A natural cure for olive lovers


By: Judy Davie - The Food Coach

Anyone who's ever tried eating an olive straight off the tree knows never do that again because they are completely unpalatable. The reason for this is because olives contain intensely bitter tasting phenolic compounds and luropein which are removed through curing.

Commercial curing uses lye or caustic soda, a hazardous chemical which can cause the skin to burn or blindness if it splashes in your eyes. This method is much safer and it called a brine cure.

Days 1 to 10 - Soak olives in water
Completely submerge the olives in a bucket of cold water.
Weight the olives down to keep them submerged.
Replace the water daily

Days 11 - 20 - Soak olives in concentrated brine solution
Make brine solution - 4 litres water to 1 cup non iodised sea salt
Weight the olives down to keep them submerged.
Replace the brine daily. This is the process that starts to leach the glucosides from the olives.

Week 3 - 8 to 12 - Soak olives in less concentrated brine solution
Make brine solution - 4 litres water to half a cup non iodised sea salt
Weight the olives down to keep them submerged.
Replace the brine weekly
After 8 weeks taste the olives and if they have developed a rich flavour, reduce the brine concentration for final storage. Otherwise leave for longer.

Final storage - weeks 8-12 onwards
Make a weaker brine solution - 4 litres water to a quarter of a cup salt or less
Transfer the olives to sterilised jar.
Cover with the brine solution and lid and store in a cool dark pantry or fridge.

Olives should have a firm flesh and not softy and squishy.

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