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Home » pickles » Sour Corn

Sour Corn

By Hank Shaw on September 9, 2019, Updated January 22, 2021 - 32 Comments

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4.72 from 7 votes
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Southern sour corn in a spoon
Photo by Hank Shaw

Anyone who knows me knows that I am always looking for some new thing to ferment, preserve or pickle. So when I learned about Southern sour corn, I had to make it.

I wish I had some great story to tell about how I first ate this lacto-fermented sweet corn in some West Virginia diner, maybe on top of some chicken fried steak with some crowder peas. Actually, that sounds amazing and I’ll have to make it.

But no, I learned about this Appalachian specialty in Ronni Lundy’s fantastic cookbook Victuals: An Appalachian Journey, with Recipes. I’ve been cooking a lot from this book lately, and I simply cannot overstate how wonderful a book it is. If you like real Southern food, you need to buy this book.

Sour corn is to corn what sauerkraut is to cabbage. Same deal. Stupid easy to make. Corn, water, salt, and maybe something extra to make it yours. In my case, thinly sliced green cayenne chiles.

A few things you need to know.

  • Use Diamond Crystal kosher salt if you want to use my volumetric measurements; other salts will give you a different brine strength. Or you can weigh the amount of corn + water in grams and then add out 2 percent of that weight to the water to make a brine.
  • Keep the corn below the level of the water. Floaters will mold up fast. You can use a clean plastic bag will with more brine to do this, or use a pickling plate if you have a crock, or a small regular plate if you have one that works.
  • Mold happens. When you see it, skim it off. Usually you’ll get a ropey, icky white mold, mother-of-vinegarish thing. It’s not harmful, but you want to skim it off as the mold can get into your brine and alter the flavor a bit. It’s still fine.
  • Keep it simple. Add one or two other things to your sour corn, but remember this is a base condiment, not a finished relish. Of course, you can ferment a full relish if you want, but that’s a different recipe.

How to use your sour corn? Hell, it’s great as a snack. But I like it as a sort of Southern salsa, alongside the aforementioned chicken fried steak, or any other quickly cooked meat; as a side dish to my buttermilk fried quail springs to mind.

I know other people cross cultures and literally use sour corn as a salsa on tacos, which is also excellent. When you come up with a cool way to use it, do me a favor and post it up in the comments section below. Enjoy!

Southern sour corn in a spoon
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4.72 from 7 votes

Sour Corn

This is a recipe for sour corn, a lacto-fermented pickled corn from the South. It's like sauerkraut, only with sweet corn. Once made, it will keep in a cool place for months and months. Just skim any mold off the top as it forms. This recipe makes about 2 quarts.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time0 mins
Course: Condiment
Cuisine: American
Servings: 16
Calories: 10kcal
Author: Hank Shaw

Ingredients

  • 2 dozen ears sweet corn, kernels removed
  • 1 to 5 green cayenne or other hot chiles, sliced very thin (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons pickling spice (mustard, coriander, black pepper, etc.) (optional)
  • 5 tablespoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 2 quarts water

Instructions

  • Put the corn and chiles in clean quart Mason jars or crocks, or some other non-reactive container, which means no galvanized steel or aluminum. Make sure there is sufficient headspace to keep the corn below the level of the brine. 
  • Mix the salt and spices, if using, with the water and stir until the salt dissolves. Pour over the brine and any spices you might be using. Place something to keep the corn from floating. I use a plastic bag filled with some more brine. 
  • Put the whole shebang in a cool place, like a basement, or a quiet, dark corner -- any place below 75F or so. Let this ferment for at least 5 days, and up to 2 weeks. Taste the corn after 5 days and let it get as sour as you want it. 
  • When it's ready, move the jars to a cooler place to store for as long as you need. It'll keep for months in the fridge, although you will need to skim the mold that will form on top.  

Nutrition

Calories: 10kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 17mg | Potassium: 30mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 21IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg
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Filed Under: American Recipes, Featured, pickles, Recipe

Avatar for Hank Shaw

Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet's largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

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Comments

  1. Avatar for JaniceJanice says

    March 7, 2022 at 11:09 am

    I would like to know if it’s ok to can my pickled corn after fermentation and if so where I might find instructions??

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      March 7, 2022 at 1:23 pm

      Janice: I have no idea, sorry. That said, I have kept it in the fridge for 6 months with no problem.

      Reply
  2. Avatar for MarilynMarilyn says

    September 17, 2021 at 1:23 pm

    I have made pickle corn for as long as I can remember, as a child with my mother and as an adult. Never had a problem until last year and my corn has not pickled it’s salty but not sour at all. I made it with Salt and water just like my mom did. Salt with No iodine

    Reply
  3. Avatar for sue mixionsue mixion says

    July 4, 2021 at 12:39 pm

    I am in the process of pickling corn on the cob in a crock
    and it taste great to me( a little salty but still good) I am wondering if I can put it in jars with the brine and store it in fridge for how long and still be good??also can I just add some water and half brine and maybe it want be so salty just more sour ??

