Storing celery properly helps you keep it crunchy, preventing it from wilting. Celery tastes much tastier when it is firm and crunchy. Read the article and you will find that it takes very little to keep it fresh and good for a long time.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Store it in water
Step 1. Gather everything you need
You don't need many things to store celery in water. As soon as you get the chance, remember to put it in the refrigerator.
- Select a large glass bowl or a plastic container with a lid. Both are suitable for preserving celery. If the bowl does not have a lid, you can close it with cling film. As a last resort, although it is a bit complicated, you can pour the water into a plastic bag.
- Now you need fresh water. It must be clean water; you can use the bottled one or the tap one, and in the second case it would be better to filter it. Even if the celery has already started to wilt, you will see that it will quickly come back to life once immersed in water.
- When buying celery, choose straight, hard stalks. Look at the leaves to make sure they are fresh. Avoid limp, rotten, or foul-smelling stems.
Step 2. Break apart the celery stalks
To keep it fresh for a long time, you will need to detach the stems from the base; the first thing to do is then remove it with a clean cut.
- Now, remove the leaves from the stems. You can use your hands or a small knife. Remember to always be careful when handling sharp objects.
- Cut the stems in half. They should be about half as long as they originally were.
- Place them in the bowl or plastic container. Leave 2-3 cm of empty space between the celery and the upper end of the container.
Step 3. Add the water
Pour in enough to fill the bowl. Remember that it must be fresh, clean and preferably filtered water.
- Close the container with the lid or, alternatively, with cling film. Closing the celery in an airtight container without adding water is not recommended because it would most likely end up drying out.
- Remember to change the water every day or at least every other day. This will help keep the celery cooler.
- When you feel like celery, simply remove it from the water, rinse it and eat it. Close the container with the lid or plastic wrap if you don't intend to use it all.
Step 4. Store it in a glass of water
Another similar method is to remove the base of the celery and then immerse the stems in a glass of water. Stored in this way inside the refrigerator, it will last even one or two weeks.
- Put all the stems in the glass full of water, then store them vertically inside the refrigerator. You will need to use a large glass, such as a beer mug or pitcher.
- Remember not to put celery in the coldest part of the refrigerator as it can freeze easily.
- You will have to change the water frequently. The celery will absorb it while remaining crunchy. This method also works with other roots, such as beets or parsnips.
Method 2 of 3: Wrap it for storage
Step 1. Put it in the aluminum foil
Tinfoil is present in any kitchen; storing celery in this way will keep it crunchy even for several weeks.
- All you have to do is wrap it tightly in foil, whole or in pieces. If you want, you can wrap it first in a damp sheet of kitchen paper.
- After wrapping it, put it in the refrigerator. The foil will allow the release of a hormone called ethylene, which ripens fruit and vegetables; in our case, letting it come out of the wrapper will help keep the celery fresh. The same paper can be reused several times to wrap more celery.
- Plastic bags don't work as well because they trap ethylene gas inside them, making it more likely that celery will rot. The ideal is to place the tin foil packet in the vegetable drawer.
Step 2. Wrap it in paper towels
If you don't have foil available, you can still keep it crunchy by wrapping it in a different wrapper.
- First, remove the celery base to be able to separate the stalks. For convenience you can cut them in half, but it is not necessary.
- Moisten some paper towels. In this case, humidity plays a fundamental role. Wrap the napkins around the celery stalks, then pack them in a large, zippered plastic food bag. Once sealed, place the bag in the refrigerator.
- Save the base, leaves, and any other scraps to make the broth. Put everything in a food bag, then place it in the freezer until ready for use.
Step 3. Plant the celery base
Having to cut the celery base doesn't mean you have to throw it away. You can use it to grow more celery!
- Rinse the celery base. Now dip it in a bowl filled with hot water, then place it next to a sunny window. Remember that the part of the roots will have to face downwards.
- Change the water every 2 days. You will have to wait about 7-10 days before you see small yellow leaves sprout, which will turn dark green over time.
- When the leaves in the center of the base are just over an inch long, you can transplant it into the ground. Cover it with soil, taking care to leave the leaves exposed. Water it and watch it grow!
Method 3 of 3: Freeze it
Step 1. Blanch the celery
Blanching an ingredient means boiling it for a short time and then immediately immersing it in water and ice. In the case of celery, you will need to let it boil for 3 minutes.
- After 3 minutes, dip it into a bowl full of ice water to cool it and stop cooking. The first stage of the process is complete.
- Drain it from the water. You are now ready to put it in an airtight container or food bag to freeze it.
- Put it in the freezer. In this case, celery should be used for cooking and not to be eaten raw, because once defrosted it will lose part of its crunchiness. If you intend to make a broth, you can also blanch other vegetables to freeze them with celery.
Step 2. Freeze it for storage
Of course, freezing isn't exactly the same as keeping it fresh, but it's still a great way to prevent it from wilting or rotting.
- Unpack it, then wash it to remove any dirt. Remove the celery base with a knife.
- Cut the celery stalks into pieces and remove the leaves. If you have to freeze it, it may be more practical to cut it into small pieces (about 2-4 cm long).
- After cutting it, you can also place it on a baking sheet and place it directly in the freezer. As soon as it freezes, you can transfer it to a food bag and put it back in the freezer.
Step 3. Eat it
Frozen celery can be stored for more than a year and a half without deteriorating.
- Foods stored at -18 ° C remain healthy for a long time, but the rule says that to guarantee their ideal quality, it is best to consume them within 12-18 months.
- Once thawed, the celery will have lost some of its crunchiness. This is a disadvantage that is offset by the possibility of keeping it for a long time.
- In the past, celery was a highly respected vegetable. It was thought to be rare and was credited with medicinal properties. The first to cultivate it was a Persian king. It is made up of about 94% water, but also contains fiber, many vitamins (A, C, E and those of the B complex) and minerals. So bring this delicious and healthy vegetable to the table.
