Water Curing "Smashed" or "Cracked" Olives
This procedure is recommended for large green olives.
- Wash the olives. With a stone or mallet, crack the meat of the olive, taking care not to bruise the pit.
- Put the olives in a pan and cover with cold water for 6 to 8 days, changing the water twice a day, morning and evening, until the bitterness is gone (taste to test).
- When ready, fill the pan with brine (about 1 part sea salt to 10 parts water) and lemon juice (about 1 part lemon juice to 10 parts water), transfer to jars if desired, and refrigerate for several hours before eating.
Brine Curing
Use this method for
black olives. To test the water-to-salt ratio, place a raw egg in the mixture; it is perfect when the egg floats. For cracked olives, when they're ready to eat, transfer to a brine that's less salty to keep for long periods.
- Wash the olives. With a sharp knife, make a cut in the meat of the olive (top to bottom) without cutting the pit.
- In a pan, soak the olives in brine (1 part sea salt to 10 parts water). Make sure the olives are submerged (use something to weight them down) and cover.
- Cure the olives for 3 weeks, shaking the pan each day and changing the brineeach week, then taste for bitterness. This process could take 5 to 6 weeks depending on the olives.
- When they taste the way you want, place in jars with brine (1 part sea salt to 10 parts water), add 4 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, and top with a layer of olive oil.
Dry (Salt) Curing Outside
This is the best method to use for large black olives.
- Outdoors, layer olives with coarse sea salt (about 1 pound of salt for every 2 pounds of olives) in a basket, burlap bag, or wooden box lined with burlap that allows air to circulate.
- Leave the olives outside with plastic underneath to catch the juices that drain for 3 to 4 weeks, shaking daily, and adding a little more salt every 2 to 3 days.
- Taste for bitterness, rinsing the olive first. When no longer bitter, you can either shake off excess salt and keep them that way or shake off the excess salt and dip them quickly in boiling water to get rid of the salt.
- They can be marinated for a few days in olive oil to regain plumpness (this type of curing will shrivel them), or just coated well with olive oil, using your hands, before eating.
Dry (Salt) Curing in Jars
Small black olives are recommended for this method.
In glass jars, alternate layers of olives with coarse salt. Every day for 3 weeks, shake well and add more salt to absorb the juices.
Test for bitterness (rinsing the olive first). Continue to cure if bitterness remains; otherwise, add warm water to cover and 4 tablespoons of good-quality
red-wine vinegar and top with a layer of olive oil. They will be ready to eat after 4 to 5 days.
Oil Curing
Cover any type of olive in olive oil and leave them alone for several months. Test for taste.
) I have ripe and ripening olives.
