This tutorial will teach you all you need to know about how to cut celery. Whether you are using it for stews, salad, or as a dipper, Knowing how to cut celery properly is an essential knife skill to master. Let me show you how to do it in easy steps
Celery is a versatile ingredient that may be used in many different dishes. It has several advantages and may be utilized in a variety of dishes. Cutting celery is not tricky, however, it is important to do it correctly depending on what you are using for the best results.
There is a lot of debate about the flavor of celery, some people describe has been sharp and others think it is bland and doesn't have a lot of flavor to it.
Personally, I don't consider it bland and I think it has a to the way it tastes which definitely is not bland. When you combine celery with other ingredients in a recipe, it adds flavor. Imagine making mirepoix without celery, the depth of flavor it adds to a dish can't be overestimated.
The leaves taste slightly bitter and earthy, I love it in a salad or as a garnish, while the stalk is salty and crunchy. You can use celery in salads, stews, and stir-fry recipes.
Cutting celery is very crucial for some recipes, however, if you don't know how to cut celery properly, don't worry! There are step-by-step instructions here that will help you out.
Benefits of Celery
It is a healthy vegetable and is usually available year-round, but the peak season is winter.
Celery can help with a variety of health issues, including lowering blood pressure. It is high in antioxidants, Vitamin C, anti-inflammatory chemicals, and dietary fiber. The benefits of eating celery can be gained by including it in your daily intake.
It can be used in different juice intakes to have high Vitamins and minerals like apple celery juice and carrot celery juice. Other fruits and vegetables can be used along with celery-like beetroots, spinach, cucumbers, carrots, oranges, tomatoes, and berries.
Celery can be used in a variety of meals, including salads like apple walnut celery salad, and carrots celery onions (mirepoix). Celery adds complexity to other savory dishes such as buffalo chicken dip with celery and celery in beef stew.
Tools Needed
Sharp knife/Chef Knife
Cutting board
Vegetable peeler (optional)
Paper towel or kitchen towels
How To Cut Celery
Take celery and separate the stalks one by one by grabbing a stalk and pulling gently from the bottom.
After removing all stalks it will be easy to wash. Wash each stalk under running water thoroughly. this step is important, do not skip it!
Pat dry the washed celery stalks with a kitchen paper towel or with a kitchen towel.
Place a cutting board on a countertop or a flat surface to cut the vegetable carefully with a sharp knife.
Hold a knife and place stalk one by one on the cutting board to trim the white part. You have left with all the green stalk and leaves.
Peel the celery stalk’s outer layer with the help of a peeler if you want. (Optional)
Slice the leaves separately as they can be used in adding flavors and garnishing in salads, casserole, stews, and stocks.
You can cut the celery stalks horizontally in half and then cut both half stalks in 3 cuts into baton cuts down the length. It will be easy to hold all the pieces together to chop equally and quickly.
Now cut the stalk in different shapes for different recipes
Thin batons / Julienne
First, cut the celery stalk into halves or according to the length of your baton. Carefully, place the knife for the thickness you are aiming for and cut the stalk lengthwise into 2 or 4 even strips.
Large chunks
Cut the stalk in half horizontally and hold both halves to chop in large pieces with the knife. You can use them in making stocks and they are perfect as a dipper.
Halfmoon
Cut the top and the white part of the celery stalk and then slice it with a knife at a bias angle into thin slices so that it looks like a half-moon. You can use it in salads and stir-fry recipes.
Fine Diced
Cut the celery stalk in thin sticks lengthwise and dice it finely by holding all the thin sticks together and cutting it with the knife widthwise. You can use them in salads, casseroles, soups, and sauces.
Tip: cut the celery stalk into halve before dicing and work on half stalk at a time.
Storage Information
In Fridge
To store celery in the refrigerator, place the whole celery wrapped tightly in an aluminum foil in a crisper drawer. Celery may lose its moisture very rapidly. This way it can be stored for up to 2-3 weeks.
