Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Preparing the celery for freezing
• Part 2 of 3: Blanching the celery
• Part 3 of 3: Freezing the celery
• Tips
• Necessities

Celery is difficult to freeze because the stems contain a lot of water. Freezing often makes the stems mushy and tasteless. If you have celery that you cannot use until the vegetable is no longer good, you can keep it longer by freezing it. It is essential to blanch the celery before freezing the stems so that as much of the flavor as possible is retained and you can still put the pieces in your favorite soups and stews.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Preparing the celery for freezing

1. Choose the right stems. If you plan on freezing celery, it helps to start with the best stems. Choose the stems that are crispy and tender, as these stems are more likely to keep well from freezing.
   • Do not freeze stems that have tough threads.
2. Wash the celery and cut the stems. After you have selected a number of stems to freeze, you should thoroughly clean the stems. Run them under cold water and scrub the surface with a vegetable brush to remove any residue. Rinse them again under cold water and use a sharp knife to cut off the ends of the stems and the wires hanging from the ends.
   • If you see that the celery stalks have discolored spots, cut those off too.
3. Cut the celery stalks to the desired length. When the celery stalks are clean, use a knife to cut them to your desired length. If you are not sure which dishes to use the celery for later, cut the stems into 2 to 3 cm pieces. This is a good size for most dishes.
   • It can be difficult to cut celery stalks after you freeze them, so it's best to take the time to cut them up now, even if you're not sure how big the pieces should be.

Part 2 of 3: Blanching the celery

1. Boil a large pot of water. Place a large saucepan on your stove and fill the pan with enough water to cover any celery stalks you want to freeze. Boil the water over high heat and make sure it is fully boiling.
   • When adding water to the pan, a good rule of thumb is to use 4 liters of water for every 500 grams of celery.
   • If you don't plan on keeping the celery in your freezer for more than two months, you don't necessarily need to blanch the stems before freezing. However, it will help preserve the flavor better, so you may want to blanch the stems better even if you plan to use them within 8 weeks.
2. Cook the celery for a few minutes. When the water is boiling, add the celery pieces to the pan. After adding the celery, give the water a good stir to make sure all pieces are completely covered with water. Let the celery boil in the boiling water for 3 minutes.
   • If you put the celery in a simmering basket before putting the pieces in the water, it will be a lot easier to put the celery in and take it out.
   • Set a timer when you put the celery in the water so that you don't overcook the pieces.
3. Remove the celery pieces from the boiling water and place them in cold water. When the celery has boiled for 3 minutes, remove the pieces from the boiling water. Immediately place them in a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process. Leave the celery pieces in the cold water for about 3 minutes.
   • If you don't want to prepare a bowl of ice water for the celery, you can also put the pieces in a colander and run it under a cold running tap to let the pieces cool down as quickly as possible.

Part 3 of 3: Freezing the celery

1. Drain the water and dry the celery. After allowing the celery to cool, pour the bowl of cold water into a colander to drain the celery pieces. Shake the colander well to remove any excess moisture, then pat the celery pieces thoroughly dry with a clean towel or paper towel.
   • Make sure to dry the celery very well. If there is still moisture on the pieces, it can ruin the celery during freezing.
2. Put the celery in a freezer container. When you have drained the celery and dried it well, divide the pieces into portions of 250 grams. Put the celery pieces in plastic freezer containers or bags so that you can freeze them straight away.
   • If you are using a plastic freezer container, make sure to leave space in the container for the celery to expand.
   • If you are using a freezer bag, make sure to push out all the air before sealing the bag.
3. Label the container or bag and put it in the freezer. When you have placed the celery in a container or bag, affix a label with the contents and the date of freezing on it. This way you can easily find and use the celery before the vegetables are no longer good. Freeze the celery to use the stems later.
   • Use the frozen celery pieces within 8 to 12 months.

Tips

• After you have frozen the celery pieces, they will be a lot less crispy. Therefore, it is best to use the pieces in dishes that you have yet to prepare instead of using them as a substitute for raw celery.

Necessities

• Vegetable brush
• Cutting board and knife
• Large saucepan
• Water
• Large bowl of ice water
• Colander
• Something to freeze the celery, such as resealable plastic bags