Article: Water curing gently removes oleuropein, a component in olives that gives them a sharp, bitter taste. Green olives are actually just immature olives (just like green tomatoes are immature tomatoes) and they are naturally pretty mild, so using water alone is sufficient to cure them. Green olives left on the vine to fully ripen will turn purple or black. Once they're fully ripe, water alone won't remove the bitter taste; you'll need to choose a different curing method. Make sure that they are as unbruised as possible. Look for holes left by insects or birds. If the olives were treated with chemicals, rinse them off before you begin the brining process. In order for the water to be able to reach the insides of the olives, you'll need to break or slit the olives to let the moisture in. You can do this with a wooden mallet or, more commonly, a rolling pin. Give the olives a light smack, keeping them as intact as possible. You want the flesh to tear, but don't completely mash it or rip it into several different pieces. You should also take care not to damage the pit. If you're concerned about the appearance of the olives, you can slit them with a knife instead. Take a sharp paring knife and make three slits in the olives to allow the water to penetrate. Use a food-grade plastic bin with a lid. Completely cover all of the olives with water, making sure none are poking out. You may need to weigh them down with something like a plate to keep them from floating above the surface of the water. Place the bin's cover loosely over the olives and put the container in a cool, dark place. Make sure you use a food-grade container that won't leach chemicals into the brine. A glass container also works well, but you'll need to make sure it isn't exposed to sunlight. At least once a day, change out the water with fresh, cold water. Make sure you don't forget, since otherwise bacteria could build up in the water and taint the olives. To change the water, just strain the olives through a colander, wash the pot, replace the olives and fill it back up with cold water. After one week of changing the water daily, taste an olive to see if the bitterness is at a level you like. If it is, the olives are ready; if you want the olives to be less bitter, wait a few more days (changing the water daily) before moving on. This is the solution that the olives will be stored in. It's a mixture of pickling salt, water and vinegar that will both preserve the olives and give them a delicious pickled taste. To make the brine, mix the following (makes enough for 10 pounds of olives): 1 gallon (3.8L) cool water 1 1/2 cups pickling salt 2 cups white wine vinegar Use a large glass jar with a lid or another storage container of your choice. Wash and dry the storage container thoroughly before placing the olives inside. Leave one inch of space at the top of the container. Pour it into the container to completely cover the olives. Place the lid on the container and store the olives in the refrigerator. You may add lemon peel, rosemary sprigs, roasted garlic, or black pepper to flavor the brine if you'd like. The olives will keep in their brine for up to a year in the refrigerator.
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Obtain fresh green olives. Inspect the olives. Break the olives. Place the olives in a plastic bin and cover with cold water. Change out the water. Continue the process for about a week. Make a finish brine. Drain the olives and place them in a storage container. Cover the olives with the brine.