching then plunging in ice cold water.

"Blanching stops the action of enzymes. These naturally occur in vegetables helping them grow and ripen. The enzymes continue to act after harvest and will cause colour, flavour, texture, and nutrient losses. Freezing slows down the action of enyzmes, but does not stop them."

Blanching also wilts or softens vegetables and makes them easier to pack/freeze/store. There are a few exceptions, ex. onions, but most vegetables should be blanched before freezing for the best future result.

From here (with link to blanching times and steps):
letspreserve.blogspot.ca

uhm, I have frozen sweet red peppers strips without blanching for use in pasta and pizza during the winter. But I am suppose to blanch them for 2-3 mins?

Peppers are one of the exceptions and in the link I posted above. It is okay to freeze onions, sweet and hot peppers, and raw tomatoes without blanching.