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      July 4, 2021 at 1:18 pm

      Sue: I’ve never tried this with corn still on the cob. It is supposed to be both sour and salty. You need the salt to prevent growth of unwanted bacteria. The sour, lactic acid building bacteria don’t mind salt at the level in the recipe. Once it is sour enough for you, yes, you can keep it in the fridge for many months.

      Reply
  4. Avatar for Patricia R.Patricia R. says

    June 28, 2021 at 12:35 pm

    I love sour corn. The way we ate it growing up was fried in bacon grease till a little browned and then on the dinner plate as a side to many meals. So yummy. Even sweet corn is really good browned in a little bacon grease but sour corn is better.

    Reply
  5. Avatar for Hazel RoseHazel Rose says

    August 15, 2020 at 8:30 am

    Hi, I made my corn. I checked it today after 7 days , my brine is really thick. There is no mold and some brine worked out. Should I add more brine to thin out what is in the jars?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      August 15, 2020 at 8:50 am

      Hazel: I would. Helps preserve it, too

      Reply
  6. Avatar for Linda BargerLinda Barger says

    July 15, 2020 at 5:40 pm

    I grew up with my mother and grandmother making pickle corn, I have made it for years and it turned out good. The last couple of years I have tried to make it from fresh corn on cob from the grocery store instead of fresh from a local garden. It does not make pickle corn at all, does anyone know why, I thought maybe because the corn and been picked for a while and kept on cold storage or possible some chemical they put on it. any ideals would help.

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      July 16, 2020 at 7:21 am

      Linda: I don’t know why either, but I find it works well with farmer’s market corn.

      Reply
    • Avatar for LoganLogan says

      July 20, 2020 at 10:53 am

      Probably too gmo for the bacteria to eat

      Reply
    • Avatar for EmilyEmily says

      December 3, 2020 at 7:25 am

      Some vegetables in the grocery store have been irradiated to kill off any bad (or good, in the case of lacto fermentation)bacteria that might be on produce. I grew up in Kentucky eating Pickled Corn and it’s by far my favorite food! I now live in Florida and was pretty desperate for pickled corn when pregnant with my son, my Uncle actually shipped me some of his 🙂 I’ve had problems with Supermarket corn also but have found if I add a little whey from Yogurt it will get the process started. Hope this helps!

      Reply
  7. Avatar for Jim GreenwaleJim Greenwale says

    April 26, 2020 at 6:25 pm

    My dad used to make pickled corn and would fry it in bacon grease as a side dish.

    Reply
    • Avatar for KevinKevin says

      August 22, 2020 at 5:18 pm

      That’s how I like it. The bacon grease gives it a wonderful flavor. I love it with soup beans fried potatoes and cornbread .

      Reply
  8. Avatar for Dick NorrisDick Norris says

    January 4, 2020 at 7:02 am

    A nice bit of info would be how many cups/gr/oz of corn not how many ears. I am in Ecuador so the size of an ear of corn differs. Thanks much

    Reply
    • Avatar for MatMat says

      September 5, 2021 at 8:42 am

      I know you commented a long time ago. The main thing is weight of the total fermentation. E.g. if you fill a 1l container with veggies and water, you want 2% to 3% of that total weight in salt. So, assuming it all weighs about the same as water, you’d add 20g to 30g of non-iodized salt.

      When fermenting in warmer temperatures you add more salt, because the salt slows the growth a bit. So, if it’s a constant cool 15c you can do 2%. If it’s a constant warm 25c you want higher. Each location is a bit different and you have to experiment a bit to get the hang of what works – what effects you get at different temperatures, what kinds of micro-organisms are in your spot, etc.

      Reply
  9. Avatar for WeishaWeisha says

    November 7, 2019 at 4:39 pm

    Hi Hank! I just bought 2 lb of frozen corn to start my first sour corn, then realized that the corn had probably been blanched before freezing. It’s way past the fresh corn availability so I’m hoping the frozen (thawed) will still work, even with the blanching. Any thoughts or experience?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      November 8, 2019 at 8:13 am

      Weisha: No experience with it, so I am not sure if it will work, but it is an inexpensive experiment. Let me know if it works!

      Reply
  10. Avatar for Greg PietrowskiGreg Pietrowski says

    October 4, 2019 at 4:08 am

    Made this a few weeks ago and not sure what to do now. Unfortunately I forgot about it and did nothing for 2 weeks. Finally remembered and when I brought it upstairs, there was a little mold, no slime, BUT I saw some small very little white looking worms on the outside rim of my jar.
    Are these maggots, and is the corn still good…Tasted OK to me, but this was my 1st time.

