Colossal Olives

[vcasey]

He found them at the placehttp://www.greatolives.com/products.php
That's all right Wade, he is busy pouting because I said he could get them only when he had time to deal with them. Since he is in the middle of converting a freezer into a kegerator and making it presentable so it can be used behind the bar he wants to build I have no worries he'll even try to get them this year. The tree may be another story!
VC

 

[Wade E]

I got them at M&M Produce in Hartford Ct. for $18.50 each.

 

[moto-girl]

Ahh, another great foodie hobby. I'm afraid I'll have to wait until next year as well. But now I can plan ahead!

 

[Dean]

VERY interested in the outcome! I've always wanted to do this, however, could never find fresh olives. Maybe when I move to Tuscany one day.

 

[jobe05]

Very interesting project Wade. I have looked into making these a while back, but I didn't really care for the taste of a green olive, so I decided not to venture into it. However I do like the stuffed ones once in a while.

I'll stay tuned to this thread to see how they come out.

Wade: I have on hand about 100 pound of Lye (sodium hydroxide) if you need some. As I recall, you would only need about a table spoon full for a nice size batch. You use it in your initial soak stage to remove any proteins that should not be present in Olive's.......... like bird and insect poop..........

 

[Wade E]

Lye is what people use to soak the olives in if not cracking them open to release the acids. I dont feel safe using it and am following my friends recipe as his come out "to die for"

 

[moto-girl]

How many quarts does one get from 10 lbs? I'm actually thinking of jumping in this adventure and I'm just wondering how much to order.

 

[Wade E]

Ill have a better idea tomorrow as I transfer them from the to 2 10 liter demijohns.

 

[moto-girl]

I ordered a box from Chaffin family orchards in Oroville, Ca. 20 lbs was shipped to my house for a mere $35. I didn't really know what 20 lbs looked like when it came to olives, until I opened that box and started cracking them and putting them in water. That's alot of olives! Now my little babies are soaking. Now to firm up my brining recipe and find some large glass containers to hold them in.

 

[Wade E]

Did you crack them or cut them? I cut them and it does not work anywhere as good and will smack them with rolling pin next time.

 

[Wade E]

16 lbs of olives pretty much filled both 10 liter demi johns.

 

[moto-girl]

I cut them. I don't really know what to expect because I've never done this before. 20 lbs is about at the 5 gallon mark on my primary.

 

[Wade E]

I think you better whack each one cause cutting them didnt do anything! I had them like that for 1 week and thats when my buddy did his and he tried it this way also and then emailed me to whack them cause it wasnt working so I did and right after that the water got all slimy and started turning green from the acids being released. I used 2 primaries.

 

[moto-girl]

The water had been a light yellow green color. I went and bought a ceramic knife to do the cutting and some of the cuts are brown. Ugg! I'm wondering if this will fade in time or just look ugly forever?
I really don't want to whack them. I just got 50 lbs of apples and am in the middle of dealing with that. But if they must be whacked , I'll put on my Tony Soprano hat and get to it!

 

[moto-girl]

Wade, do you just store these in a cool place, like a basement or do they need to be refrigerated? I was hoping to keep them in the basement in the brine covered in olive oilwith a tight fitting lid on top with little headspace.

 

[Wade E]

Yep, the basement is where my buddy keeps his just like you and me will, mine is resting in my wine cellar!

 

[moto-girl]

Good to know I'm in good company then. Mine will be nestled among the bottles as well. I just changed the water and they seem to be coming along nicely, for all I know. The water smelled of olives and was a little off color, but not slimey. The olives are changing color, from bright green to a more ' green olive' color. I have the Bourani variety of olive; not sure it makes a difference.
The orchard I went through will have black olives in about 6 to 8 weeks.

 

[moto-girl]

I put these in these in the brine today. One batch I did with lemons, garlic, oregano and dill. The other batch I did with lemons, garlic, oregano, and chili flakes. They look beautiful and I have high hopes for them.

 

[Wade E]

Make sure they are all under the brine by weighting them down. Im not a big lemon lover.

 

[moto-girl]

They are all under the brine with a thick layer of olive oil on top. I used one lemon split between the batches. Just enough, not enough to overpower.