Follow this easy step-by-step tutorial to learn how to dehydrate celery – it’s a fabulous way to preserve an abundance for later use in soups, stews and more!
Celery isn’t probably the first thing that comes to mind when you think of preserving food for long periods of time. But if you find yourself with an abundance of celery from a store sale (or even food bank haul) then you will know that celery is often one of those veggies given in abundance.
Sometimes you will inherit so much you can’t possibly use it all in a short period of time. That is where food preservation comes in super handy. Pull out your dehydrator – celery is incredibly easy to preserve for later use in soups, stews and recipes galore.
Preserving Celery
Celery can be used for so many yummy recipes:
Dehydrating, though, is one of my favorite ways to preserve foods for longer periods of time. Dehydrating celery is very simple – the time it takes is well worth the after product.
To dehydrate celery, wash the celery in a water bath with vinegar to remove dirt and debris. Pat dry. Next, slice the celery into thin pieces and place on your dehydrator trays.
Pieces can be close, but not touching. Try to spread them out evenly.
Once the trays are filled, turn your dehydrator on to 135 degrees. Be sure to rotate your trays for even drying (if needed). If you are in a humid area, celery may take up to 10 hours to fully dry. In a normal climate, it may take anywhere from 8-10 hours.
When done, your celery will shrivel up and look completely different. They’ll be hard, crispy, and look very unappetizing. Thankfully this is “preserved” celery and it can be used in a variety of recipes.
HOW TO STORE DEHYDRATED CELERY
When your celery is finished dehydrating, allow to cool for 5-15 minutes. Store in an air tight jar.
If you are storing for longer periods of time, add an oxygen absorber to keep your food dry, delicious and safe to eat.
The finished product is a hard and crispy celery, ready for cooking – add to dishes for extra flavor. I love using mine in chicken noodle soup, casseroles, or hidden in our favorite stews.
How to Dehydrate Celery
Equipment
- Dehydrator
Ingredients
- 1 bunch celery or more as needed
- 2 Tbsp vinegar
- 8 C water
Instructions
- To dehydrate celery, wash the celery in a water bath with vinegar (2 Tbsp vinegar to 8 C. water) to remove dirt and debris. Pat dry. Next, slice the celery into thin pieces.
- Place your celery on the dehydrator trays evenly.
- Once the trays are filled, turn your dehydrator on to 135 degrees. Be sure to rotate your trays for even drying (if needed). The celery may take anywhere from 8-10 hours.
- Allow to cool. Store in an airtight container.
Did you like this how-to? If you did, PLEASE take a second to rate the recipe and leave a comment – I’d love to know how it turned out for you!
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