Should you consider the self-serve olive counter? As with any open bar that customers without training in food safety are handling, there’s always some risk of contamination. But usually, there’s nothing to worry about; most olive bars are routinely cleaned and checked to ensure that the olives are frequently restocked and submerged in the brine. The briny solution helps to preserve flavor, and without it, olives may dry out or oxidize more quickly. But you can still scoop up olives that are not submerged in the brine if they are fresh and there are no signs of mold.
Do olives ever really expire?
In case you’re saving an olive jar for a rainy day, we have some good news. Unopened, jarred olives will stay fresh for up to two years and don’t require refrigeration. Even once opened, jarred olives will remain fresh for 12 to 18 months, provided they are sealed and stored properly in the fridge. By contrast, olives from the olive bar will only last in the fridge for up to three weeks. Storing olives in brine will help them retain their flavor and prevent quick spoilage. But if you happen to use up all the brine, just replenish it with a solution of one part salt to 10 parts water.
Some packages of olives, due to different processing methods, may warn you about a shorter shelf life. Follow their instructions and eat these promptly!
If you find yourself with olives that you’re just not going to finish quickly, consider freezing them. According to the University of California Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources, this technique works best for olives with a higher oil content (like Mission, Kalamata, and Picholine), but there’s one step you should take before proceeding. Dry salt-cured olives or drained salt-brined olives can be frozen as is, but to reduce softening during freezing, you should boil any lye-cured olives, such as Spanish-style green olives, in their brine for 10 to 15 minutes, rinse and chill in cold water, then drain and freeze for up to one year.
While you can keep an eye on the expiration date on the jar, knowing when to toss old olives comes down to your senses. The first sign is always visual. If you spot any funky mold, don’t just discard the top few olives—toss the whole jar. Even if you can’t see mold, any changes in appearance, texture, or smell of the brine or the olives are valid reasons to discard.
Buttery crushed Castelvetranos perk up this broccoli dish.
How to use up a jar of olives
The devoted snackers among us don’t need to dress up olives at all, but it’s worth remembering that you can build more complexity into the olives themselves by concocting a mix of spices, fresh herbs, garlic, and citrus for a fragrant oil base. This recipe from Anna Stockwell uses lemon and fennel seeds; Mina Stone, author of Cooking for Artists, subs in toasted coriander seeds and rosemary. Aromatic orange peels and juice are also great; if you have access to a firepit for warming the concoction, all the better.
Beyond the predinner snack, olives can enhance so much of your cooking. Add those briny morsels into salads, pasta sauces, and braised chicken, and pop them onto homemade pizzas or breads. Take a tip from chef Amanda Cohen and add a few to your vegetable stock to amp up the umami; chop some salt-cured olives and bake them into a seedy, savory granola.
What can you make with olive brine?
When you pull the last olive from the jar, whatever you do, don’t toss the brine. Of course you can pour some into a dirty vodka martini and call it a day. But this salty, savory, sometimes tart liquid can be a powerful secret ingredient in your cooking, amplifying the savory character of any dish, much like MSG or Parmesan does. I love to brine chicken overnight in the salty juice; it penetrates and tenderizes the meat, resulting in fall-off-the-bone cuts. Try adding a teaspoon to soups, vinaigrettes, and pasta sauces, and you might find yourself going through more jars than ever.
