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Dried corn is corn with the moisture removed, resulting in small, hard kernels with a shelf life of up to a year. It can be rehydrated and used in any recipe that calls for corn. Home cooks can make dried corn by blanching fresh corn and slicing the kernels off the cob, then drying in the oven.
Dried corn is corn that has had its moisture removed over a low, slow heat. The results are small golden yellow corn kernels, very hard. This type of corn has a shelf life of up to a year, provided it is stored in a cool, dry place. It doesn’t need refrigeration to stay fresh and needs to be rehydrated for a few minutes before consuming. Cooks looking for storage methods without chemical preservatives can even make dried corn at home.
Almost any recipe that calls for corn can use dried corn. A 15-minute soak in room temperature water should be adequate to return most dried beans to their former plumpness. Drying simply removes the water from the corn, then soaking restores it. When done, cooks can drain the corn, remove any kernels that haven’t rehydrated, and proceed with the recipe as normal.
Home cooks who want to make dry corn are in luck, it’s usually a simple process with just a few steps. The first is to peel fresh corn by removing the leaves and silk threads surrounding each ear. Next, blanch the corn by steeping it in boiling water for about three minutes, then dipping it into a bowl filled with ice water. Boiling seals in the flavor and nutrients in the corn, while the ice bath prevents the corn from cooking any further.
Slicing the grains off the ear generally makes them easier to measure and rehydrate later. The cook must hold each ear vertically, usually at the thicker end, and balance it on the narrow tip. A sharp knife typically runs along the entire ear, from wide to narrow end, cutting the kernels into neat rows. Cooks must be careful not to cut into the cob itself as it is tough and chewy. Cutting horizontally, at the base of the kernels usually guides the knife along the outside of the cob.
The next step is spreading the kernels in a single layer on parchment-lined cookie sheets. An oven preheated to about 150°F (about 65°C) should dry the corn completely in 10 to 12 hours. Those unable to stay home for this amount of time can dry the corn in stages by placing it in the oven for two to four hours at a time over several days. When finished, the dried corn can be poured into airtight containers or plastic bags. Vacuum bags sometimes keep dried corn fresh for up to three years.
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