How to keep Celery fresh and crisp

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By ByDezin
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keep Celery fresh and crisp

Ever go to reach for the celery to add to a salad or soup and it's turned into a rubber stick? YUCK!!! Here's how you can keep your celery fresh and crisp for weeks. (If, of course, you don't eat it all first!) This is a great way to save money by extending the freshness of your produce, and making it worth the while to purchase in larger bulk quantities if that's how you prefer to purchase.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Celery
Chef/Paring knife
Paper Towel
Aluminum Foil
Plastic Storage Bag (optional)

Step 1

WORK AREA PREP: As with my article on extending the life of your herbs, take a moment to prepare your work area with all the items you'll need. Having everything on the countertop next to the sink ready to go makes it quick and you'll be done in no time.
Step 2

CELERY PREP: Remove any ties/rubber bands from the celery. Cut approximately 1/4" - 1/2" off the bottom of the base of the celery. Trim top ends if desired. You can cut the entire base off but it's not necessary ~ I have found my celery keeps even longer when I only trim the base and remove the white ends at the time of use.
Step 3

WASH: Run cold water over your celery to rinse off any loose dirt. If you have cut off the entire base of the stalks, you can wash each stalk. If you have trimmed just the root base, be sure to wipe down each stalk with a damp dish towel or paper towel before preparing for use in cooking. Dry your washed celery with paper towel.
Step 4

**OPTIONAL** CUT TO SIZE: You can leave your stalks long if you prefer until you're ready to use, or you can cut in half or thirds to fit into plastic storage bags after wrapping for storage.
Step 5

STORAGE: Now that your celery is cleaned and prepped, wrap in aluminum foil and place in a plastic storage bag (plastic bag optional) and place in the fridge until you're ready to use. You can wrap the celery in paper towel first, but it's not necessary. I've had celery last 3-4 weeks this way, fresh and crisp to the last stalk! :)
Step 6

Alternate Storage: If you prefer and have a large sturdy dish, tall pitcher or container (and the height and space available in your fridge), make sure to leave the base of the celery intact. Trim the base approximately 1/2" to allow for the stalks to absorb fresh water during storage. Keep water levels at 1/2"-1" high on the base of the stalks and check daily to replenish/refresh as needed.