It is very important to know how to preserve food so you do not have to throw it away because it spoils or ends up in poor condition. Some fresh produce is especially difficult to keep in good condition, such as celery.
Some vegetables, like celery, are difficult to freeze without spoiling because they contain a large amount of water. Also, if you put it in the freezer when you want to use it again in a recipe, it has probably lost its natural flavor. All of this leads us to ask the big question: can celery be frozen? Is it possible to keep it in the freezer? To solve all these doubts and find out how to freeze it correctly, we recommend that you continue reading this article.
Can celery be frozen?
Despite having several drawbacks due to the possible loss of texture and flavor, you can freeze celery to try to keep it in optimal consumption conditions for a long period of time.
Taking into account the multiple benefits and properties of celery (it helps fight constipation, is digestive, strengthens the immune system and is a diuretic), it should be frozen to keep it in good condition if you are going to take a while to consume it. The most important factor is knowing how to do it, whether you want to freeze it cut or if you prefer to freeze the juice.
How to freeze fresh celery
To discover how to preserve the celery, it is important that you know that it is not the same to freeze it fresh than in juice. To keep it raw and fresh properly, follow these steps to freeze fresh celery:
- Clean the celery with water and then peel it with a knife. Try to get a sharp one, since you should remove at least half an inch of the skin to make it easier to keep it in the freezer.
- Keeping cut celery is the best option for it to freeze properly. Therefore, cut it into small or large slices. That is, depending on how you want to use it when you are going to use it in a recipe, you will be interested in cutting it to one size or another.
- Place the celery slices in a sturdy container. If you are freezing a large quantity, divide it into different containers. Use stainless steel containers, glass, or zip-lock bags.
- Label the containers with the date you are going to freeze them and you can store them in the freezer.
You may also like to read, bialetti pans. To know more visit our Blog http://firstgradeappliances.com/
Keep these tips in mind to make sure you freeze fresh celery well:
- Avoid freezing celery leaves with the stem itself because the stems will become mushy very easily and the leaves will end up rotting.
- Cut the leaves and freeze them separately if you want to use them to make salads or infusions.
How to freeze celery juice?
If you want to freeze the celery juice, follow these steps to preserve it properly:
- Wash the celery and cut it into small pieces.
- Put some water in the blender or in the blender glass.
- Add the celery pieces and blend or beat until juicy.
- To freeze the juice, the most practical way is to use an ice bucket, like the ones you normally use to make ice. This will help you get as much frozen celery juice as you need each time.
- Celery juice can be used in the preparation of different recipes: to take it directly, in broths, stews, soups and sauces, as well as serving as a flavoring agent in other preparations. Without going any further, you can prepare a delicious celery cream and you can add a little of this juice to increase its flavor and improve its texture.
How long does frozen celery last in the freezer?
After discovering that celery can be frozen and how to do it, both fresh and in its juice, to preserve it properly, you must know how long it will keep in good condition in the freezer. In any case, you should always label the containers in which you keep it to ensure that no more days pass than recommended and, in this way, keep good control.
The different shelf lifetimes for frozen celery are as follows:
- Frozen raw: hold for a maximum of 6 months.
- Cooked frozen: the time is reduced by half, that is, 3 months.
- In the fridge, it lasts a maximum of 20 days. This time is longer for cut stems if you store them separately.
- All of these freezing times also depend on the state in which you have frozen the celery. Don’t expect it to retain the same texture and flavor after defrosting; it will have lost much of its crunchiness. This conditions the use: you can use it in cooked dishes instead of using it as you would with fresh celery.