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      October 4, 2019 at 7:53 am

      Greg: Worms?!!? Da hell? That can’t be good. I have never heard of that happening.

      Reply
  11. Avatar for Howard YeagerHoward Yeager says

    September 15, 2019 at 5:51 pm

    Two quarts of Appalachian Sour Corn made with just a traditional sweet corn, sal, and ground white pepper. The other 2 1/2 quarts were made using one of the new, Super Sweet, corn varieties with pickling spices and ginger. I don’t particularly care for the Super Sweets (no real corn flavor), but I thought it might really shine as a pickle. We shall see!! Bubble, bubble!!

    Reply
  12. Avatar for SarahSarah says

    September 14, 2019 at 5:28 pm

    I generally like to blanch my corn before I pull it off the cob…especially at the end of season when corn worms are more prevalent. Think it will hurt the final product?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      September 20, 2019 at 9:36 am

      Sarah: It might, because you are looking for the beneficial yeasts on the corn itself, but I am not 100% sure that blanching will hurt the process. Only one way to find out!

      Reply
      • Avatar for DavidDavid says

        June 8, 2020 at 6:56 pm

        Blanching will just break down the starch and cell walls a bit which is perfectly fine – I Blanche mine for about 30 seconds – makes it easier to remove from the cob as well

        Importantly need to cool it down after blanching – do this by putting in fridge not ice bath or cold water (I don’t know the science behind it but I’ve found shocking the corn it loses some of its sweetness so you want it to slowly cool).

  13. Avatar for Juli LederhausJuli Lederhaus says

    September 9, 2019 at 2:17 pm

    Have you tried dehydrating it after you pickle it? Wondering how that would be added to a loaf of sourdough bread. . . think I’m going to give that a whirl. Pardon the pun.

    Reply
  14. Avatar for PatPat says

    September 9, 2019 at 12:02 pm

    We called this pickled corn when I was growing up and it is delicious fried in bacon grease until browned around the edges.

    Reply
  15. Avatar for Jack KirchhoffJack Kirchhoff says

    September 9, 2019 at 10:13 am

    The recipe I’ve been using is just salt and water, though it does say (more or less) anything goes. I’ll try the cayenne in my next batch. I may try the pickling spices as well, though I’ve kind of gone off them lately. Thanks for this, in any case.

    Reply
  16. Avatar for MaryMary says

    September 9, 2019 at 7:50 am

    I’m like you—excited about fermenting anything. I’m especially intrigued by ferments I’ve never seen before, like your sour corn recipe. A question: Any idea what happens to corn’s carb count when it’s fermented like this? I’m limiting my carb intake.

    Reply
  17. Avatar for Allan RiskAllan Risk says

    September 9, 2019 at 6:13 am

    This looks really cool! Like you, I’m game to ferment almost anything! I hope there’s still corn at the market …

    Reply
  18. Avatar for Patrick BarronPatrick Barron says

    September 9, 2019 at 5:36 am

    Hello Hank,
    Thank you for posting the fermented corn recipe – I knew it as “pickled ” corn as a child, while growing up in Southern OH. Both my mother and my grandmother made it regularly. I remember being delighted that it occasionally came out of the Mason jars in full-cut slabs. I don’t know for certain, but believe that it was fermented in a large (5 gallon) crock and transferred to qt. jars for winter storage. I haven’t tried your recipe yet, but do regularly ferment shredded cabbage. I’ve experimented with whey from live yogurt, capsules of probiotics, and straight brine, with no noticeable difference in product! I would have given you 5 stars, but I take umbrage in that “Appalachian” does not mean “Southern”! Keep up the good work.
    Oh yes, I have made your Southern Seafood Stew several times – Ça c’est bon!

    Reply
  19. Avatar for shannon stoneyshannon stoney says

    September 9, 2019 at 4:59 am

    I live in Appalachia (in TN not far from KY) and I’ve never heard of sour corn. I have that cookbook too, but it seems “off” to me. For example, that recipe for cheese nabs. Who in the world would do that??!

    Reply
  20. Avatar for JudeJude says

    September 9, 2019 at 4:19 am

    I think the “mold” you mentioned is actually kahm yeast. Not harmful, but could alter the flavor if you don’t skim it off like you said. I did make several batches of this last fall and LOVED it.

    Reply

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Hi, my name is Hank Shaw. I am a James Beard Award-winning author and chef and I focus my energies on wild foods: Foraging, fishing, hunting. I write cookbooks as well as this website, have a website dedicated to the intersection of food and nature, and do a podcast, too. If it’s wild game, fish, or edible wild plants and mushrooms, you’ll find it here. Hope you enjoy the site!

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