How to make olive oil

Imagine standing in your kitchen, surrounded by fresh olives, eager to experiment with a new culinary creation. You may have just harvested your own olives or visited a local market, where the vibrant, glistening fruits caught your eye. The thought crosses your mind: can I make olive oil at home? The idea of producing your own oil, infused with the essence of your hard work, is both intriguing and appealing. In this post, we’ll explore how to turn those beautiful olives into a bottle of liquid gold.

To make olive oil, crush the olives into a paste, then extract the oil through a pressing process or using a centrifuge.

Making olive oil involves several steps that can be a rewarding experience. First, start with ripe, fresh olives–ideally, the variety you enjoy most. Clean the olives by rinsing them in water to remove any debris. Once clean, use a hammer or a heavy object to crush the olives into a paste. Traditionally, this step is done using a stone mill, but a food processor can work in a pinch.

After crushing, it’s time to extract the oil. The most common method involves pressing the paste, which can be done using a cheesecloth or an olive oil press. Place the olive paste in the cloth and twist it to squeeze out the oil, collecting it in a bowl below. Alternatively, if you have access to a centrifuge, you can use this method for more efficient extraction, which separates the oil from the solids through rapid spinning.

Once you’ve extracted the oil, let it sit for a few hours to allow any sediment to settle at the bottom. Then, carefully pour the clear oil into a clean bottle, making sure not to disturb the sediment. Finally, store your olive oil in a cool, dark place to preserve its flavor. Enjoy your homemade olive oil drizzled over salads, used for cooking, or as a dip for bread!