Fermenting Green Olives

[clspie]

I got gifted 1/2 gallon of green olives.
I am water curing them in the refrigerator, for now.
I want to brine cure them, after some of the bitterness is gone.
If anyone can give advise I would love some.
Also, is there anything I can do with the bitter water that I pour off?

Thank You

[Worth1]

I have never in my life ever heard of water curing anything much less an olive.
Sounds like a recipe for rot to me and would not do it.
Well maybe in the refrigerator.
As for the brine cure from an old Sicilian lady you take a fresh egg and use enough salt in the water to float the egg.
I am sure there are better ways to determine the amount of salt than this but that is how they did it in the old country.
Why a fresh egg?
An old egg has more of an air pocket in it and will float sooner for a given amount of salt.

As for the water no I have no idea what your would use it for.
Worth

[Worth1]

Here is something I found you might like.
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...-DluL_Vk-k-d9w

[coronabarb]

http://anrcatalog.ucanr.edu/pdf/8267.pdf

Water curing is the first step to remove the bitter compounds. They are finished in a salt brine.

[coronabarb]

clspie, how are your olives coming along?

[clspie]

Still water curing them in the refrigerator. I have been changing the water daily, to get rid of some of the bitterness. In a few days I will begin to ferment them, similar to fermenting sauerkraut, but maybe changing the brine a couple of times to further reduce the bitterness. I'll be lucky to have them done by Christmas. Thank you for taking an interest. I'll post progress as things move along.

[coronabarb]

I lived most of my life in So California where there are olive trees everywhere. I knew people who cured olives but I never wanted to try it myself.

[imp]

I like the way olive trees look, as well as eating ripe olives, LOL. I am impressed by you curing your olives, please do post more about it as you go, I'd enjoy reading about what you are doing!

[clspie]

After water curing in the refrigerator, changing the water daily(for 20 days), today I brined the olives. I used one tablespoon of salt to each cup water (needed 3 cups of brine). They will stay in this brine 12 days. Next step will be changing the brine and adding spices then waiting 5-6 weeks and hopefully they will have taste that's not too bitter.

[imp]

That looks so good! What herbs are you adding in your brine?

[clspie]

Originally Posted by imp

That looks so good! What herbs are you adding in your brine?

Thank You
When I change the brine, I think that I'll add fresh lemon and pickling spice.

[imp]

MMM, lemon in olives? Might be a nice bright note.