Mix 1 tablespoon lye with 1 quart water. Pour over the olives. Soak 12 hours. Drain the olives and soak for 12 more hours in a fresh lye solution.
- Is lye in olives bad for you?
- What is the fastest way to cure olives?
- Can you use Drano to cure olives?
- Where can I buy lye for olive curing?
Is lye in olives bad for you?
Bottom line: Raw, pure lye will burn the hell out of you, but it is not a systemic poison. That means that even if you eat an olive that still has a lot of lye in it—as I did—all you will taste is a nasty soapy flavor.
What is the fastest way to cure olives?
Combine 1 part salt to 10 parts water and pour over the olives in a bowl or pot. Weigh them down with a plate and let sit for 1 week. Drain the olives and repeat the brining process for another week. Do this two more times so they brine for about a month or so.
Can you use Drano to cure olives?
If you can't find lye, do not use Drano to cure olives. I've been working with a very old Extension recipe for home-cured olives and decided to see if it had been updated.
Where can I buy lye for olive curing?
1. Chemical suppliers: Chemical Laboratory Supplies (1060 Ortega Way, Placentia, CA 92670, 1-714-630-7902 or (1-800-544-8883) – sells sodium hydroxide in granular or flake form. Sierra Chemical Company (788 Northport Drive, West Sacramento, CA 95691-2145, 1-916-371-5943) – sells sodium hydroxide.