Brined olives

Name: Brined olives
Total time: 35 d 30 min
Yield: 1 one-litre jar
Ingredients: 500 g fresh, unblemished olives; 80 g coarse salt and 1 litre water, for the brine; cold water for rinsing; optional: 2 garlic cloves, a sprig of rosemary or thyme, a few strips of lemon peel and 2 tablespoons wine vinegar

Updated on 9 October 2026

Makes: 1 one-litre jar
Time: 30 min + 1–2 weeks in water + 4–8 weeks in brine
From: Olive tree

Ingredients

500 g fresh, unblemished olives
80 g coarse salt and 1 litre water, for the brine
cold water for rinsing
optional: 2 garlic cloves, a sprig of rosemary or thyme, a few strips of lemon peel and 2 tablespoons wine vinegar

Method

Slit each olive lengthways or crush it lightly with the flat of a knife, so the bitterness can leach out faster.
Put them in a jar of cold water with a small weight on top to keep them submerged. Change the water every day for 7 to 14 days.
Dissolve the salt in the water for the brine.
Put the olives and flavourings in a clean jar, pour over the brine to cover and weigh them down.
Close loosely and leave to mature for 4 to 8 weeks (sometimes longer) somewhere cool, until they are as mild as you like. Taste regularly.
Rinse them briefly before eating, or soak them for an hour in fresh water if they are too salty.

Storing: Keeps for several months in the brine in the fridge. A layer of olive oil on top protects against mould.