Keeping Olives Fresh With Just a Little Salt

Olives play an important role in any kitchen, whether they are used as an appetizer or an ingredient in a recipe. Due to their utility and versatility, it is nice to know that you can have fresh olives on hand at any given time. And here, we are going to explain how to conserve your olives so that they can be enjoyed whenever you like.

Before even getting started, you want to make sure that you are working with ripe olives that are free of any bruises or imperfections. This particular method of conservation works especially well with green olives, as they have a much crunchier texture and intense flavor than black olives.

Conserving Olives in Salt

In order to prepare your olives for conservation, start by peeling off their skins. This can easily be done with either a peeler or a knife.

Next, we need to mellow the olive’s bitter flavor. The bitterness is caused by a chemical known as oleuropein, and it needs to be removed before conservation. This is done by soaking the olives in cold water and then draining them. This step should be done several times.

Now, we will create our salt solution. This will end up being a mixture of ten parts water and one part non-iodized salt. Once the solution is ready, add the olives to the bath, making sure each olive is completely immersed. In terms of storage location, choose a dry and cool place. Make sure that your container is tightly sealed so there is no chance of mold forming. Now, your olives can be stored for months on end.

An Alternative Method

Another method for conserving olives requires a hermetically sealed glass jar. Begin by sterilizing your jar by letting it soak in boiling water for about half an hour. Meanwhile, rinse your olives in the sink and dry them thoroughly. When the jar is clean and dry, pour some salt into the jar until a small layer has formed. Add a layer of olives on top of the salt and top that layer with another layer of salt. Continue this process until the jar is full. Finally, seal the top of the jar with plastic wrap and screw on the top.

After your jar of olives has sat for ten days, remove the olives. Drain them by using a colander and then place them in the oven at 70 degrees Celsius for about ten minutes. Lastly, take the olives out and place them back in the jar once they are at room temperature. Now, you will have crunchy and tasty olives at your disposal.