When you freeze sweet corn, plan to make corn stock too. With just a handful of leftover corn cobs from cutting kernels for freezing or canning, and a little time, you can make a flavorful homemade stock that you won’t find in stores. It’s one of the best things to prepare when corn is in season.
Corn Stock
This recipe is a frugal cook’s dream, and more importantly it adds something unique to soups and stews. Corn stock preserves the bright, sweet essence of summer corn—an aroma and flavor that’s hard to reproduce outside of corn season. If you live where winters are long, having jars or bags of corn stock is like holding onto a little bit of summer when the snow flies.
Picture a bowl of rich chowder full of corn kernels you previously cut from the cob and froze, tender potato cubes with a hint of red skin, all swimming in a fragrant broth that smells like fresh sweet corn. That comforting bowl will remind you why saving those cobs matters.
Corn stock is extremely versatile. Use it in roasted corn and potato chowder, fish chowder with dill, beef curry stew, mushroom stew, risotto, or any hearty soup. Once you start keeping corn stock on hand, you’ll reach for it more often than you expect.
Corn Broth
I take satisfaction in using food with minimal waste, and corn broth is a standout in the “no food waste” category. Even if you scrape cobs well to get every kernel for a recipe, cobs still hold a surprising amount of corn flavor. Because sweet corn season is short, extracting that remaining flavor and preserving it lets you enjoy summer tastes year-round.
Making corn stock is simple and transformative. Put the cobs in a large pot with aromatics and water, simmer for an hour or more, then strain. The result is a clear, sweet-scented corn broth that enhances soups, stews, and other dishes without overpowering them.
Corn Cob Broth
After making corn cob stock, you have storage options. If you make a large batch, freeze it in meal-sized portions or pressure-can it for long-term pantry storage. Both methods keep the sweet corn flavor available beyond the harvest season—choose the preservation method that fits your kitchen and lifestyle.
Corn Stock
Rebecca Lindamood
Equipment
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1 stock pot
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1 pressure canner (optional)
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Canning jars with new two-piece lids (optional)
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Freezer bags (optional)
Ingredients
For the Corn Stock:
- 2 dozen corn cobs with the kernels removed
- 2 onions halved, skins removed
- 1 handful parsley stems
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme or 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
- 2 gallons fresh cold water
Optional but tasty
- 2 carrots scrubbed, trimmed, broken into pieces
- 2 stalks celery scrubbed and broken into pieces
Instructions
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Place the corn cobs and the remaining stock ingredients into a large stockpot or electric countertop roaster. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 1 1/2 to 3 hours, depending on how concentrated you want the stock. Remove the cobs with tongs (they can be discarded or composted once cooled). Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher or deep pot. Use the stock immediately or proceed to preserve it.
To Can the Corn Stock
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Pressure-can the hot stock in quart jars, leaving 1 inch of headspace. Process at 15 pounds pressure for 35 minutes (adjust pressure for your altitude if needed). Properly sealed jars will keep on the shelf for up to two years.
To Freeze the Corn Stock
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Cool the stock, then portion it into zipper-top freezer bags for single-use servings and freeze for up to six months. Avoid freezing in full glass jars, as they can break when the liquid expands—if you must use jars, leave plenty of headspace and consider smaller containers.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Calculate nutrition using your actual ingredients if needed.
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Originally published September 10, 2012. Republished August 2025 with improved instructions and information.