If you love the crunch of celery, you definitely want to properly store it so it stays fresh for as long as possible. In today’s article, we’re sharing some useful information on how to properly store celery.
Celery is a versatile vegetable that can be enjoyed in many ways. Enjoy it raw on veggie trays or in salads, or cooked in stir-fries, soups, and stews. It is economical and can be purchased at grocery stores year-round.
What is Celery?
Celery is a green vegetable that has long, firm, and fibrous stalks. It is considered to be a cool-weather crop and can take up to 140 days before it’s ready to harvest. The seeds of celery are dried and used as a seasoning.
How to Choose Fresh Celery
When shopping for celery, here’s what you should look for:
- No brown or discolored spots
- Bright green leaves that are not wilted
- Tightly packed firm green stalks
How Long Does Celery Last in the Fridge?
The shelf life of celery will vary depending on how it’s stored:
- Raw whole celery: wrapped in aluminum foil, it can remain fresh for 2-4 weeks.
- Chopped raw celery: Will remain fresh for 1-2 weeks in the refrigerator.
- Cooked celery: Can be stored in the fridge for 5-7 days in an air-tight container, or for up to 10 months in the freezer.
How to Know When Celery Is Going Bad
You can tell that celery has gone past its peak when there are some signs below:
- The stalks are soft and no longer firm. It can still be eaten but is best cooked at this point, instead of eaten raw. You may be able to revive the stalks by placing them in ice water for about two hours.
- The color is no longer bright green and the leaves are droopy.
- It has become hollow in the middle. You may be able to revive the stalks by placing them in ice water for about two hours.
- It has an unpleasant odor. The celery has spoiled and should be tossed.
- It is soft and mushy. The celery has started to rot and should be tossed.
How to Store Celery in the Fridge
How to Store Whole Celery
- Remove the celery from the plastic or paper bag it came in.
- Wrap it in aluminum foil.
- Store it in the crisper drawer of your fridge.
How to Store Chopped Celery
Place the cut stalks into an airtight container of water and place in the fridge. Ensure that the temperature of the fridge isn’t too low to avoid freezing, or too high to affect the texture.
How to Store Celery Root
Celery root is best stored in a plastic bag or a resealable bag. Be sure to remove as much of the air as possible before sealing. Store it in the fridge for 10-14 days.
How to Freeze Celery
Celery can be frozen for up to a year when stored properly. Note that the texture won’t be the same as when it was fresh. Celery can either be frozen raw or blanched. Raw celery does not retain its texture as well as blanched celery.
Follow these steps to blanch and freeze celery:
- Prep the celery by rinsing it well with water, ensuring that all of the dirt is removed.
- Cut the stalks into the desired pieces.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil.
- Add the celery and boil for 3 minutes.
- Drain and place the celery in a bowl of ice-cold water for 3 minutes. This will stop the cooking process.
- Dry the celery and spread it out in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Freeze the celery for 1-2 hours until firm.
- Transfer the frozen celery into resealable freezer bags or freezer-safe containers. If using freezer bags, remove as much of the air as possible before sealing.
- Label the bags or containers and store in the freezer.
- When ready to use, thaw the celery in the fridge until thawed and use immediately. Thawed celery cannot be refrozen.
You May Also Like
How to Store Celery
Ingredients
- 1 whole celery
- aluminum foil
Instructions
- Remove the celery from the plastic or paper bag it came in.
- Wrap it in aluminum foil.
- Store it in the crisper drawer of your fridge.
Leave a Reply