Colossal Olives

[Goodfella]

you guys are starting to kill me with this thread..... I might need to make some olives!!!!

 

[Wade E]

Dont know if they are still available anywhere. I did pull some out a week ago and they are tasty already but still young and most of them were still to hard to truly enjoy. I will not do the slice thing next time as the ones that were sliced never really lost all their acids like the ones that were cracked.

 

[Dean]

Ok, a couple of months ago I actually found some fresh olives! I followed a hybrid of Wade's recipe. However, instead I did a full 25 day water cure, and then brined them. I smashed each and every one with a rolling pin. I have to say, these olives are AMAZING! Best I've ever had, and I'm always buying olives. My only regret is that we only did 10lbs. Next year, I'm probably going to double that to 20lbs.

 

[AlFulchino]

good luck Dean...hope it comes out great...i love olives...someone gave me about 30 pounds of frozen blueberries last night..i am gonna try my hand at bb wine after the first of the year

 

[Runningwolf]

Dang I wish I hadn't seen this thread

. Now I have a craving for some cheese, olives, crackers and some wine. I can't tell you how many times that ended up being dinner. I think next year this is definitely a new project!

 

[Wade E]

Definitely worth it. I still have plenty left and need to take a whole lot out of the brine and get them ready soon. Havent had any in awhile.

 

[Randoneur]

Ok, a couple of months ago I actually found some fresh olives! I followed a hybrid of Wade's recipe. However, instead I did a full 25 day water cure, and then brined them. I smashed each and every one with a rolling pin. I have to say, these olives are AMAZING! Best I've ever had, and I'm always buying olives. My only regret is that we only did 10lbs. Next year, I'm probably going to double that to 20lbs.

Dean, you're holding out on us. You know we want the whole recipe!!

 

[Dean]

Here's what I did:
1. Rinse olives in cold water and drain
2. Crack olives for soaking. Place olive on hard surface and hit with a flat block or stone. I used a rolling pin. Try to hit hard just enough to crack the flesh. If you hit too hard you will break the olive in half.
3. Place the olives in a food grade plastic pail of fresh cold water. Be sure the olives are completely submerged. Close the container lid loosely and leave the olives to soak.
4. After 24 hours, drain water and cover again with fresh cool water. Repeat the water change daily for 20 to 25 days. This process removes the bitterness of the olives, and is called a "water cure". Any olives that look gross and float after that time, you toss out. I had about 6 or 7 that didn't look good.

For the first few days, they are going to look like you just bruised the hell out of them, but that will go away as they cure.

After the 25 days of curing:
1. Drain olives out of brine and sterilize your jars in the oven. 225 for 20 minutes should do.
2. Peel and pop open about 7 or 8 garlic cloves
3. add 1/2 tsp of dried oregano to each jar. I used 1 gallon BIG jars. I also smashed the cloves of garlic and placed 1 smashed clove in each jar and then equally divided the rest of the garlic in the jars minced fine.
4. Add 1 and 1/4 cups of Pickling salt to 4 litres of warm water and stir until dissolved. Then add 2 cups of white wine vinegar and stir well. Wait for this brine to cool down.
5. Add olives to the jars. Fill up to the top, but don't press down to pack them in.
7. When complete, pour the above brine into the jars and fill to top. Place put on cover securely
8. Try to keep all olives under water or they will get mildew (try a light weight on top)
9. Enjoy after a few days, as the olives are already cured, we just added a bit of salt and flavour to them. MUCH better than you'll ever find commercially!

 

[joeswine]

INTERESTING,I HAVE LBS. OF PITTED GREEN OLIVES IN THE BASEMENT NOW IN BRINE,WAITING FOR ME TO DIVIDE UP INTO QUART JARS,I WAS TOLD THEY WILL KEEP IN THE BRINE IN THE JARS,OR I COULD MARINATE SOME AS WELL, I LIKE THE OLIVES GREEK STILL,OR SICILIAN STYLE,BOTH ARE SIMILAR IN MAKE UP,GREEK WITH OLIVE OIL AND SPICES AND LEMON,SICILIAN WITH OREGANO,GARLIC,CRUSHED PEPPER FLAKES ,SALY AND EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL,(FOR BOTH) STYLE'S,OILS ARE GREAT SNACK AND GOOD FOR YOU ALSO.

 

[sjo]

Bump1



Have these finished off good? Do they get better with age? Has anyone else tried making olives?
SJO

 

[Runningwolf]

SJO, thanks for bumping up this post from years ago. I never did get around to making any. I called the local produce company and they were suppose to call me when they got olives in. Years later I'm still waiting. The recipes sound so good.

 

[sjo]

I was reminded of the post yesterday while standing in a store looking at a 30 foot section of nothing but olives. I did buy a few jars for a snack while shopping, came home and looked on line for a supplier and found none.
SJO

 

[grapeman]

I used to love eating olives until I was put on a low sodium diet. My wife bought me a bottle of the jumbo ones a month or so back. I read the label and told her I could only eat one a week for all the sodium in them. LOL Nobody can eat just one! And hey, you only live so long anyways- might as well enjoy it while you are here!