Pickled Eggs

This is intended to be the complete guide to Pickled Eggs, a delicious treat that many have heard of and few have tried. If you are wondering, these are nothing like the kind you see sitting out in the nasty green liquid behind the bar. These are far superior.

This recipe will make enough brine for 6 eggs. Simply double the amount of all the ingredients for a dozen eggs, quadruple for 2 dozen, etc. 

As a general rule, 10 eggs fit into a quart mason jar*. Usually, it is desirable to get your jar as close to full as possible, so it may be necessary to vary batch size or jar size to keep the jars full.

*Even though mason jars happen to be the most common container for making pickled eggs, any properly sized empty container will work fine since the jars are not actually sealed. Old pickle jars work very well, as do most other glass containers. 

Step 1: Gather Ingredients

Like any good recipe, the first step is to gather all the necessities together. Even though the recipe is simple, it helps to lay everything out ahead of time.

Here is what you will need (again for a batch of 6 eggs):

Equipment:
- Large Pot
- Strainer 
- Pitcher
- Measuring Utensils
- Knife
- Cutting Board

Ingredients:
- 2 Cups Vinegar (White Distilled)
- 2 TBSP Sugar
- 1 TBSP Pickling Spice
- 1 TBSP Canning or Pickling Salt
- 8 tsp Dry Minced Garlic*
- 1/2 Large Onion (Optional-But Great)

*You may substitute wet minced garlic for the dry by adding 1/2 as much wet minced garlic as the recipe calls for. Wet minced garlic is very potent stuff. Do not add too much, or the eggs will be inedible. 

Comments

[kill-a-watt]

>However, there does not seem to be a really good way to get the shells off the eggs without tearing the egg white up Use old eggs. Seriously. Just buy some eggs and let them sit in the fridge for two weeks. Guaranteed easy peelers. (You already know my other trick, which is to cool the eggs quickly at the end. I drain off as much hot water as I can and put the pot in the sink. Then I run cold water over the eggs, allowing the pot (and the hottest water) to overflow. After a minute or so, I chuck in three cube trays of ice.)

[Arny93924]

The trick to making the shell peel off easy is you have to had salt to the boiling water. Then add the eggs when the water is at full boil. This will separate the membrane from the shell making the it practically slide off the egg.
Arny

[kill-a-watt]

Actually, I've gone from hard boiled to pressure steamed. Fully an order of magnitude easier to shell the eggs after they have been steamed in a pressure cooker.

[Foaly7]

But you can seal them, can't you? Because it's genius, pickled protein food canned & preserved for later.

[bmayer1]

Yes, you can pickle them and then process in a canner. BUT, you have to be very careful about this. You have to be careful with the eggs, and if any of the eggs are not perfect when you peel them, you can not use them. The reason for this is the high risk for botulism. I normally process for about 15 minutes in a hot water bath for any meats, eggs included. If you have a pressure cooker, even better!

[customrobo]

I tried the eggs yesterday after nine days since I put in the fridge and... Wow! These eggs are very good!!!!!!!

[customrobo]

I'd like to try these eggs but here where I live (italy) I don't find the pickling spices ready to use, so someone can tell me what are the spices contained in the mix so I can do it? Someone can tell me what are Canning or Pickling salt too? Thank you very much.

[bettertimes]

Google "what spices are in the pickling spices" also Canning salt, the answer is there.

[customrobo]

I never thought of, thanks for the tip!
I found several, I'll try one.

[triumphman]

I love these for a late snack! I keep a jar full in the fridgeat all times. Yummy. Ever bought one in a bar ? They used to be $1.50 each. I haven't been out there in a long time. My cycle buddies have split up and moved away. So I don't ride like I used to! So I make my own "Beer Eggs" we called them. Great Job.!!! Pictures are so clear too !

[jlsheetz]

That sounds so good...
One thing I have found is that when fresh eggs are hard boiled, they are hard to peel and  the shells won't separate from the whites very well. If the eggs are older (close to the expiration date on the eggs), once they are hard boiled and cooled, the shells slip off of the whites very easily, in big pieces. Whenever I make deviled eggs, I buy my eggs plenty ahead of time and just let 'em wait for me in the fridge.
Thank you for posting this recipe!
Jim

[Bone5258]

I too have the same problem with fresh eggs :( mostly becasue i have my own chickens. I have let the eggs in the frig for almost 2 months and still hard to peel. Any one have any ideal how old the eggs are in the store? I hve to buy eggs from the store to make devil eggs and things likt that.

[drose-1]

Aloha....
Growing up in South/Eastern Pennsylvania Dutch region it was common to add beets to give the egg an red- violet color and sliced beautifully in a tossed salad.Look up pickle beet eggs. I grew up on them.

[afridave]

can pickled eggs be pickled so as to preserve them almost indefinetly in the same way that traditional preserves are done(i would imagine they can) ,cos i see in this instructible and one other that i have looked at they are kept in the fridge and eaten quickly?

[anahatabalance]

the salt and vinegar will keep the eggs good for maybe 6 months to a year. Because of the nature of eggs I wouldn't go to long. For long term storage you would have to preserve them through canning process.

[mikeasaurus]

mmm tasty!
Though you mentioned it in Step 1, it's worth expanding:
In addition to chopping, adding whole cloves of garlic gives you extra goodies in the gaps between eggs.

Since you just made these, mind updating in a few week when they're 'ripe'? I'm interested in your results. Good luck