How Long to Cook Celery in a Crock Pot?
Cooking celery in a slow cooker, also known as a crock pot, is an easy way to turn this often-overlooked vegetable into a delicious side dish. Crock pot cooking is especially useful if you want to cook large amounts of celery, since celery wilts and cooks down considerably. Here’s everything you need to know about cooking celery in a crock pot.
Ingredients and Prep Work
To make crock pot celery, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Celery
- Butter
- Salt and pepper
- Other spices and seasoning, depending on flavor preferences (comparable to stovetop-cooked celery)
In terms of prepping, it’s best to just cut the celery into bite-sized pieces before transferring to the crock pot. To make sure you get an even cook, stir the ingredients a few times during the cooking process.
Cooking Time
When it comes to cooking celery in a crock pot, you’ll want to cook it for around 6 hours on low. Check the celery’s texture every hour or so until it reaces the desired tenderness. Finally, stir in the butter and seasoning to the cooked celery to finish and serve.
Final Considerations
Celery cooked in a crock pot yields a milder, more subtle flavor than celery cooked on the stovetop, so add plenty of herbs and seasonings to increase the flavor complexity. Additionally, adding a bit of liquid such as vegetable broth or citrus juice helps to moisten and enhance the celery during the cooking process.
