Pickled Eggs
Hard boiled eggs
Boiling the vinegar
Pack into jars
The finished product
Ingredients
- 12 Eggs
- 1 litre white wine or cider vinegar
- Black peppercorns
- Flaked chillies (optional)
- Whole chillies (optional)
Although we sell our extra eggs to friends and colleagues, there always comes a time, usually during the summer holiday season, when we have more eggs than we can eat or sell. That's when the pickling starts.
Pickled eggs are easy to produce and taste fabulous - a great accompaniment to salads, cold meat, and fish and chips, or slice for a roll or sandwich.
Equipment
Storage jars with good seals
Instructions
-
Hard boil the eggs in plenty of water - boil for at least 10 minutes to ensure they are completely set. While the eggs are boiling prepare your jars by washing them in very hot water and rinsing well. Check the rubber seals on the jars for signs of wear - if they aren't in good order get some new ones.
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Meanwhile prepare the vinegar - you can use any vinegar but the flavour of your finished eggs will reflect the type of vinegar you use. Standard malt vinegar will be harsher than clear vinegar, while white wine or cider vinegar will give a more rounded flavour. Experiment to find what suits your taste and by all means mix vinegars.
You'll need about 1 litre of vinegar for each dozen eggs. Put it in a saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer for a minute or two.
Tip: Add a sprinkling of peppercorns and/or dried chilli flakes for a bit of a kick.
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Once the eggs are cooked cover them in cold water and leave to cool. Once cool shell and pack into your jars.
Tip: For even more kick add some whole chillies at this stage- they will infuse the eggs during pickling.
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Sieve the vinegar and pour into the jars covering the eggs completely. Seal the jars well, and store for at least a month before eating. In a cool, dark place they will store well for over 6 months.
Further Reading
 Fat: An Appreciation of a Misunderstood Ingredient with Recipes Jennifer McLagan |  Odd Bits: How to Cook the Rest of the Animal Jennifer McLagan |  Bread: River Cottage Handbook No. 3 Daniel Stevens |  Garlic, Garlic, Garlic: Exceptional Recipes from the World's Most Indispensable Ingredient Linda Griffith |  Preserves: River Cottage Handbook No.2 Pam Corbin |
Comments
Dan
Thanks Claire, hope they turn out delicious!
Marilyn
Thanks for a proper pickled egg recipe - so that they keep. If you just want to pickle a few and eat them pretty soon afterwards you can cheat. When you finish any jar of pickles (beetroot makes pretty coloured eggs for slicing on a salad. Just add boiled eggs to the left over vinegar. Keep in the fridge for a few days, longer if you like. This way you only have a few at a time and you end up with all kinds of flavours and colours - depending which pickle they've followed.... onions, dill, beetroot etc. I do this now there is only two of us and we don't always want to eat up a mountain of proper pickled eggs.
Marilyn
I'm just signing up for emails. Thanks.
Dan
That's a great idea, will definitely do that in future. Thanks for sharing. :-)
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claire stubbings
Monday 19 September, 2011 at 7:06pm
I have just done my first pickled eggs following your method. I will let you know how they are after christmas. also i have done my first pickled onions. getting into it know xx