Sort the olives, removing any that are bruised or over-ripened.
Rinse olives in cold water.
Place the olives in a container – I use a stoneware crock.
Pour enough cold water into the container so the olives are covered.
Strain the olives from the water using a colander, ensuring you reserve the water. You’ll need to know how much water is in the container.
Measure the reserved water. You need to calculate the amount of salt to add based on the (amount of) water you poured from the container.
Fill a large pot with the same amount of (reserved water) in step 6. Add 3.5 oz. of salt for each 2 pints of water. Bring the water to a boil and ensure the salt has dissolved. Remove the water from the heat and let it cool to room temperature.
Make three small slits in each olive using a small serrated knife. The slits help the brine penetrate the olive.
When the water has reached room temperature, pour it into a container, followed by the olives. Place a plate on top of the olives to keep them submerged.
After 24 hours, repeat steps 7 and 9, discarding the previous day’s brining solution and replacing it with a free brine. Repeat this process for about ten days. Taste an olive to test for bitterness. If the bitterness is gone, you’re ready for the next step. If the olives still taste bitter, make a new bring solution and let them soak for a few additional days—taste-testing them each day.
Make a final solution to store your olives in. Repeat the brine solution made in the previous steps, or use a 50:50 mix of water and white vinegar.
Put the olives into sterilized jars (I like Ball canning jars). Pour the brining solution (or water and vinegar mixture) into each jar. Pack the olives up to two fingers below the edge of the lid. Fill this space with extra virgin olive oil and seasonings.
Store the jars in a cool place for up to 6 months. You can also store them in the refrigerator for a year.