Dry Salt-Cured Olives
A simple method to dry salt-cure olives yields full-flavored, slightly wrinkled black olives comparable to store-bought varieties.
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Instructions
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Select ripe, small olives, remove any stems, then rinse and drain thoroughly.
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For the jar method, prick 1-2 small holes in each olive. For either the jar or muslin bag method, layer 1/4-inch salt and olives (no more than two deep) in a large jar, crock, or combine in a muslin bag, ensuring olives are fully covered with salt.
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Store at room temperature, stirring or shaking daily. Replenish salt as needed to keep olives covered. If the salt mixture becomes fully liquid, drain and re-layer with fresh salt.
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Cure for three weeks; if using a bag, hang it over a container to collect any liquid.
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After three weeks, rinse one olive and taste. If too bitter, continue curing with added salt and retest weekly until shriveled with a mildly bitter, pleasant flavor.
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Once cured, brush off or quickly rinse the salt. If rinsed, spread olives in a single layer and dry completely, which may take several hours.
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Before serving, toss the cured olives with 1 tablespoon of extra-virgin olive oil.