curing olives with lye

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.

1. Is lye in olives bad for you?
2. What is the fastest way to cure olives?
3. Can you use Drano to cure olives?
4. 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.