Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 cups chopped celery
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh onion
• 1/4 cup dried minced onion
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon celery salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 (12.5 fl oz) cans cream of celery soup
• 1 gallon 1% milk
• 2 (10 ounce) cans condensed milk (optional)
• 8 (8 ounce) cans oysters, drained and liquid reserved

Instructions

1. Melt butter in a 10-quart stockpot over medium-high heat. Cook and stir celery, fresh onion, dried onion, black pepper, and celery salt in melted butter until celery and onion are tender, 7 to 10 minutes.
2. Reduce heat to low. Sprinkle flour over celery and onions; stir gently until flour becomes a smooth paste. Add the cream of celery soup; stir gently. Pour 1% milk, condensed milk, and liquid from the oysters into the mixture; stir. Gently fold oysters into the soup.
3. Increase heat to medium. Cook mixture at a simmer, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
4. Refrigerate soup for 24 to 48 hours before reheating gently to serve.