In Freezer
You can freeze raw celery in the freezer for 2 months. Placing the celery stalk in a plastic bag or airtight container. Blanching it before freezing can increase the storage by 4 months.
TIPS
- Wash celery stalks thoroughly under running water to remove all the dirt
- You can use leaves and even roots to add flavors to your meal.
- Cut celery equally either in sticks, thin slices, or in the diced form to get them cooked evenly.
- If you cut them unevenly they will get cooked at different times. Thick pieces will take a longer duration to cook and thin pieces will get overcooked in a short period.
- To blanch your celery, boil water in a large pot and place chopped celery in water to cook for 2 minutes. This process helps in increasing the freezing period.
- To store celery leaves, cut leaves from the stalks wash them. Pat dry with a paper towel or a clean kitcken towel. Put them in a dry paper towel and wrap them in plastic wrap. Store it in the fridge to use for a week.
How to use celery
There are different ways you can use this vegetable, here are some recipes for inspirations
Celery salad from the endless meals
Stuffed celery sticks from Craving small bites
FAQs
How to choose celery
When it comes to choosing celery, you have two options: regular or organic.
Organic celery is more expensive, but some people believe that it has a better flavor. I haven't been able to taste a difference so I can't say for sure, I buy whatever I see and make sure to wash it properly before I eat it. Look for celery that is firm with no bruises or brown spots.
What part of celery do we eat
All parts of celery are edible, unlike other vegetables. You can use all parts of celery either its leaves for garnishing, crispy stalk for soups, salads, and stalks. Even you can use its roots and seeds for flavors.
What part of celery should you not eat
There are some tips while purchasing celery. Look for fresh, firm, and crisp celery to buy and avoid soft, blemished, and cracked stalks of celery.
Should you use the white part of celery
Fresh Celery has sometimes a white part at the end of the stalk which is fine to use. Sometimes there is the white stuff in the middle of the stalk which is also edible. Just look for the dark blemishes and bendable stalks which indicates the celery is going bad.
Is celery good for weight loss?
Celery can be beneficial in weight loss, it consists of dietary fiber to support digestion and weight loss. It has high levels of water with antioxidant properties which reduce bloating and prevent dehydration.
What does celery taste like
Celery has a slightly sweet and salty taste. It is crunchy with a crispy texture. You can use it in different recipes to add flavors.
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How To Cut Celery
Ingredients
- celery stalks
Instructions
- Take celery and separate the stalks one by one by grabbing a stalk and pulling gently from the bottom.
- After removing all stalks it will be easy to wash. Wash each stalk under running water thoroughly. this step is important, do not skip it!
- Pat dry the washed celery stalks with a kitchen paper towel or with a kitchen towel.
- Place a cutting board on a countertop or a flat surface to cut the vegetable carefully with a sharp knife.
- Hold a knife and place stalk one by one on the cutting board to trim the white part. You have left with all the green stalk and leaves.
- Peel the celery stalk’s outer layer with the help of a peeler if you want. (Optional)
- Now cut the stalk in different shapes for different recipes
Thin batons / Julienne
- First, cut the celery stalk into halves or according to the length of your baton. Carefully, place the knife for the thickness you are aiming for and cut the stalk lengthwise into 2 or 4 even strips.
Large chunks
- Cut the stalk in half horizontally and hold both halves to chop in large pieces with the knife. You can use them in making stocks and they are perfect as a dipper.
Halfmoon
- Cut the top and the white part of the celery stalk and then slice it with a knife at a bias angle into thin slices so that it looks like a half-moon. You can use it in salads and stir-fry recipes.
Fine Diced
- Cut the celery stalk in thin sticks lengthwise and dice it finely by holding all the thin sticks together and cutting it with the knife widthwise. You can use them in salads, casseroles, soups, and sauces.
- Tip: cut the celery stalk into halve before dicing and work on half stalk at a time.
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