Curing Fresh Olives
Fresh olives pulled straight from the tree are shockingly bitter and dense. Time, salt, and water are the only tools you need to tame them into something you can eat by the handful.
Patience is your primary ingredient.
Curing is a slow conversion. If you rush the water changes or the salting process, the bitterness will remain locked in the fruit.
- Glass jars with tight-fitting lids
- Large non-reactive mixing bowl
- Sharp paring knife
- Cheesecloth
What goes in.
- 5 lbfreshly harvested olives
- as neededcoarse sea salt
- as neededfiltered water
- 1/2 cupwhite wine vinegar
The Daily Rinse
The key is the cadence of changing the water. Consistent daily rinsing flushes the leached bitterness away before it can reabsorb into the skin.
The method.
Sort and score
Inspect the olives and discard any with bruises or holes. Use a paring knife to make two long, shallow slits lengthwise on each olive to expose the flesh.
Submerge
Place the olives in a glass jar or food-grade bucket. Cover them completely with cool, filtered water. Use a small plate or weight to keep them submerged, as floating olives will oxidize and darken.
Change the water
Drain and refill the container with fresh water every single day. Do this for at least 14 days. After two weeks, taste one; if it is still too bitter, continue the process.
Brine and store
Once the bitterness has faded, mix a brine of 1 part salt to 10 parts water. Add the vinegar to the brine. Pack the olives into clean jars, cover with the brine, and seal. Store in a cool, dark place for at least two months before eating.
Other turns to take.
Dry Salt Cure
Layer olives in a porous bag with heavy salt. The salt draws the moisture and bitterness out over six weeks. Shake the bag daily.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Always use stainless steel or glass containers; the high acid and salt levels will corrode reactive metals.
If you see a thin film of yeast on the brine, simply skim it off; it is a natural part of the fermentation and not harmful.
Store the cured jars in the refrigerator once you have opened them to maintain texture.
The ones that keep coming up.
How do I know if they are finished curing?
The flesh will lose its crunch and become tender, and the sharp, medicinal bite of the raw olive will be gone. If you still pucker, keep them in the water bath for a few more days.
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