Clean, trim, and cook. That’s how to grill celery. You might be thinking “That sounds too easy!” Well, you’re right about that. There’s a little more to grilling celery than just those three simple steps, but not much more.
The best celery for the grill comes from bunches made up of large, pale green stalks. The ribs should be firm and crispy. Fresh celery stalks should snap when bent to a 90% angle.
Buying Celery
The celery should be clean…too much dirt and debris can hide imperfections and can also harbor unwanted bacteria.
Look for brown spots on the stalks. If the celery is otherwise fresh, lightly discolored celery is OK to use. The brown areas can be easily trimmed off before the celery spears are grilled.
More mature celery can be tough and stringy. I’ve found that celery that is colored a deep green and has small stalks is usually on the tough side and strong tasting. Celery like that is good when chopped for other recipes, but it’s not the best for grilled celery recipes.
Preparing Celery for the Grill
This is easy. Leave the bunch intact during the first few steps.
- Wash the celery well. Gently fan the stalks outward to be sure they are clean all the way around.
- Trim off the dried/discolored tops. You’ll probably only need to cut off 1/4 inch or so. Since the ribs are still connected at the base, it takes just one slice of the knife.
- Remove any leaves and small stems. Chop and save for other recipes.
- Cut off the base. Removing about 1/2 inch from the bottom of the bunch will allow you to separate the spears. Trim this piece well and save it for the stock pot.
- Double check the spears for any remaining dirt, and clean if necessary.
When grilling celery, it cooks fairly quickly over medium to medium-high heat. Turn the grilling celery after two minutes to prevent burning. When almost done, the celery can be moved to a cool part of the grill. When perfectly done, celery will be tender, yet slightly crisp.