Curing Olives

LYE (Sodium Hydroxide - NaOH) TREATMENT Lye solutions are 1/4 C Lye to 1 gallon water. This will heat up when you add the lye to the water so let it cool to below 70 degrees before adding olives Soak olives 12 hours in lye solution. Keep totally submerged. Use stainless, glass, lead free pottery, or plastic for the container. Drain. Soak olives 12 more hours in a fresh lye solution. Drain. Cut into a large olive to see whether the color of the flesh has changed to a yellow-green all the way to the pit. If yes then move to rinsing. If no, soak again in another fresh lye solution for 12 hours and try again. Rinse in cold water. Soak 6 hours in fresh, cold water. Change the water every 6 hours for 4 - 8 days until there is "no lye taste" (not my instructions I am merely the scribe) BRINE CURE Cover with salt brine, 6T salt to 1 Gallon Water. Let stand two days. Refrigerate and use within 2 weeks. To keep longer than two weeks, follow the next steps or process in a pressure canner. (the UCal Extension service allegedly has these instructions in the 2758 booklet). Drain. Cover with salt brine, 3/4 C + 1T salt to 1 gal water. Let stand 1 week. Drain. Cover with salt brine. 1 + 2/3 C salt to 1 gal water. Let stand 10 - 12 days. Drain. Cover with fresh brine. 1 + 2/3 C salt to 1 gal water. Store in a cool place - preferably a refrigerator. Use within 2 - 4 months. Before eating you may wish to soak olives in fresh water overnight to de-salt them. Use within 3 days after soaking.