Most of us simply buy olive oil from the stores without ever thinking about how it is made. Well, if you have access to fresh olives, making small batches yourself, using a few simple tools, is quite possible. Here is a simple step by step guide on how you can make olive oil in the comfort of your home.
Can You Make Olive Oil at Home?
Olive oil can be made at home, especially if you enjoy making food from scratch. All you need are freshly harvested olives and a few kitchen tools. Although the yield is much lower than in commercial production, the process is simple and rewarding.
Why Use Fresh Olives?
If you want to achieve better-quality oil with superior flavor and aroma, using fresh, healthy olives is your best bet. Therefore, use olives that are firm, freshly harvested, free from mold, rot, and/or insect damage, and have been processed within 24-48 hours of harvesting. This preserves the quality of the resulting product.
Home Olive Oil Making vs Commercial Production
Commercial producers use specialized machinery to extract olive oil efficiently. On the other hand, home producers rely on blenders, cheesecloth, and gravity separation. However, the homemade olive oil process requires patience and more manual effort.
How to Make Olive Oil Step by Step
Harvest the Olives
When making olive oil, the first thing is to harvest healthy olives at the proper stage of ripeness. Olives are commonly harvested between late autumn and early winter, however, the timing largely depends on your location and climatic conditions.Try not to bruise the fruit during harvest, and use hand-picking or an olive harvester for efficient collection.
Sorting and Washing
After gathering the olives, sort them by removing leaves, twigs, and damaged olives from the bulk, then wash thoroughly before processing.
Crush the Olives into Paste
Next, crush the entire olives, including the pits, into a smooth paste using a stone mill, hammer mill, or food processor. This step helps to release as much oil as possible during exxtraction. Also, avoid excessive heat when crushing to preserve flavor and nutrients.
Mix the Paste Slowly
Slowly mix the paste for 20–45 minutes below 27°C to help oil droplets combine properly before extraction.
Press to Extract Liquid
When pressing the paste to extract the oil-water mixture, use a fruit press or cheesecloth to help you extract all the liquid.
Separate the Oil from Water and Solids
After extracting the liquid, leave it to rest for 12–24 hours (or up to 48 hours for larger batches). As it rests, the olive oil will naturally rise above the water and solids, this process is called gravity separation. Next, carefully skim or pour off the top layer of oil while leaving the bottom layer of water and solids in the container.
Filter and Bottle the Olive Oil
Use a cheesecloth, a coffee filter, or a food-grade filter paper to filter the separated oil and remove the fine pulp or sediment in it. Afterwards, transfer it into dark glass bottles (amber or green) and seal them tightly. Finally, store the bottles in a cool, dark place, this prevents the interference of light and preserves the oil’s flavor and quality.
Which Olives are Best for Making Olive Oil?
Ripe vs. Green Olives
Using green olives will produce oil that is more peppery, richer in antioxidants, and more robust / grassy in flavour. On the contrary, ripe olives (purple or black coloured) produce milder, smoother, slightly sweeter, and buttery oils. Many olive oil producers prefer to harvest partially ripe olives because they balance the flavor, quality, and oil yield.
How to Get More Oil from Olives
Crushing the Olives Properly
To get more oil from your olives you must crush the olives completely into a smooth and even paste and ensure the flesh and pits are fully broken down.
Mixing Time and Temperature
Be gentle and slow when mixing the paste, the mixing pace and process temperature plays a critical role in determining the flavour and quality of the oil produced.
Use Less Water
It is safer to use only a small amount of water if necessary. Adding too much water can reduce flavor and antioxidants, make oil separation more difficult, and lower the overall oil quality.
The Quantity of Oil to Expect from Fresh Olives
The amount of oil you get depends on the variety and ripeness of olives used for the production. However, in most cases, 100 kg of olives yield about 15–25 liters of oil, while 5 kg of olives yield about 750 ml–1 liter of oil.
Common Challenges When Making Olive Oil
The Oil Does Not Separate Well
Most times, the oil does not separate well because the paste was under-mixed, unripe olives were used for the process, too much water was added, or insufficient paste settling time.
The Oil Tastes Bitter, Musty, or Rancid
If you use moldy or damaged olives, delay processing after harvest, use dirty equipment, store the oil in a hot place or in the wrong containers, your olive oil flavour will be affected.
The Oil Contains Too Much Water or Sediment
To get a clearer oil that is free of sediments, let the mixture settle for a longer period of time before separating carefully. Then filter it through cheesecloth or a coffee filter before bottling.
FAQ
How Long Can Homemade Olive Oil Last For?
The best time to enjoy homemade olive oil is within 6 to 12 months. Homemade olive oils generally have a shorter shelf life because of the presence of fewer preservatives and the possibility of retaining tiny particles of pulp during production. Therefore, observe if the oil develops a stale, waxy, or crayon-like smell over time, to know if it has likely become rancid and should be discarded.
Can You Eat Homemade Olive Oil Immediately After It Is Produced?
Yes, you can. Freshly made olive oil is safe to consume immediately after separation and filtering. However, allowing it to rest for a few days may help improve clarity and stabilize its flavor.
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