Olive Preserving
Ingredients
- Olive Brine
- 2 qts water
- 1 cup pickling salt sea salt or kosher salt is ok to use
- For Canning
- 5 each lemons sliced into rounds
- 10 sprigs fresh thyme
- 10 each tiny peppers dried, optional
- 5 lbs raw olives washed, stems removed
Instructions
- Harvest olives and wash well. Be sure to remove any stems, leaves, and debris.
- Slice each olive with a knife. Place sliced olives in cold water and store in an air tight container for 3 days. Change the water one to two times per day. This helps to remove much of the bitterness.
- Olives are ready to can on the 3rd or 4th day.
- Prepare brine by mixing salt and water. Stir until salt is dissolved. Slice lemons.
- Place one slice of lemon in the bottom of each canning jar, followed by a sprig of thyme, 1 clove of garlic (sliced into 3 pieces) and a hot pepper (if desired).
- Pack each canning jar with pre-soaked olives. Be sure to really pack them in tightly.
- Pour brine solution into each canning jar. Top off each jar with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.
- Place a lid on your olives and store at room temperature for 30 days.
- After 30 days, your olives are ready! If they are too bitter for you, leave for 2 additional weeks. Too salty? pour out half of the brine solution and top off with water, being sure to drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and taste again in 2 weeks.
- Olives can be stored for one year. No refrigeration or canning bath needed.
- Enjoy!
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