Curing Your Own Olives
Fresh olives off the tree are inedible due to their intense bitterness. Patience is your primary ingredient; once the fruit is processed and cured, it loses that astringency and takes on the familiar texture of a pantry staple.
Consistency is everything.
Ensure your olives are free of bruises or insect holes, as imperfections will cause the entire batch to spoil in the brine. Always use non-iodized salt, as iodine can discolor the fruit.
- Glass jars with tight-fitting lids
- Large ceramic or glass bowl
- Cheesecloth
- Heavy ceramic plate
What goes in.
- 5 lbfresh, unblemished olives
- 1 cupsea salt
- 1 gallonfiltered water
- to tastelemon peel, fennel seeds, and garlic cloves for the final jar
Maintaining the Seal
Olives must stay completely submerged in the liquid to prevent mold. Use a clean, non-reactive weight or a heavy plate to keep them pressed below the waterline at all times.
The method.
Sort and wash
Discard any olives with brown spots or splits. Rinse them under cold water and pat dry.
Crack or pit
Use a wooden mallet to gently crack the skin of each olive, or leave them whole for a slower cure. Cracked olives cure in about 3 weeks; whole olives can take 6 months.
Prepare the brine
Dissolve the salt in the water until it is fully incorporated. The ratio should be roughly 10 parts water to 1 part salt.
Submerge
Place olives in jars, cover with brine, and weigh them down so no fruit touches the air. Store in a cool, dark place.
Test
After three weeks for cracked olives, taste one. If it is still unpleasantly bitter, change the brine and wait another week.
Finish
Once cured to your preference, drain the brine, rinse the olives, and pack them into clean jars with olive oil and aromatics.
When it doesn't go to plan.
If you notice a thin white film on the surface, it is often harmless yeast, but skim it off immediately to keep the brine clear.
Use a dark cupboard; light encourages unwanted growth in the jar.
Do not use metal containers for curing, as the salt will corrode the surface and leave a metallic taste in the fruit.
The ones that keep coming up.
How do I know when they are ready?
The color will shift from a bright green or deep purple to a more muted, uniform shade, and the flesh will have lost that sharp, stinging bite.
Can I use table salt?
Avoid table salt with anti-caking agents or iodine; both can cloud the brine or turn the olives dark and soft.
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