In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleWash and Chop FirstBlanch for Best ResultsHow to Freeze CeleryHow to Thaw and Use Frozen Celery
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
Wash and Chop First
Blanch for Best Results
How to Freeze Celery
How to Thaw and Use Frozen Celery
There’s a handful of celery-focused dishes, including soups, salads andstir-fries, but most recipes require only a few stalks, which means you may have extra just waiting to be forgotten and eventually tossed.
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It’s best to wash celery before freezing, separating the stalks and giving them a good rinse. Next, trim and chop the celery, preferably into whatever size or shape makes sense for how you plan to use it. Celery that’s been frozen isn’t as crisp and easy to cut as fresh, so taking the time to chop it now will save you trouble later.
Celery can be frozen without first being blanched, but this extra, easy step helps preserve the veggie’s color, flavor and texture. Blanching also gives celery more staying power, so it can be frozen for up to a year—unblanched celery can only be frozen for up to 2 months. To blanch, bring a pot of water to a boil and fill a bowl with ice water. Blanch celery in the boiling water for about 3 minutes, then plunge into the ice water to stop the cooking, drain and let dry completely.
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To keep the pieces from freezing together, spread celery on a baking sheet and freeze for a few hours, or until hard, then transfer to an airtight freezer bag, squeeze out the air, seal, label and freeze. This two-step freezing process makes it easy to pull out exactly the amount of celery you need rather than defrosting a whole bag.
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There’s no need to thaw celery before using it; simply add it to whatever you’re cooking straight from the freezer. Celery contains a lot of water, which is why it’s so crisp and hydrating. Unfortunately, celery loses some of that crispness when frozen, which is why previously frozen celery is best used in soups, stews,stuffingand stock, where it contributes flavor more than texture. It also works in smoothies andjuices. You may want to skip it on salads and crudités, where the crispness will be missed.
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