Quick Answer: How to Dry Corn at Home?
One of the easiest methods to dry corn at home is by air-drying technique. If that is not possible, using a food dehydrator or an oven can be used for excellent results. Using an air fryer is also a great way to dehydrate corn.
Corn is not only grain but is considered a fruit and a vegetable as well. Different parts of the corn fall into different categories.
The silk and the husk make it a vegetable and corn in itself is a fruit as well since it comes from seeds.
There are various benefits provided to those who eat corn including protein, fiber, and many other nutrients.
Corn can be dried if you wish to store it for longer durations.
In case you’re wondering how to dry corn, there’s no need to worry since we’ve got you covered.
Through hours of study and research, we’ve come up with four simple and easy ways to dry corn at home.
How to Dry Corn at Home Using Air-drying ?
Air-drying is commonly known as bunch hanging. It is a natural process that doesn’t require artificial heat to dry the corn and its husks too. This method also reduces the risk of damaging the kernels in any way.
Materials
- Drying racks
- Rubber bands
Tools
- No Special Tools needed
Instructions
- Pick the corn - Gently and slowly pick the corn. Pull the husk downwards to expose the corn.
Don’t completely pull the husk out as you will need it for the method to complete. - Arrange the corn - One way to air dry corn is to place it on a drying rack. Ensure some distance remains between each corn stick for proper air circulation.
- Tie the corn - An alternative to using drying racks is to use the husks to hang the corn sticks upside down.
For the second option, you will need to grab the ends of the husks and tie them together in small bunches.
You can use rubber bands to firmly tie the stalks together.
Ensure you leave as much of the husk and corn exposed as possible.
Using rubber bands is the best alternative because you could simply tie another knot when they get loose. - Hang the corn - Tie the other end of the rubber to anything that can hold the corn in a place away from direct sunlight.
Make sure the corn is facing downwards so all the flavor gathers at the kernels instead of the husks while drying. - Dry the corn - If you choose to use drying racks, place the racks under direct sunlight and let the corn air dry for 2 to 4 weeks.
If you are using the hanging method, hang the corn away from sunlight and let them dry for the same amount of time.
Corn Using a Dehydrator
Time Taken: 8-12 hours
Optimum temperature – 125 degrees Fahrenheit
What You Need:
- Bundt pan
- Sharp knife
- A large pot
- Dehydrator trays
Using a dehydrator is a great way to get perfectly dry corn. All it takes is a couple of hours before you get evenly dried corn.
However, you will have to keep an eye out to prevent the corn from getting burnt or overdried.
Husk the Corn
Grab the corn that is still covered in its husk and remove its coverings.
It’s preferable to perform this step outdoors to prevent the area from getting dirty.
You may need to use some force to properly remove all the husks covering the corn.
Blanch the Corn
Place all your corn in a large pot filled with boiling water. Let the corn sit in the boiling water for approximately 4 minutes.
Place the hot corn directly into a bowl full of ice to immediately cool it down.
The blanching process kills all enzymes that help turn the corn starchy. So, refrain from adding any salt or other seasonings to the water when blanching.
Cut the Corn
Place the end of the cob on a bundt pan and use a sharp knife to separate the corn grains from the cob.
The bundt pan makes sure the corn is properly cut by holding it vertically firm during the process.
Arrange the Kernels
Evenly spread all kernels on dehydrator trays. Ensure some space remains between all kernels for proper air circulation.
Dry the Corn
Dehydrate the corn anywhere between 8 to 12 hours. Constantly keep an eye on the dehydrator so your corn doesn’t get burnt or overdried.
Perfectly dried corn should be hard enough to break when hit by a hammer.
Dry Corn Using an Air Fryer
Time Taken: 25 minutes
Optimum temperature – 400 degrees Fahrenheit
What You Need:
- Bundt pan
- A large pot
- A large bowl
- Paper towels
- Baking sheet
- Olive oil and salt
The air fryer method is one of the fastest ways to dry corn.
The method is quite simple and only takes 25 minutes. You get perfectly dried corn in the comfort of your home but you can only dry the kernels in small batches.
Preheat the Air Fryer
Set your air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Husk the Corn
Take your corn that is still wrapped in husks and remove its coverings. It’s suitable for this step to be performed outdoors.
Blanch the Corn
Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil.
