The ripening of olives is an ancient process that transforms naturally bitter fruits into delicious savory and slightly sour snacks. Choose the most suitable method based on the type of olives you have. Storage in water, in brine, dry or with caustic soda all offer a product with a different flavor and texture. It is a long process but it allows you to infuse the olives with the taste you prefer.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: In the Water
Step 1. Get some fresh olives
The process in water delicately eliminates oleuropein, the element that determines the bitter and pungent taste of the olives. Green ones are actually unripe fruits (just like green tomatoes) and are naturally more delicate, so pure water is enough for them to ripen.
If left on the tree, green olives fully ripen and turn purple or black. Once this stage is reached, water alone is unable to eliminate their bitter taste and you will have to choose another curing technique
Step 2. Check the olives
Make sure there are no traces of dents as much as possible. Also check that there are no small holes left by insects or birds. If they have been treated with chemicals, rinse them off before starting processing.
Step 3. Break the olives
To allow the water to reach the inside of the fruit, you need to break or cut them. You can use a wooden hammer or, more commonly, a rolling pin. Tap the olives lightly trying to leave them intact. The pulp must crack a little but not pulp. It also does not damage the core.
If you are concerned about the aesthetic appearance of the olives, you can simply carve them with a knife. Get a sharp one and make three incisions in each fruit to allow the water to penetrate
Step 4. Transfer the olives to a plastic bucket and cover them with cold water
Use a food-grade container that has a lid. Completely submerge the fruit and make sure none are exposed to the air. You may need to use a plate or other object as a sinker to keep them underwater. Place the lid on the bucket without sealing it and store it in a cool, dark place.
Make sure the bucket is food grade and does not release chemicals into the liquid. A glass container is also suitable, but you need to be sure it is never exposed to sunlight
Step 5. Change the water
At least once a day, replace the old water with the new, fresh one. Never forget to do this, otherwise bacteria will proliferate in the liquid and contaminate the olives. To change the water, simply drain the olives in a colander and rinse the container. Finally, return the olives to the bucket and submerge them in clean, cold water.
Step 6. Continue this process for about a week
After seven days, during which you changed the water daily, taste the olives to see if they have lost their bitter taste and if you like them. If so, they are ready; if you think they are still too bitter, wait a few more days (always changing the water) before proceeding with the next steps.
Step 7. Prepare the final brine
This solution is used to preserve the olives in the long term. It is a mixture of seasoning salt, water and vinegar that preserves the olives giving them a pleasant pickled taste. To prepare the brine, mix the following ingredients together (enough for 5 kg of olives):
- 4 liters of cold water.
- 500 g of seasoning salt.
- 500 ml of white vinegar.
Step 8. Drain the olives and place them in a container
You can use a large glass jar with a lid or other similar container. Wash and dry it thoroughly before storing the olives. Leave a couple of inches of space on the edge of the jar.
Step 9. Cover the olives with the brine
Pour in the liquid and return the jar to the refrigerator.
- If you wish, you can add lemon zest, rosemary sprigs, roasted garlic or black pepper.
- The olives will keep up to a year in the refrigerator.
Method 2 of 4: Pickled
Step 1. Get some fresh olives
You can use both green and black ones, as the brine (a mixture of water and salt) will preserve them, as well as give them a good salty taste. This method is longer than the one in water, but is more suitable for ripe olives. The Manzanillo, Mission and Kalatama varieties are the most seasoned with brine.
- Check the fruits to make sure they are as free of bruises as possible. Also check that there are no small holes left by insects or birds. If the olives have been treated with chemicals, rinse them before processing.
- You should also select the olives by size. A batch matures more homogeneously if made up of fruits of similar size.
Step 2. Cut the olives
To allow the brine to reach the inside of the fruit, you need to make incisions in the pulp. Make vertical cuts with a sharp knife, but be careful not to touch the core.
Step 3. Put the olives in glass jars that have a lid
They must be stored in airtight and glass containers so they will be protected from the air. Remember to leave a couple of inches of free space on the edge of the container.
Step 4. Cover the olives with the mild brine
Mix 250 g of seasoning salt with four liters of cold water. Pour the mixture into the jars to completely submerge the fruit. Close the containers and store them in a cool, dark place such as the cellar or pantry.
Step 5. Wait a week
During this period the olives will begin to mature. Do not disturb them and let the salt water soak into the fruit.
Step 6. Drain the olives
After a week, remove them from the liquid that you will throw away because it is impregnated with the bitter aroma of the olives. Return the fruit to the jars.
Step 7. Make a concentrated brine
Mix 500 g of seasoning salt with 4 liters of water. Pour it into the jars to submerge the fruit and close the lids.
Step 8. Store the olives for two months
Put them in a cool place out of sunlight. After two months, taste them to see if they are still bitter or if you like them. If they aren't ready yet, change the brine and let the olives rest for another month or two. This process can be repeated until you are satisfied with the result.
Method 3 of 4: Dry
Step 1. Get ripe olives
The black and oily ones must be dry seasoned with salt. The Manzanillo, Mission and Kalatama varieties are usually worked with this technique. Make sure they are ripe and dark in color, check them for dents or holes left by insects and birds.
Step 2. Wash the olives
If they have been treated with chemicals, rinse them with water before processing. Wait until they are completely dry before proceeding.
Step 3. Weigh the fruit
Use a kitchen scale to figure out their weight exactly. You will need half a kilo of seasoning salt for every kilo of olives.
Step 4. Prepare the seasoning box
You can use a wooden one (like the one for fruit) with a depth of 15 cm and two slats on each side. Line the box with canvas, making sure to cover the sides as well. Secure it with nails or tacks on top. Prepare a second cassette identical to the first.
