Preserve the fresh flavor of celery for winter with this easy celery salt recipe…

As we end the summer gardening season (we already had our first frost here!), it’s time to clean up the last of the summer crops and ready our gardens for winter. One of our favorite veggies to harvest in the fall is celery. The crisp, juicy snap of fresh celery is hard to beat, but while it will keep for a while in the fridge, you can also preserve celery (if you have a lot of it like we do) for later use in cooking.

While it can take a light frost, celery will freeze once temperatures dip below the freezing point, so we typically cut all our celery stalks when we see the first freeze in the forecast. Most years, we haul in armloads of stalks, and my husband and I wash, slice, and freeze them in bags to use in soups and stews throughout the winter.

Of course, we inevitably end up with mounds of celery leaves and spindly stems, which either go in the freezer to use in making stock, or into the compost bin. However, another way that you can use extra celery leaves is by making flavorful celery salt! This is a great way to preserve the distinctive flavor of celery for later use in various recipes.

The recipe below is heavy on the celery flavor. While you can vary it to your taste by altering the proportions of salt to celery, this version puts the celery front and center using a 4-1 ratio (celery to salt). However, do keep in mind that the high proportion of celery means this recipe is not shelf-stable, and should be stored in the refrigerator. When stored correctly, celery salt should last at least 6 months or up to a year. However, of course, if it ever looks moldy or smells bad, you should throw it out.

Making your own celery salt is super simple! All you need are salt and celery – and a food processor.

How to Make Celery Salt

1. Using kitchen shears, snip off celery leaves and place them into a large colander. (Fresh, green, and tender leaves from homegrown celery will have the best flavor.)
2. Rinse celery leaves under cold water and dry them off using tea towels or paper towels until completely dry.
3. Roughly chop celery leaves.
4. Pack leaves into a measuring cup and press down for an accurate measurement.
5. Place celery leaves and salt into the food processor in a 4:1 ratio (four parts celery leaves to one part salt – for example 1/2 cup chopped celery leaves + 1/8 cup salt).
6. Turn the food processor on and blend until everything is combined.
7. Remove any large pieces (or continue blending until evenly chopped).
8. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and it should keep for 6 months to 1 year.
9. Use in place of salt in any recipe where you would like a bit of fresh celery flavor!

Read more about making this and other herb salts at MelissaKNorris.com…