How to Make Fermented Celery (Easy and Delicious)

5 from 1 vote

How to Make Fermented Celery (Easy and Delicious)

Fermented Celery is delicious, tangy and a great way to transform fresh celery into something much more flavorful. Whether you are a beginner or an expert fermenter, this recipe breaks down everything you need to know from equipment to fermenting safety. All you need are a few simple and fresh ingredients and a little time.

Prep Time15

Ferment Time5

Total Time5 15

Course: Appetizer, condiment, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: Servings

Author: Luay Ghafari

Cost: $5

Equipment

¾ quart mason jar (24 fl oz mason jar)
Fermentation weight
Fermentation lid or airlock
Regular canning jar lid

Ingredients

2 cups Fresh unchlorinated water
1 tbsp Kosher salt, sea salt or pickling salt
½ Head of celery - Cleaned, trimmed and cut into wedges or pieces
1-2 Garlic cloves
1-2 Bay leaves

Instructions

Prepare the saltwater brine. In a large measuring cup or jug, combine the water with salt. Mix well to dissolve the salt.
Pack the jars. To your mason jar, add the garlic cloves, chopped celery and bay leaf. Pack tightly to reduce the air pockets.
Add the fermenting weight. Add your fermentation weight to the jar, making sure that it does not go above the rim.
Pour the brine. Carefully pour the brine solution into the jar, making sure all the celery is submerged. Tap the jar to release any air bubbles.
Apply the fermentation lid. Add the fermentation lid to the jar.
Ferment. Ferment the celery for at least 5 days away from direct sunlight on the counter. On day 5, give it a taste. If you want the celery to be tangier and sourer, replace the weight and lid and continue to ferment for a few more days (you acn go up to 2 weeks total). If you’re happy with the taste, remove the weight, and fermentation lid. Apply a regular lid and refrigerate.

Notes

Refer to the post above for step-by-step recipe photos.

A few Important ingredient notes:

Celery: The stat of the show. Choose fresh, firm and blemish-free celery for this recipe. You ferment both the stalks and the inner leaves in this recipe.
Herbs and Spices: I recommend using woody herbs. Bay leaf is great because it adds a hint of flavor but the tannins in the leaf help keep the ferment crunchy.
Salt: When fermenting, use pickling salt, Kosher salt, or sea salt. Avoid using table salt as it has added iodine which may affect fermentation.
Garlic: I love using garlic in all my ferments but the choice is up to you. Use more or less, or none at all.

Other additions: coriander seed, sliced red onion, peppers or black peppercorn.

This is a pretty straightforward and easy recipe, but if this is your first time fermenting, I highly recommend you read the short lacto-fermentation process explanation in the blog post above as well as the safety note. I also recommend you read my Lacto Fermentation Primer blog post.

This recipe is best made with the freshest ingredients possible (organic produce is ideal for fermentation).

Pay close attention to the salt-water ratio specified in the recipe. Fermentation is very much a science and you want to ensure you are fermenting as safely as possible.

Try some of my other lacto-fermented vegetables and fruit recipes: Fermented radishes, fermented jalapenos, sauerkraut, fermented red cabbage, fermented carrots and fermented hot sauce.

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