Olives, preparing for eating.

[dessiato]

I can get loads of olives (green only) but I don't know how to prepare them. I've googled for information and have loads.

Do, by any chance, any of you have experience, and/or recommendations?

Any advice greatly appreciated.

 

[weltweit]

De core and push anchovies fully in!

It is the only way

 

[dessiato]

De core and push anchovies fully in!

It is the only way

Wouldn't work. The olives need curing before they are edible.

 

[Ms T]

I think you need to brine them first. That's what they do in Turkey, anyway. Once they've been brined, I like to crack them and marinate in olive oil, herbs etc.

 

[ViolentPanda]

Google "lye cure for olives".

 

[dessiato]

Google "lye cure for olives".

I've done that, but first problem is getting it. I can find NaOH for cleaning but I'm not going to use that for food. I found a method using just salt but that seems to be for higher fat, fully ripe olives.

 

[ViolentPanda]

I've done that, but first problem is getting it. I can find NaOH for cleaning but I'm not going to use that for food. I found a method using just salt but that seems to be for higher fat, fully ripe olives.

In the quantities you'll use the lye, the provenance isn't important, only the chemical purity. My mate 'sandro's mum used to use sodium hydroxide she bought from a pharmacy - most pharmacies will source small quantities of high purity chemicals, either anhydrous or in solution.

 

[High Voltage]

In the quantities you'll use the lye, the provenance isn't important, only the chemical purity . . .

I was going to post

"It's worth a try - what could possibly go wrong with what VP has posted"

Then I remembered who the OP is

 

[ViolentPanda]

I was going to post

"It's worth a try - what could possibly go wrong with what VP has posted"

Then I remembered who the OP is

Me too!

I said to myself "he'll probably read xxml of lye per litre of water, and put in xxcl instead! "

 

[flypanam]

Wouldn't work. The olives need curing before they are edible.

On our honeymoon in Sicily I made my wife eat an olive I picked off a tree. She still hasn't forgiven me.

 

[dessiato]

Me too!

I said to myself "he'll probably read xxml of lye per litre of water, and put in xxcl instead! "

That I wouldn't do. (NaOH is solid so it'd be in grams rather than volume. )

 

[High Voltage]

Grams / Kilograms - all pretty much the same thing really

 

[farmerbarleymow]

I think you need to brine them first. That's what they do in Turkey, anyway. Once they've been brined, I like to crack them and marinate in olive oil, herbs etc.

And then put them in the bin.

 

[Pickman's model]

I can get loads of olives (green only) but I don't know how to prepare them. I've googled for information and have loads.

Do, by any chance, any of you have experience, and/or recommendations?

Any advice greatly appreciated.

by chance i was talking to someone while i was on holiday when this came up. he said he pricked the olives and placed them in a strong brine for a day or two, removed and washed them and placed them in a less strong brine and repeated several times with weaker saline solutions. i do not know how effective this is.

 

[dessiato]

by chance i was talking to someone while i was on holiday when this came up. he said he pricked the olives and placed them in a strong brine for a day or two, removed and washed them and placed them in a less strong brine and repeated several times with weaker saline solutions. i do not know how effective this is.

That's similar to some of the so-called quick methods. These still take several weeks or even months before they are ready. I'll give it a try.

 

[weltweit]

Ok, then just eat the anchovies on toast!

 

[badseed]

by chance i was talking to someone while i was on holiday when this came up. he said he pricked the olives and placed them in a strong brine for a day or two, removed and washed them and placed them in a less strong brine and repeated several times with weaker saline solutions. i do not know how effective this is.

This is how I did it, I scored each one with a knife before putting them in brine.
I changed the brine every day it was more hassle than it was worth.

 

[dessiato]

How strong is "strong" brine?

 

[badseed]

How strong is "strong" brine?

It has to float a potato.

 

[dessiato]

It has to float a potato.

How big a potato?

 

[badseed]

How big a potato?

250g (King Edward)

 

[dessiato]

Update

I cured them in plain water for a few weeks and have now had them in a medium brine for about a week. I plan to leave them for a while before replacing the brine and eating them.

I have 2 kilo of black olives to do now. I'm planning to do half of these in a stronger brine, and half in a dry salt cure. These should be ready in about three to four weeks.

 

[dessiato]

My first batch of dry cured is almost ready. I've just tasted one and it is near perfect. A few more days and then they will be. They should last up to 6 months in the fridge. This will be a challenge.

They water cured ones are ready. But, although they are OK, they're nothing special.

The brine cured ones need at least another week.

 

[dessiato]

Bump!

Time to do some more. They're big and fat this year. I've got a new bucket with lid for the cure. I'm only doing dry salt cure this year. I loved the ones we did last year, and they're the only type we can't buy in the supermarkets.

 

[not-bono-ever]

nom. Olives

 

[JimW]

Lyes, all lyes.
Or brine.

 

[dessiato]

Lyes, all lyes.
Or brine.

Easiest is dry salt cure.

 

[JimW]

Easiest is dry salt cure.

I am greener than your olives with envy

 

[dessiato]

I am greener than your olives with envy

I'm using fully ripe, black, olives. They seem to work better and give a better flavour.

 

[nogojones]

Has anyone tried this with British olives? My tree has been fruiting for a few years now and the olives on it look pretty tempting. They're dropping black at the moment. Any idea when you should harvest for green and black?