Select brittle, light green stalks. Avoid soft or wilted celery. Wash celery. Trim leaves and base from each stalk. Cut into 1/4 to 1-inch slices.
Place celery slices into a large stockpot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, spoon celery into warm jars and fill to 1 inch. Ladle hot cooking liquid over the celery leaving 1-inch headspace. Release air bubbles. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt per quart or 1/4 teaspoon per pint, if desired. Wipe jar rims. Put on prepared lids and canning rings and process in a pressure canner according to the chart below:
| Weighted gauge canner | |||
| Processing time | Altitude 0-1000 feet | Above 1000 feet | |
| Pints or quarts | 35 minutes | 10 lb | 15 lb |
| Dial gauge canner | |||||
| Processing time | 0-2,000 ft | 2,001- 4,000 ft | 4,001 – 6,000 ft | 6,001- 8,000 ft | |
| Pints or quarts | 35 minutes | 11 lb | 12 lb | 13 lb | 14 lb |
3 large bunches yield 8 pints.
Please note: You will not find instructions for canning celery in current USDA or Ball canning books, but celery is included in many recipes. When reevaluated, the USDA determined the final product was not up to their standards of quality. The final product, however, is just like any celery cooked in soups or stews and is still firm but not crunchy or bright green. It is very suitable for soups, stews, and stuffings.
