Freezing Celery Experiment: Blanched vs. Not Blanched Comparison & Taste Test

[@dmo.5220]

I've been freezing celery out of my garden for several years now and do not blanch it first. I cut it up into pieces ( for soups, stews, spagetti sauce etc.) and measure out 1 cup or 2 cups and then vacume seal. The celery stays perfect and retain all the good flavor.

[@kittyrings]

Same here. I've dried my celery thoroughly, then put on a cookie sheet and did a hour freeze, take out and vac/pac them. They are good to go in a salad! or soup, stew, etc.

[@dg9905]

Taste test to determine crunchiness and flavor before cooking would have been very helpful too!

[@paisley1134]

I prefer not blanched. Once you cook those in soups ECT the blanched gets mushy.

[@averagejoesmiling456]

It's good to know that we could get by without blanching the celery, say if we were short on time or resources. Thanks for doing this little experiment, Great Lakes. Take care and God bless!

[@hbhb7900]

I like the way blanching brightens the color of vegetables.

[@NataliyaK-h1d]

Thanks so much for this video! I would freeze the selery from now on. I wasted so much vegetables and green leafy vegetables but you just explained so easy how to do it and showed the difference between the methods. Again Thank You! ❤

[@sarac.3259]

My "Food for Freezing" book which I use a lot, recommends blanching celery, allowing it to be kept for a year. I know many people will use it well before then, but blanching also helps retain the (nutrional) nutritional content.

[@hbhb7900]

That’s what I have read, on many agricultural websites. Blanching helps retain the nutrients, the color, and the texture of vegetables.

[@ZalthorAndNoggin]

A very good and extremely fair comparison test. I'm highly impressed and thank you so much for going to so much time and effort. The jury's out as to which I will go for in future though!! Thanks again.

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

You're welcome!

[@brianbell3417]

I've tossed a lot of celery so this has been helpful. Just for lazy-sake, I'll chop and flash-freeze and go from there. It's worked for Bell peppers and mango so that'll be my first attempt. Cheers!

[@greganonymous1323]

Great video. I've been wanting to compare some veggies both ways.

[@BouncySlim1]

Great experiment. A raw eating test would have been beneficial!!!

[@koryswenson8586]

try fresh uncooked how is the texture and taste without cooking?

[@pattyandersen5516]

Thanks you for getting right to it. I’m going to blanch.

[@mjkay8660]

freeze celery on wax paper on a tray for a few hours then place in freezer bag.

[@kellylogan9996]

Thank you! I feel blanching takes away a lot of the nutrients. I’ll be freezing my celery from now on. No blanching

[@debschannel6838]

Thats a great idea as far as giving them a freeze first. My food saver is a little older and pulls all the water to the heater and won't seal. It's very frustrating.

[@Gordon_L]

An option might be to put food to be vac sealed in a salad spinner first to remove excess water .

[@thehighpriestess8431]

I have heard that the blanched celery can stay frozen for longer in the freezer.

[@brandysears3546]

Sending support, love, and kindness from Lexington MI

[@hannahwhite2138]

Would u be willing to do a comparison for broccoli? 😊 Thank you

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

I'll put it on the list!

[@montygates8767]

Good info. Thank you

[@m.jackson0846]

Brilliant

[@catherinehouk7166]

The storage time is longer for the blanched correct?

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Well, I think that is somewhat subjective. If completely frozen, the storage time ought to be the same either way. The comparison was more about how the taste/texture holds up after being frozen and thawed.

[@nares2005]

Great video 👍

[@GreatLakesPrepping]

Thanks!

[@tersta1]

Thanks for the side by side test. I appreciate these test videos, because they save me from having to do them. You saved me 4 months! I'd go not blanched, but I'd also go with a celery substitution - Swiss Chard and Chinese (Michihili) Cabbage stalks. They are easy to germinate & grow in abundance, taste and have the mouth-feel of celery heart (i.e. crunchy, bland, not stringy) and best of all, the leaves can substitute for Romaine lettuce or spinach. Now, I do "blanch" the leaves before freezing to draw out the juices, but I microwave stacks of them in freezer bags, allow to cool and then freeze. They come out of the freezer looking and tasting pretty much like frozen spinach. Works for spanakopita just fine.

[@studentaccount4354]

I put them in salads like Waldorf and carrot raisin, wish you could have done a raw one.

[@mjkay8660]

use wax paper as a tube but use resealable (zip lock) bag for easy access

[@paulettelamontagne6992]

So funny I have I have celery right now freezing on cookie sheets in my freezer I did not glance I think my phone does listen to me

[@canadapainter658]

good...

[@pitbullwinkle]

It's a stalk of celery. Each piece is a rib of celery. It amazes me that people aren't taught that anymore. But good experiment

[@haydehabdolahian7691]

Get on with it son we are not young 😂

[@jay62nz]

I play all youtube clips 1.5 - 2 times speed.

[@judimantos904]

Too wordy

[@jgjg3848]

^^^ Too mannerless.

[@PhillipHolmes-ui8nk]

Who is Sally Re? 🤣

[@PhillipHolmes-ui8nk]

Green beans suck!!