The most popular method of olive curing among our staff and customers has been the lye cure method. The results are fast and the flavor of the lye cured olives is generally clean and buttery. The natural bitterness in the olives is eliminated as the lye breaks the chemical bonds between the oleuropein phenol compound and sugars in the olives. We recommend you give this fast and popular method a try with at least a portion of your olives. You will have olives to eat in as little as 10 days, well before any edible olives can be had from the alternative methods.
Preparation Time: About 10 days.
Ingredients
Green, Straw-Colored, or Slightly Red Olives
Food-Grade Lye - 1 tbsp per quart of curing solution
Kosher or Pickling Salt - 1-2 oz by weight per quart of brine solution
Cold Water
Equipment
Protective Equipment - Safety Gloves, Safety Glasses or Face Mask, Closed-toed shoes, Long sleeves and pants
Food-Grade Plastic or Glass Containers - at least two
Lye-Resistant Utensils
Nylon Mesh Bag to Contain Olives during Curing
Heavy Kitchen Plate or Other Food-Grade Weight to Keep Olives Submerged
Olive Curing with Lye - Quick Version of the Directions
FOR MORE DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS, WE RECOMMEND YOU READ THE PUBLICATION 8267 "OLIVES: SAFE METHODS FOR HOME PICKLING" BY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA DIVISION OF AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES.
USE THE FOLLOWING LINK TO READ THE DETAILED UC DAVIS PUBLICATION.