Place the corn in the bowl and let the corn sit for around 4 minutes. Place the hot corn into a bowl full of ice to immediately cool it down.
Refrain from adding any salt or other seasonings to the water when blanching.
Cut the Corn
Place the end of the cob on a bundt pan and use a sharp knife to cut the corn.
Dry the Corn
Place all kernels in a single layer on a baking sheet and pat them dry using paper towels. Let the kernels air dry for 20 minutes.
Arrange the Corn
Move the kernels into a large bowl and coat them with oil and salt.
Air Fry the Corn
Place the kernels in the air fryer basket and let it dry for 10 minutes. Shake the basket and let the kernels dry for another 10 minutes.
Repeat the process one last time and let them dry for 5 minutes. Dried corn should be hard enough to break when hit by a hammer.
Dry Corn Using an Oven
Time Taken: 8 to 10 hours
Optimum temperature – 175 degrees Fahrenheit
What You Need:
- Bundt pan
- Sharp knife
- A large pot
- Oven trays
Use an oven to get perfectly dried corn within hours from the comfort of your home.
However, keep a constant watch on the oven to ensure the corn doesn’t get burnt or overdried.
Husk the Corn
Grab the corn and remove its coverings. It’s preferable to perform this step outdoors so your kitchen doesn’t get dirty or messy.
You may need to use some force to properly remove all the husks covering the corn.
Blanch the Corn
Fill a large pot with water and place your corn in the large pot once bubbles start appearing in the water. Let the corn sit in the boiling water for 4 minutes.
Place in a bowl with ice to immediately cool it down.
The blanching process kills all enzymes that turn the corn starchy.
So, refrain from adding any salt or other seasonings to the water when blanching.
Arrange the Corn
Place the corn ears on oven trays at a distance. The distance ensures the corn gets properly dried within the required time.
Dry the Corn
Let the ears dry at 175 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 to 12 hours. Halfway through the process, flip the ears over to let the other side dry as well.
Drying the corn at a low temperature allows the core to be dried as well. So, don’t increase the temperature of the oven during the drying process.
Although the oven will dry the ears, you will still need to let the corn air dry for 3 to 5 days to prevent spoilage when you store the corn later on.
The Right Type of Corn for Drying
Knowing the correct and proper corn to dry helps you get perfectly dried corn kernels.
Proper and fresh corn is harvested around 20 days after the silk starts to appear.
The stalk is perfect for harvest when the silk turns brown; however, the husks are supposed to remain green.
If the husks start turning brown, that means the corn has started to spoil after being left in the soil for a long time.
Every stalk is supposed to at least have one ear at the top. If grown in proper conditions, a second ear appears at the bottom of the stalk.
The ear at the bottom grows slower than the one on top.
The Proper Way to Store Dried Corn
Let your dried corn properly cool before you proceed with storing them. Place all dried kernels in a large plastic bag and loosely secure it.
You can also use glass containers, but make sure they are ⅔ full otherwise the kernels might get moist.
Store the plastic bags and glass containers in a dry, and well-ventilated place for future use.
Refrain from keeping the containers in the refrigerator because that will lead to moisture increasing in the containers.
Our Take on Which Method is The Best
If you are looking for a natural drying method, then the air-drying one is the most suitable.
People refer to using a dehydrator because it is the most trusted one and the results provided are always satisfactory.
You can use the oven method if you are looking for a quick way to dry your corn at home.
The oven provides even dehydration if proper air circulation is provided.
You can use an air fryer if you are looking to dry corn quickly and in small quantities.
FAQs
Yes, you can if the temperature on and around the shelves is suitable. It needs to be a dry, and well-ventilated place, otherwise, your dried kernels may start getting spoilt before you know it.
You can increase the temperature to speed up the drying process; however, the corn may end up getting cooked rather than dried.
Therefore, try sticking to the temperatures advised rather than increasing it by yourself.
Yes, you may use parchment paper as well as cooking sheets if you want. As long as the parchment paper is thin enough to let the corn dry and thick enough to prevent the corn from sticking to it.
Bottom line
We’ve gone through four simple and easy ways to dry corn for various situations.
Hopefully, this guide has aided in your understanding of how to dry grains like corn at home.
If that is the case, kindly share it with your friends and family.
Also, feel free to leave us any questions in the comments section below!