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Canning celery?

Posted by ilovepoco z5 Boston USA (My Page) on
Sun, Aug 19, 07 at 14:00

I can't seem to find any recipes for canning celery on its own. I stuck some 6-packs of celery in the garden this spring on a whim and I've got some really nice heads. We've been eating it all along, but I'd like to preserve some for cream of celery soup when the weather gets cold.

It's a little too tough for eating raw, so I figured that canning it would soften it up until it was perfect. But I can't find a single recipe for canning celery.

Has anyone seen this?

Thanks,
Susan


Follow-Up Postings:

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RE: Canning celery?

Celery doesn't seem to can well on its own. It is mostly water and the processing just seems to turn it to celery mush. ;)

It dehydrates well and that is what we do for winter potato soup. Just dry it well over a low temp setting (too high turns it brown) and store it in a tightly sealed jar.

Or it can be added to other recipes for canning such as relish, stewed tomatoes, or mixed vegetables. Or you can freeze it suspended in a base of liquid. Slice it and freeze the slices in water or soup base. It will still be mushy but will work for soups.

Idea!!! ;) Why not try making your cream of celery soup up now and freeze containers of it?

Dave


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RE: Canning celery?

You can blanch and freeze. Celery softens when frozen, so you might find that takes care of your problem.

Carol

Here is a link that might be useful: Freezing Celery


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RE: Canning celery?

Dave, Carol - thanks, for the info, I will probably just make up a big batch of soup now and freeze.

The celery was such fun to grow. The seedlings look just like parsley. Then all of a sudden you realize that these spindly little heads are developing. Now they are normal size heads, although the stalks are about half the diameter of supermarket celery.

Susan


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RE: Canning celery?

Another idea:

Make a large batch of mirepoix (finely chopped, sauteed mix of carrots, onions and celery). Mirepoix is the base for many delicious soups, sauces and braises. Pack the mirepoix in useful size packages (maybe 8oz.) and freeze it. This would greatly streamline preparation of the dishes in which it is used.

Jim


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RE: Canning celery?

Wow! Now that's a great idea. Mirepoix would freeze beautifully and takes up minimal space.

Carol


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RE: Canning celery?

Canning celery in a sweet mixed pickle is OK, if its with vinegar and salt. By itself, no. But sliced and dried, it can work ok too.


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RE: Canning celery?

i know this is literally years to late- but hey... maybe someone will find it helpful...
http://chickensintheroad.com/farm-bell-recipes/dedes-cream-of-celery-soup/


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RE: Canning celery?

Just as a heads-up there's nothing in the blog "About" that indicates the poster of the celery soup recipe has any credentials relating to canning. That's not an issue with marmalade but definitely is for celery soup. If someone wants to try it regardless, that's up to them.

For myself the 3/4 cup of clearjel is also a huge ugh, even if I trusted the recipe. Viscous to the max. Clearjel thickens and "grows" like you wouldn't believe.

Carol


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RE: Canning celery?

I never learned how to grow my own celery. But from time to time when I see them on sale , I buy a few heads and freeze them. I blanch for about 5 minutes or so, to kill the enzymes. This way they won't get soft.

Tonight I took out some and made New England Style clam chowder (my variation) with it. .. Delish !


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RE: Canning celery?

Good points on the Clear Jel Carol! Not to mention all the butter in the recipe and only 45 min. processing time??? Even the 1/2 and 1/2 soup instructions - which this definitely isn't - call for 60-75 min. And she apparently uses the same processing time for pints and quarts? That's just plain ____________ (insert word of choice).

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Cream of Celery Soup linked above


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RE: Canning celery?

No, that does not look like a good canning option.
I grow two varieties. Par-cel is a variety that grows much like parsley, grown for the leaves and tender stems. The stalk variety does not form the large watery grocery type in my northern climate, but the leaves and the chopstick sized 8-10 inch stalks are packed with a concentrated celery flavor. I do mound the row with soil as it grows placing a couple boards on either side. Harvest a bit all season for salads.
My method is to saute onion, shallots, garlic gently a few minutes. Add chopped celery, stalks and leaves, along with a few other greens, kales and chards, (just a few misc leaves sliced in thin strips). Pulse in cuisinart with chives, lemon juice and tbsp olive oil to make a celery 'salsa'. Freezes great in small portions to add to soups and chowders all winter. Or a risotto. Nice late addition to frozen/thawed/heated roasted tomatoes over pasta. Or with a pint of stock and your other ingredients to make a favorite celery soup recipe.


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