How to Process Olives with Lye and Can Olives in Jars

[@richardtraill4919]

My grandfather taught me how to do this method as a kid. Always went with him to pick the olives and I learned at his side how to make them. He passed away in 1982, but his lessons have stuck with me since I was 15. This year, we canned nearly 65 pounds of olives and will end up with 12 quarts and roughly 100+ pints.

[@alexhernandez-uw6oz]

My grandpa did this when I was a kid and he passed away and never got to see the whole prosses. Thank sir 🙏

[@davidlis6709]

I learned this from an old Mexican American woman and I just wanted to pass it on because it works so good. I was painting her house for extra money on the side and she wanted the fence painted to match her house. I notice she had a bucket of olives being processes and told her, you pay for the paint and I will do it if she teaches me how to do it. So, everyday, I would go to her house and she went through the steps until they were done. I have been using this process for 30 years. It is just getting harder to get the raw olives. My grand mother and I used to make bread but I was young and dumb and did not pay attention until she was gone. I can not make it like we used to. Have a nice day.

[@veronicadelatorres5406]

This is the best olive processing video that I have seen. I love your set by step instructions. Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video. I will use this process with my children and pass it down from generation to generation.

[@davidlis6709]

I learned this from a 80 year old Mexican woman living in Sunnyvale California. She taught me step by step and it is what you see in this video. I only have been doing this for 30 years. I am a Universe person - what does around, comes around. If you help someone get what they want - someday, someone, somewhere, will help you get what you want.

[@devo2296]

We just planted olive trees. My uncle used to cure his own and they were amazing. I’ve been looking for a thorough, clear video that would guide me step by step. Thank you so much for making this!!!!

[@davidlis6709]

I learned this from this old Mexican woman. I painted her house and she taught me. Once you start eating these olives, you don;t want to eat the ones in jars that you buy.

[@karamoody8015]

This is the best video I have seen on olive processing and canning using lye.

[@davidlis6709]

I learned it 30 years ago from this old Mexican woman. I painted her fence and she taught me how to process olives. The hardest part is to use the right amount of lye. Also, the checking process around the 20 to 24 hour period. It is nice to have someone show you what to look at when you cut a slice out of the olive to see that the lye penetrated all the way to the pit. I add the canning so people have a place to store them for a long time. I have some that are 10 years old and when I open the jar, it is like they are two weeks old. The video is a little long.

[@cindygrim3060]

I just put up 12 quarts & 12 pints of olives using your recipe. I have high hopes for success. I'd post a picture if I could, they are a thing of beauty.

[@davidlis6709]

I have olives that are 10 years old and still good. The important thing is the leach out all the lye which takes several days.

[@kathleenebsen2659]

Excellent! Use a specially made jar lifter to remove the jars from the water bath. I’ve used both the dry cure method and the brine method. Thank you for demonstrating the lye method.

[@davidlis6709]

I learned this from this old Mexican American woman who lived up the street from me. I painted her house and when I saw that she knew how to do it, I asked her to teach me. So after years of doing it myself, I decided to share with the world. I am a universe person, what goes around, comes around. If you help someone get what they want, somewhere, somehow, someone will help you get what you want. Works for me.

[@art.work.c]

Wow. What a long process! You are really passionate about Olives! Thanks for that!

[@davidlis6709]

It takes a long time but it is worth it. I do not buy green olives any more. The problem for me is that it is getting harder to find them because many people spray the trees so they do not have olives. The good thing about with this method is that after 1 week, you can eat them. This was taught to me buy this old Mexican woman, neighbor, born and raised in Santa Clara County, California. I traded learning this method in trade for painting her fence. Worth every brush stroke. So I share it with the world.

[@jimlarsen6782]

You did a good job, and I don't doubt that they are delicious no matter how you describe the chemistry. I crockpot them with chicken and tomato sauce for 13 hours. They smell so good and they get real tender. 😉

[@davidlis6709]

When you crockpot the olives - what happens to all the bitter taste? What happens to the bitter taste juice, (for better discription). Do you can them after cooking them in sauce. Do you use an insta pot? new item on the market When I get them, every few years, I get 5 gallons. How would I process them in a crockpot? Just asking questions

[@jimlarsen6782]

Darn pooter deleted my recipe. No, I just buy em in a bottle and make a crockpot full of spanish chicken. Manzanillas

[@TreasureGeo]

NEVER ADD WATER TO LYE, ALWAYS LYE TO WATER.

[@davidlis6709]

Thanks - I did not know that. I added your comment to the introduction section under the video.

[@syedkhalidtufailkhan6668]

How to make lye

[@guidomena1969]

Excellent presentation SIR!!! Comparing the cured verses the uncured olives was critical for my first try. Thank you!

[@davidlis6709]

Thanks. I am glad it helped.

