Cut the ends off the celery stalks as well as the leaves. Look for any ribs that may be bruised or anything we would not want to dehydrate. Now, cut the ribs into 1/2-inch to 1-inch sections. I like the 1-inch size for soups and stews. This is when I wash the celery because I can clean almost every nook and cranny of the celery pieces. Let it drain. Grab a soup pot, I use a 6-quart pot for blanching the celery for 1-2 minutes in boiling water and a 4-quart pot for plunging the celery in icy-cold water. (We don't want to cook the celery so we plunge it in cold water). I quote, Clemson Education College of Agriculture “What is the purpose of blanching? Blanching stops enzyme actions which otherwise cause loss of flavor, color, and texture. In addition, blanching removes some surface dirt and microorganisms, brightens color, and helps slow vitamin losses.” Have a pan or bowl ready to plunge the blanched celery into an icy-water. I use a spoon skimmer ladle and place the drained celery onto the dehydrator racks. Spread the celery pieces evenly onto your dehydrator racks. My Excalibur Dehydrator recommends setting the temperature at 125 degrees F and 52 degrees C and dehydrate it until the stalks are leathery and somewhat brittle. The time to dehydrate will always depend on the humidity of the room you have your unit in. This batch took about 8 hours. Oh, and the house smells so good! I love dehydrating, can you tell?

If you live where it is HUMID: “To condition the fruit, take the dried fruit that has cooled and pack it loosely in plastic or glass jars. Seal the containers and let them stand for 7 to 10 days. The excess moisture in some pieces will be absorbed by the drier pieces. Shake the jars daily to separate the pieces and check the moisture condensation.” https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/dry/pack_store.html

I live in the DRY DESERT: I set my fruit and vegetables on my countertop for 5-7 days. Ten days is even better to make sure everything is dry before using your FoodSaver unit. When it’s totally dry, use a FoodSaver to seal the jars.

When you are ready to make celery powder, place about 2 cups of dehydrated celery in a high-powered blender. Use the pulse button to pulverize it into a fine powder. Place it in airtight jars. I do not use my FoodSaver to seal the powders, it’s a personal preference.