I've Got Olives...

[writerinla]

Here's the story:

I harvested a bunch of fresh olives from a tree in my yard late last summer and they have been brining in a large bucket ever since then. Now they have lost nearly all of their bitterness, and they are ready to be jarred. So now what?

This is the first time I've ever done this, so I am looking for any tips from people who may have done this themselves. Any good recipes for jarring? Anything I should know about the process. I've had experiencing canning/jarring other things - jams, chutney, preserved lemons - so I have a general idea what to do. But any help is appreciated...

[Junie D]

You don't need to can them, just keep in the brine, checking frequently for scum/mold on top and changing brine as needed. Keep in as cool a place as you can. I like to add a bit of vinegar to the brine at this point, both for flavor and preservative qualities. Nothing better than home cured olives - enjoy them!

[bushwickgirl]

Bravo to you. It's quite a feat and well worth it in the end, I would think. Canning olives is not recommended for black or only by using a pressure canner for lyed cured green. You didn't mention what variety you have, your choice of brine or what color the olives are. However, don't get discouraged, read on. You can freeze certain varieties of olives also, depending on their cure method, if canning them seems daunting.

Here's some canning home cured olives info:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/451709#3043766

From UCDavis Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources:

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&so...

Good luck to you.

[writerinla]

Thanks for the info.

The olives are all green and cured using a variation on the Greek method, but instead of smashing the them I simply cut a slit on one side to get the water inside them. I cured them for 2 months using just water (changed every day) and thereafter I brined them in water and kosher salt, changed every 10-14 days.