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Underdeveloped Corn- Almost like Chineese Baby Corn....


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we are surrunded by corn that has silked and is underdeveloped. I',m talking acres of loss here. I peeled one today just to taste it.. and the texture was very close to chineese baby corn. Not that much flavor - but the baby corn you buy in the store is pickled and tastes of mild corn and salt. This stuff is not goign to get any bigger, and will be a big old insurance claim for the farmers.

 

So.. anyone have any good ideas to pickle this stuff for future stir fries?

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I'm guessing you are talking about feed corn due to your reference to both acres and a farmer. First thing I would ask the farmer would be is the stuff genetically modified? Much feed corn is. Then its up to your preference as to whether you ingest GMO foods.

 

The far bigger concern is if the corn is this way as a result of drought. Corn testing in the great plains is showing extremely high levels of nitrates due to the drought, which unto itself isn't a problem, until you expose it to high cooling temps (i.e. canning and stir fries) and then the nitrates turn into nitrites. If you are at all health concious, then you want to avoid nitrites - known for causing birth defects and suspected carcinogens. Many farmers in Kansas and Oklahoma are cutting their failed corn crops for silage - the fermentation process will break down nitrites to a safe level for livestock consumption.

 

Your farmer may have had nitrate testing done and find that none of the above applies. Since it is silked it is fully developed and maybe not as sweet and tender as true baby corn (picked prior to silk appearing) but Oregon State University listed this recipe for canning:

Blanch baby corn ears for 30 - 45 seconds in boiling water or steam. Cool at room temperature. Pack into pint or half-pint jars. Add 1/2teaspoon salt per pint.Cover with mixture of 1 part water and 1 part vinegar, leaving 1/4inch headspace.Add spices, if desired. Process in simmering hot (180o - 190o F) waterbath for 15 minutes.

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Eh, this is Ohio.. it's Frankencorn. That nitrite stuff is downright scary. I never get to talk to the one farmer ( huge corp that owns a ton of fields) but the other one is a small local guy, I may see him in time to ask him.. but after reading what you have written, I am thinking no way am I going to do this.

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However having harvested my own sweet corn, which is not GMO and not fertilized with crazy stuff, and was well watered ( so, I need more fertilizer next year ) and finding a good bit of it woefully undeveloped... I'm trying it with that. I'll let you know how it comes out.

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