[@Jimmy_2828]

Hi so I tried to but they dissolved on me, I grabbed them in mid October so could that be the reason

[@davidlis6709]

If you pick them when they are soft, the lye is to strong for them. The way I determine they are ready to pick is when I notice that one or two of the olives on the tree turn purple or blue. I like the green ones to be hard.

[@tarotokuyucusu]

Dear David Thanks you so much for this video 😊 I would like to ask you a question. What is the lye recipe? We are living in Turkey at Bodrum. Could you please share it ? We prepared 5 kg green olive with 125 gr lye and already done the olives at 3 hours. Cause of this we dont wait for 24 hours. Did we make something wrong ? I looking forward your answer 😊 thank you so much 🙋🏻

[@davidlis6709]

I am trying to figure out how to work out the conversion and formula because the American system is different than the rest of the world.

[@davidlis6709]

I think you you put in to much lye. I am going to try to explain it: American system of measure: 5 (US) gallons of olives - use 1 pound (16 ounces) of lye 1 (US) gallon of olives = 3.8 liters of olives 1 pound of lye = 450 grams Density of olives = 65% 5 (US) gallons of olives = 40 pounds x .65 = 12 kilos of olives Reset of the World: 12 KGrams of olives - use 1/2 kilo of lye 24 to 1 ratio Brine solution: 1 cup for salt for 1 gallon of water or 250 ml for 3.8 liters of water Can you understand this, if not I will try it again.

[@alpsinan]

After rinsing over and over, add just little bit lemon juice or vinegar with salt in the last step, this almost guarantees to remove even the atoms of lye from olives. Lye is basic and lemon or vinegar is acidic, and they neutralize each other.

[@davidlis6709]

Thank you - learn something every day

[@Debbie32352]

And who among us uses tongues to retrieve the jars? I thank him for his tips. And, will have to check final process of canning/preserving.

[@AceM1-x1n]

Best video on the subject you sir are an olive prophet. Thank you for sharing the knowledge.

[@davidlis6709]

I leaned this from this old woman who's house I painted 30 years ago. I do this about every other year. This year I canned 26 quarts.

[@manondesportes9403]

Hello David, I have a question fort you : I have olives that I gathered in november and they are still too bitter (but the texture is great). I did not put them into lye, juste changed the water. Do you think it's too late to put them into lye now? Is it safe if I do? And how long after can I eat them? Thanks a lot !!

[@davidlis6709]

Why not try only 1/2 in lye and see if it works. After you process them and leach out all the lye, you can eat them immediately. I can them so they last for years because I can not eat them that fast.

[@fouraces1949]

I’m having issues with my canned olives going bad on the shelf. Trying to figure out what went wrong!

[@davidlis6709]

Air got in the jars. Did you clean the lids when putting them on Did you leave 1 inch of space in top of jar before boiling Did the lids rust Did you boil them for 20 minutes to kill as the bacteria

[@Jimmy_2828]

Thank you

[@davidlis6709]

I can not believe how good the olives come out. I made this video to pass on how this old Mexican American woman taught me how to do it. So I thank her.

[@scottmastrocinque]

Thank You Very Much! This was great and much appreciated.

[@davidlis6709]

These olives come out so good. My problem is getting large olives to process. Everyone sprays their trees so they don't have olives.

[@bellaagadzhanyan1340]

Thank you David, this is the best recipe so far. My mother used to do the same way except the garlic part, "she never added" the only thing I didn't remember the proportion of the lye, it was very helpful. The taste is great, it has a battery flavor, totally different from the store bought. Thanks again, best regards.

[@davidlis6709]

I just wanted to share it with as many people as possible. I had never had a bad batch.

[@maribetharmstrong5281]

Great video.... Thank you. What was the salt/water ratio of the brine you added to the jars?

[@davidlis6709]

1 cup of salt for 1 gallon of water or 250 ml for 3.8 liters of water

[@elwernayiftahir424]

Great job bravo 👏🏻

[@davidlis6709]

Are you going to try it?

[@elwernayiftahir424]

@@davidlis6709 next year

[@raultorres4926]

Thank you so much you helped me a lot!!

[@davidlis6709]

This method is so much faster then others I have seen on the internet. This was taught to me by this nice old Mexican woman many years ago. I traded learning how to process olives for painting a 100 feet fence. So I decided to share this with everyone else.

[@transylvanianfarmer]

I can barely watch how he handles that lye solution bare handed. My hands are burning at the thought 😓 Love the recipe, though!

[@davidlis6709]

You are right, I should be using gloves. This process was taught to me by this old Mexican woman, years ago. I would go to her house every day and do step by step. I painted her fence and in exchange for her showing me how she was taught. She said her mother showed her.

[@breadoflifeministries01]

Some advice, never put water to Lye that is in the container but rather put the lye in the water, an another tip is that all the olives that float are either got olive flie lavie or are damaged , so remove those that float, for best results just soak and rinse them in clean water for 7 days before you do the lye process

[@davidlis6709]

Thanks

[@jimlarsen6782]

Sorry my comments sound trollish. I just love using olives. Sure cant grow them or buy them where I live. I do enjoy you folks slaving away to prepare your own. It makes me appreciate that bottle of olives for $1.40.

