Black Olives

[Leonard]

I love black olives but never put them in salads. My husband is not a fan. I decided to buy a can of Black Pearl small olives. After opening them, I looked on the can for storage directions. I ended up calling the company. I was told they keep 1 week refrigerated. Not to store them in a container with a tight fitting lid. Instead, use saran wrap to loosely cover the container I'm using!!! They need to "breathe"!! One week doesn't seem very long. Anyone follow these rules???

[Gail]

Hmph.

Never occurred to me to question olive storage. Typically, I put them in Tupperware and have kept them for weeks. Oh, you KNOW when they're no longer good. First they get soft, then they start to smell funny and get scummy. Shall I continue?
http://cwmonkey.virtualave.net/s/cwm/crap.gif
According to Food Lovers Tiptionary, you can keep them refrigerated up to 1 month. Interestingly, this source suggests putting them in an airtight glass jar.

Cover loosely?? Go figure.

[dncomom]

I just had to put in my two cents worth here...whoever came up with the "cover loosely with plastic wrap" rule obviously didn't have kids ratting around the fridge, dumping the can over, leaving olive juice poolng on the bottom shelf! :-)If it doesn't have a lid it doesn't go in the fridge here...can you tell we are at the tail end of a very LONG spring break here *LOL*

[makedah]

I recently bought olives at Whole Foods. Not out of a can but "loose." They covered them in brine and told me I could keep them about a week.

[SusieO]

I keep leftover canned black olives in a plastic container with a tight-fitting lid, covered with the liquid from the can (save the liquid in the container if you think you'll have leftovers.) They seem to hit their limit after 3 or 4 days, but they seldom last that long at my house. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Kapuli]

I store leftover black olives by pouring the remainder of the can of olives, covered with the liquid, into a clean glass jar, screw the top on tightly, and place in the fridge. I find that they keep almost indefinitely this way (well, at least for weeks and weeks). I have never had to throw any olives away using this method.

[Ohioan]

I usually put leftover olives, along with the liquid from the can, into a small Pyrex covered dish (not even particularly airtight), and they keep for a couple of weeks.

Cheers,
Phoebe

[emilycat]

I usually buy bottled Greek olives, and they seem to last nearly a month without getting weird....and I've even used my fingers to get them out sometimes (shameful, I know http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/redface.gif )

[Norma]

Another job for the FoodSaver. I pour them into a mason jar and vacuum pack. They've been in there quite a while. I really never think about how long. They're always firm and nice when I open the jar.