I don't like leaving it on the cobs as it just takes up too much room in the freezer. Those very small section cuts of frozen ears are actually steam blanched under pressure for about a minute or two before flash freezing. Additionally, many produce stores that sell fresh corn on the cob are now 'cheating', because the farmers are now growing 'sugar enhanced' and 'shrunken gene' varieties. These offer longer shelf life of up to 14 days before cooking. Its because they have created super sweet corn kernals that will not lose all its sugar back into the cobs after a long sitting time. These hybrid types are what make them taste sweeter. I tried growing Sh2 and Sh and SE hybrid types and was not impressed. Picked fresh and cooked, they were WAY TOO SWEET and lacked any decent 'corn' flavor. If I wanted them to be dipped in a lot of sugar before eating, maybe. Since then, I stick with yellow, non hybrids. Steam blanch only about 3 minutes, then use a kernal cutter to slice off a few rows at a time. I still get nice a tasting corn even after a nearly a year in the freezer. Also, I like my corn a bit more mature than when you bite into an ear and it squirts everywhere. The bicolor types are designed to give sweet juice from the white kernals and flavor from the yellow kernals.

Gonzoe, I am so glad you liked the chowder! It is a great recipe . I had 2nds too ! As to the salad, I never have much luck with pasta salad until this one. I made a dressing that was really good...mine usually don't come out well but this one did so I will tell you what I did. I put about 1/2c red wine vinegar and a heaping Tbs Dijon mustard in the blender. I added a good pinch of salt and sugar and mixed that. I then added about 3/4c EVOO and buzzed again. I put a few splashes of Balsamic vinegar and also lemon juice to taste. For herbs I use Mrs dash Garlic mix sprinkled in. It was so good that I am not going to buy dressing anymore in the store. I just made it after reading several internet recipes. What about your salad was not good ? I bet we can fix it :) c

I live in Oklahoma where it is difficult if not impossible to have some corn ear worms when it comes time to harvest. I fight them organically, but have some anyway. At harvest I take a sharp knife to the garden and cut off both ends of the corn pull off the shucks and as much of the silk that comes off readily. Once I get about a half bushel I take the corn to my wife in the house and she completes the cleaning process and parboils the ears for about 3 minutes and then cools in cold water. Parboiling stops the process of sugar being converted to starch. Once cooled we vacuum pack and put in the freezer. When ready to use just punch a hole in the vacuum bag and microwave for about 3 minutes. I have a friend that said he would never eat frozen corn because it is tasteless. We served him some of our corn once when they were out and he wanted to know where I had gotten fresh sweet corn in the middle of winter. I just said the market and let it go. Some people you can't tell them anything so it is best to just let it go. Once all the corn is harvested and the shucks are equally dispersed through the corn growing area if you rototiller the stalks while they are still green they turn under very nicely. Green stalks will break up whereas dried stalks have a tendency to just wind up around your tiller blades. In Oklahoma you can go back and plant green beans where the corn was for a bumper crop of green beans well before the first frost.

The cooler idea is not a good one. Whether or not it will leach the chemicals is debatable ( but entirely feasible) - but you will certainly ruin a good cooler. It warps the insides. Do you have access to a large propane turkey fryer? You can use the large kettle and boil water and do the corn that way outdoors. Safety first though - have it somewhere there is NO traffic. You wouldn't want someone knocking it over. I think I would just shuck and clean the corn and put it in the roaster with some water and cook/steam it that way. You don't have to cook sweet corn for a very long time. Have a large pitcher of melted butter to dunk the ears in as they come out of the roaster!