[@davidlis6709]

After having these, I don't buy olives in a jar anymore.

[@sunrat1]

Excellent information -- thank you!

[@Snarl1965]

Why did you add water to the lye instead of the other way around? You are lucky you didn't have an explosion!

[@mpenney23]

Thank you for the informative video

[@davidlis6709]

Thanks - passing on information

[@itsallgravy7]

very nicely done

[@818-SIGMA]

Nice information, like others you haven't added olive oil. why?

[@davidlis6709]

There is no need. When I preserve them in the jars with salt water, they will stay for years. I have some that are 10 years old.

[@818-SIGMA]

Hmmm 10 years old will be too much delicious. Enjoy the holy fruit "olives " ☺

[@davidlis6709]

There is a recipe at the end of the video if you don't like them right out of the jar.

[@karamoody8015]

The olive oil is used to separate the olives in the jar from the air in the jar. He did a water bath which sucks out the air from the jar. water bath is cheaper and more effective IMO

[@davidh9844]

Let me reiterate: "Do as you autta, add acid to wadda". Never, ever add water to solid lye! You mentioned that the bucket got hot. Dissolving sodium hydroxide in water releases a huge amount of heat. Same on the other side of the pH scale - diluting sulfuric or any other acid releases heat. If you have a high concentration of the solute in a relatively small amount of water, you will get almost instant boiling and spattering of the lye or acid. NOT good for eyes or skin. Adding the solute to the water will dissipate the generated heat into the larger volume of water, and no spattering. It's a simple lesson, and probably the first and single most important lesson you need to learn before going into any chemistry laboratory. Otherwise, great discussion. Just bought a bag of fresh green olives. Will use your method to cure if I can get my hands (metaphorically) on a can of lye.

[@davidlis6709]

You are right about the chemistry. And I should be using gloves. The lye can be purchased on line. They took it off the shelves in California. This process was taught to me by this old Mexican woman, years ago. I would go to her house every day and do step by step. I painted her fence and in exchange for her showing me how she was taught. She said her mother showed her. She was in her 80's.

[@williamtracy4453]

Very informative thank you!

[@Debbie32352]

At least one of the jars didn't have enough liquid to cover the olives. This is a must. Also, the olives must be inspected & remove of debri & deeply scarred olives. Also, better to brine, do not pressure or water bath anything that's been processed with lye, it's just healthier. Look for products canned without lye.

[@davidlis6709]

Trying to stuff to many olives into a jar.

[@jimlarsen6782]

You folks are confusing the water and acid thing with lye and water, but still its best to add lye last for other reasons such as portion control. The red stuff is not necessarily lye but the reaction product which is bitter.

[@davidlis6709]

The first time I tried a olive that was not processed, it was terrible. These taste great and I can them in jars so they last for a long time. I have some that are 10 years old that are still good.

[@GaryWRose]

I use about a tablespoon to a quart

[@Squirrel112169]

you can buy lye in California. I got mine in Fresno.

[@davidlis6709]

I used to buy it at Orchard Supply but after 911 it is to dangerous for us home olive processors, so I have to buy it online. Unbelievable I use Red Hot Devil Lye, Sodium Hydroxide, from DudaEnergy.com

[@davidlis6709]

I used to buy it at Orchard Supple Hardware. I know that in the San Francisco Bay Area it is banned. Who knows why? So I had to buy it on the internet.

[@Squirrel112169]

Actually that's not the reason. It's because it's used to make meth. And I get it at Fresno Ag and ace hardware

[@walifsalumi694]

put them in jars and jar them ok?

[@davidlis6709]

If you process them correctly, they will last for at least 10 years. Mine do.

[@MrAram562]

Dude, Clean your camera lens.

[@dankimmel6338]

Same chemical as in liquid draino

[@davidlis6709]

Yes - that is what I used to use but in California they made the hardware stores take it off the shelves. That is why I have to buy it on the internet.

[@ss4kaioken295]

lye on the ground

[@davidlis6709]

Do not understand your comment.

[@ss4kaioken295]

@@davidlis6709 just being silly

[@adamclark9253]

That ok for the grass?

[@davidlis6709]

Been doing it for years and the grass is just as green as the rest of the lawn.

[@adamclark9253]

@@davidlis6709 nice,,

[@adamclark9253]

@@davidlis6709 I'm brining mine now, just got the lye out

[@davidlis6709]

@@adamclark9253 Make sure you get out all the lye. After you eat these olives, you will not want to buy them in the store. I have a receipt at the end of the video.

[@adamclark9253]

@@davidlis6709 i took 5 days changing the water 3 times a day to get it out, I think everything is going great