Fresh olives are inedible due to the bitter substances they contain and must therefore first be debittered. They can then be preserved in brine, vinegar or olive oil.
Always debitter fresh olives
Before you can store and enjoy olives, you need a little patience. The drupes are extremely bitter and therefore do not taste good. However, their bitterness can be removed by soaking them in water or brine. To do this, dissolve 500 grams of salt per liter of water and completely cover the olives - previously cut or "tapped" several times - with this brine. The solution should be changed daily, and the jar should be placed in a dark and cool place. Debittering can take several weeks, depending on how bitter or mild you like the fruit.
pickle olives
Once the olives have been debittered, you can start pickling the fruit. You can remove excess salt from them beforehand by bathing them in clear water for a few more days. To insert, use a clay pot with a tight-fitting lid or a mason jar with a suitable closure. It is important that the fruit is completely covered by olive or sunflower oil, as this prevents air from penetrating. However, keep in mind that some oils can quickly become rancid, which affects the shelf life. A dark and cool location prevents oxidation and thus the oil and olives from going bad.
How to pickle olives
- debittered olives, spices as desired and taste (e.g. peppers, thyme and rosemary sprigs, bay leaves, peppercorns…) alternately in a container
- Add other ingredients to taste (e.g. diced feta cheese or finely chopped vegetables).
- season the mixture with good vinegar (red wine vinegar) or lemon juice
- Top up with olive or sunflower oil
- Close the lid and set in a dark, cool place
Store bought olives
It is best to keep already prepared, bought olives in a dark and cool place. Alternatively, if you don't want to store your olives in oil, you can salt them, i.e. H. salt If possible, olives should not be frozen, as this causes a loss of taste - frozen olives become mushy and often bitter.
tips and tricks
You can increase the shelf life of the olives by adding vinegar or lemon juice. However, these ingredients affect the taste of the fruit, which is why the addition of other vegetables and herbs should be coordinated.
The garden journal freshness ABC
How can fruit and vegetables be stored correctly so that they stay fresh for as long as possible?
The garden journal freshness ABC as a poster:
- as a free PDF file to print out yourself