Alternatively, you can use cheesecloth, an old sheet or cotton handkerchiefs; the important thing is that there is enough tissue to hold the salt and absorb liquids
Step 5. Mix the olives with the salt
For every kilo of olives, add half a kilo of coarse salt for seasoning. Make sure you mix the two ingredients well because all the olives must come into contact with the salt.
- Do not use regular table salt enriched with iodine because it alters the flavor of the olives. Get the one for seasoning.
- Don't be stingy with salt as it is the ingredient that prevents mold growth.
Step 6. Pour the salted olives into the lined box
They must all fit in a box and then sprinkle them with a layer of salt. Cover the box with cheesecloth to protect the contents from insects.
Step 7. Store the cassette outside but in a covered place
You have to protect the surface with oilcloth because the liquid dripping from the olives can stain it. Avoid placing the box directly on the ground but keep it raised with bricks to ensure air circulation also on the bottom.
Step 8. After a week, mix the olives
Transfer them to the second, clean box you prepared. Shake it to mix the olives well and then return them to the original container. This ensures that the fruits are evenly coated with salt and allows you to check for any damaged or rotten elements. Eliminate these olives because they are not edible.
- Any olives with white spots (probably a fungus) must be removed. Usually these spots appear, at the beginning, on the extremity of the fruit where there is the stem.
- Check the olives to be sure they are maturing at an even rate. If they have lumpy and other wrinkled areas, you should moisten them before re-covering them with salt. This helps the still pulpy areas to dry out.
Step 9. Repeat the process every week for a month
After this time, taste them to see if they are to your taste. If you feel they are still bitter, continue the process for a couple of weeks. It may take up to six months, depending on the size of the fruit. When ready, the olives are soft and shriveled.
Step 10. Drain the mixture
Remove the salt by sifting the olives on top of the panels or take them one by one by shaking them.
Step 11. Let the olives dry overnight
Place them on paper towels or cotton cloths.
Step 12. Keep them
Mix them with half a kilo of salt for every 5 kg of olives so that they can be stored for a long time. Transfer them to sealed glass jars and then refrigerate for several months or more.
You can also add extra virgin olive oil or spices, according to your taste
Method 4 of 4: With Caustic Soda
Step 1. Take proper precautions when working with caustic soda
It is a product that can cause burns. Wear chemical resistant gloves and suitable safety goggles. Never use plastic or metal containers (not even lids because caustic soda dissolves metals).
- Do not use this technique if there are children who can come into contact with the olives or the solution.
- Work in a well-ventilated room. Open the windows and turn on a fan to improve air circulation.
Step 2. Clean the olives
This technique is suitable for large fruits such as those of the Sevilla variety. It can also be used for green or ripe ones. Remove any damaged, bruised fruit and sort the batch by size if you like.
Step 3. Place the olives in a caustic soda resistant container
We remind you not to use metal; choose ceramic or glass.
Step 4. Prepare the solution
Pour 4 liters of water into the special container and add 60 g of caustic soda (and not vice versa!). The solution will immediately begin to heat up. Wait for the temperature to drop to 18-21 ° C before adding the olives.
- Always add soda to water and not water to caustic soda. Doing it in reverse could cause an explosive reaction.
- Use the correct proportions. An excess of caustic soda will ruin the olives, too little will not be effective.
Step 5. Pour the mixture over the olives
Submerge them completely in the liquid and use a plate as a sinker to keep them underwater. If they remain exposed to air they become black. Cover the container with cheesecloth.
Step 6. Stir the mixture every two hours until the caustic soda reaches the core of the olives
For the first eight hours, mix and coat the mixture. After this time, he begins to check the fruits to see if the caustic soda has reached the heart. Wear sturdy gloves and pick a few large specimens. If they cut easily and the pulp is yellow-green and soft, then they are ready. If the pulp, on the other hand, is still light in the center, let the olives rest for a few more hours.
Never handle olives with bare hands. If you don't have chemical resistant gloves, use a spoon to remove the fruits from the caustic soda mixture and rinse them under running water for several minutes before checking if they are ready
Step 7. Change the solution if needed
If the olives are very green, the caustic soda will reach the core within 12 hours. In this case, drain the fruits and cover them with a new solution. After another 12 hours repeat the procedure if the olives are not yet well seasoned.
Step 8. Let the olives soak for three days
Change the water at least twice a day. This process washes the olives and eliminates the caustic soda. Each time you change the water, you notice that it is getting clearer.
Step 9. On the fourth day, taste an olive
If it's sweet and luscious with no bitter or soapy aftertaste, move on to the next step. If it still tastes like caustic soda, let it soak again until the rinse water runs clear.
Step 10. Store the olives in a lightly concentrated brine
Put them in glass jars and add a mixture prepared with 6 tablespoons of salt and 4 liters of water. Completely submerge the olives and let them rest for a week. At this point they are ready to eat; transfer them to the refrigerator, they will keep for a few weeks.
Advice
- The olives preserved in salt and shriveled will regain vigor if marinated for a few days with oil.
- In case of caustic soda burns, immediately put the burned part under running water to remove any residue, it is important then to consult a doctor in a timely manner. Never try to neutralize caustic soda burns with vinegar or lemon juice, mixing acids and bases is dangerous.
- The brine has the right proportions when you can put a whole egg inside and it floats.
- Make sure the caustic soda is food grade. Never use products for cleaning the oven or those for gushing the drains to preserve the olives (they contain caustic soda).
- If you want to obtain a concentrated brine, boil the water and salt and then let it cool before adding the olives.
Warnings
- Foam may form on the surface of the brine. It is not harmful as long as the olives are completely immersed in the liquid and do not come into contact with it. Simply remove it when it forms.
- Do not taste the olives while they are soaking in caustic soda, wait three days after rinsing with water.
