# canning celery



## Jason

Not sure if this is the most appropriate place for this thread. If not, well, mods will be mods. 

Question is: DW wants to try canning some celery from her garden this year. Has anyone ever canned celery as a stand alone item? If so, water bath or pressure? Raw or hot pack? What can be done with it after it's canned?

We have the Blue Book and will research it there tomorrow. DW just wanted to throw this out here tonight to see if any more experienced canners have tried this.

Our semi educated guess is that it'll mush up and taste bad and it should be used in a soup base or something first.

Thanks for the help! :wave:


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## goshengirl

I'm definitely not in the experienced camp when it comes to celery... but FWIW I'd be more inclined to dehydrate celery than to can it (for the reason you mentioned). Once dried, you could turn it into powder to add to soups and sauces.


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## Rancher

goshengirl said:


> I'm definitely not in the experienced camp when it comes to celery... but FWIW I'd be more inclined to dehydrate celery than to can it (for the reason you mentioned). Once dried, you could turn it into powder to add to soups and sauces.


Ditto that.

Dehydrating is the way to go.


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## Emerald

i've only canned it in my tomato products and it is fine but I freeze it and dry it routinely and love the frozen best but the dried and powdered celery makes a fine flavoring spice.
The dehydrated and powdered leaves of the celery is the strongest flavor and hold up well in sauces and other stuff.


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## BillS

I don't see any reason to can celery. It has almost no calories although it does have a lot of vitamins and nutrients. I could see canning chicken soup with celery being one of the ingredients. Or maybe some homemade cream of celery soup.


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## TechAdmin

Could it be pickled?


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## siletz

I looked it up in my canning book by Jackie Clay and she says to cut it up into chunks and boil in water for 3 mins. Drain, reserving cooking liquid. Put in jars and add 1/2 tsp salt to each pint and 1/4 tsp for each half-pint. Ladle boiling hot cooking liquid into jars leaving 1 inch headspace. Process pints and hal-pints for 30 mins at 10 lbs pressure in a pressure canner. I haven't tried this, but she says it makes great cream of celery soup.


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## Clarice

I have some freeze dried celery but have never cannned any. There are so many recipes that call for celery. Can't imagine chicken and dressing without celery.


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## bunkie

i haven't tried canning it either, but do freeze and dehydrate it with much success.

one other thought it to keep a couple plants going in a pot during the winter months. you can harvest fresh stems and leaves throughout the winter.


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## gypsysue

bunkie said:


> one other thought it to keep a couple plants going in a pot during the winter months. you can harvest fresh stems and leaves throughout the winter.


Seriously? I'll have to try that!

I chop and dehydrate celery all summer, and I also dry the leaves. I crumble the leaves and add them to soups and casseroles.

I recently read that you can dig up a whole plant, wrap it and store it in the root cellar (or basement) and replant it in the spring. I think it then goes to seed? Hmm...I have to remember where I read this... :scratch:


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