You can pressure can celery for 25 minutes for pint jars and 30 minutes for quart jars using a dial-gauge pressure canner at 11 PSI, or 40 minutes for pints and 45 minutes for quarts at 10 PSI if you’re using a weighted-gauge canner.
That said, the exact time to pressure can celery depends on your altitude, jar size, and canner type.
If you’ve been asking how long do you pressure can celery, the short answer is that celery is a low-acid vegetable, so it absolutely must be processed in a pressure canner rather than a water bath.
In this post, we’ll walk through how long to pressure can celery, why pressure canning is necessary, and a few tips to get it right every time.
Let’s get into it.
How Long Do You Pressure Can Celery?
How long you pressure can celery comes down to a few key factors, but the USDA gives us a solid baseline to work with.
Celery is a low-acid vegetable, which means boiling water baths simply won’t kill the bacteria that cause botulism.
That’s why pressure canning is the only safe method for preserving celery at home.
Here’s the breakdown so you know exactly how long to pressure can celery based on your setup.
1. Dial-Gauge Canner Times
If you’re using a dial-gauge pressure canner, you’ll process celery at 11 PSI.
For pint jars, you pressure can celery for 25 minutes.
For quart jars, you pressure can celery for 30 minutes.
These times apply to altitudes below 2,000 feet.
If you’re higher up, you’ll need to increase the pressure, not the time.
That’s a common mistake people make when learning how long to pressure can celery.
2. Weighted-Gauge Canner Times
If you’re using a weighted-gauge pressure canner, the pressure stays at 10 PSI for most altitudes.
For pint jars, you pressure can celery for 40 minutes.
For quart jars, you pressure can celery for 45 minutes.
Yes, these times are longer, but that’s because weighted gauges hold pressure differently.
So when someone asks how long do you pressure can celery with a weighted gauge, this is the answer you give them.
3. Altitude Adjustments
Altitude changes everything when you pressure can celery.
Above 2,000 feet, water boils at a lower temperature, so you need more pressure to reach the right internal heat.
For dial-gauge canners, use 12 PSI from 2,001 to 4,000 feet, 13 PSI from 4,001 to 6,000 feet, and 14 PSI above 6,000 feet.
For weighted-gauge canners, use 15 PSI above 1,000 feet.
Notice that the processing time stays the same, only the pressure changes.
So if you’re wondering how long to pressure can celery at high altitude, the time doesn’t change, but the PSI does.
Why You Must Pressure Can Celery
You must pressure can celery because it’s a low-acid food with a pH above 4.6.
That pH level creates the perfect environment for Clostridium botulinum spores to survive and thrive.
These spores aren’t killed by boiling water.
They need temperatures of 240°F or higher, which only a pressure canner can reach.
So when people ask how long do you pressure can celery and whether a water bath works, the honest answer is that a water bath simply isn’t safe.
Pressure canning celery is the only way to make it shelf-stable and safe.
1. Botulism Risk Is Real
Botulism is a serious, sometimes fatal illness caused by the toxin produced by Clostridium botulinum.
Improperly canned low-acid vegetables like celery are one of the most common culprits.
That’s why following tested times for how long to pressure can celery matters so much.
2. Celery’s pH Keeps It Low-Acid
Celery has a pH of around 5.7 to 6.0, which puts it firmly in the low-acid category.
Unlike tomatoes or pickles, celery can’t be acidified enough to make water bath canning safe.
So pressure canning celery isn’t optional, it’s mandatory.
Tips for Pressure Canning Celery Perfectly
Getting the timing right for how long to pressure can celery is only part of the job.
Here are a few tips to make sure your pressure canned celery turns out safe and tasty.
1. Pack Celery Properly
Wash, trim, and chop your celery into uniform pieces before packing.
You can hot pack or raw pack, but hot packing usually gives better texture.
Fill jars leaving about 1 inch of headspace.
Add boiling water or broth to cover the celery, then remove air bubbles.
2. Let the Canner Depressurize Naturally
Once your timer goes off, turn off the heat and let the pressure drop on its own.
Don’t rush it by removing the weight or opening the lid early.
Wait until the gauge reads zero, then wait a few more minutes before opening.
This step matters just as much as knowing how long to pressure can celery.
3. Check Your Seals
After jars cool for 12 to 24 hours, check that each lid is sealed.
Press the center of the lid, if it doesn’t pop up and down, it’s sealed.
Any jars that didn’t seal should go straight into the fridge and be eaten soon.
So, How Long Do You Pressure Can Celery?
You can pressure can celery for 25 to 30 minutes in a dial-gauge canner or 40 to 45 minutes in a weighted-gauge canner, depending on jar size.
You must pressure can celery because it’s a low-acid vegetable, and water bath canning simply isn’t safe.
Adjust your pressure for altitude, pack your jars properly, and let the canner cool naturally.
Follow these steps, and you’ll nail how long to pressure can celery every single time.