Freezing Celery - Ask Extension
Can I safely freeze celery and celery leaves? If so what is the correct process for doing this? Thank you.
Knowledgebase
Freezing Celery #767167
Asked August 13, 2021, 8:45 AM EDT
Can I safely freeze celery and celery leaves? If so what is the correct process for doing this? Thank you.
Licking County Ohio
Expert Response
Hi Peggy,
Yes, celery can be frozen, but it will lose its crispness, but could be used in cooked dishes.
To freeze, it is recommended to take the time to blanch first. 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 two 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.
Then, spread celery on a baking sheet (to keep pieces from sticking together) 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.
Hope this is helpful to you!
SHari
Yes, celery can be frozen, but it will lose its crispness, but could be used in cooked dishes.
To freeze, it is recommended to take the time to blanch first. 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 two 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.
Then, spread celery on a baking sheet (to keep pieces from sticking together) 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.
Hope this is helpful to you!
SHari
