Pickled eggs are typically

hard-boiled egg Boiled eggs are typically from a chicken, and are cooked with their shells unbroken, usually by immersion in boiling water. Hard-boiled or hard-cooked eggs are cooked so that the egg white and egg yolk both solidify, while soft-boiled eggs may l ...

s that are cured in

vinegar Vinegar () is an aqueous solution of diluted acetic acid and trace compounds that may include flavorings. Vinegar typically contains from 5% to 18% acetic acid by volume. Usually, the acetic acid is produced by a double fermentation, converting ...

brine Brine (or briny water) is a high-concentration solution of salt (typically sodium chloride or calcium chloride) in water. In diverse contexts, ''brine'' may refer to the salt solutions ranging from about 3.5% (a typical concentration of seawat ...

. As with many foods, this was originally a way to preserve the food so that it could be eaten months later. Pickled eggs have since become a favorite among many as a snack or

hors d'œuvre An hors d'oeuvre ( ; ), appetiser, appetizer or starter is a small dish (food), dish served before a meal in European cuisine. Some hors d'oeuvres are served cold, others hot. Hors d'oeuvres may be served at the dinner table as a part of the ...

popular in pubs, bars, and taverns, and around the world in places where beer is served. After the eggs are hard-boiled, the shell is removed and they are submerged in a solution of vinegar, salt, spices, and other seasonings. Recipes vary from the traditional brine solution for pickles to other solutions, which can impart a sweet or spicy taste. The final taste is mostly determined by the pickling solution. The eggs are left in this solution from one day to several months. Prolonged exposure to the pickling solution may result in a rubbery texture. A common practice is to puncture the egg with a toothpick to allow the pickling solution to penetrate to the egg's interior, but this is dangerous as it can introduce ''

Clostridium ''Clostridium'' is a genus of anaerobic, Gram-positive bacteria. Species of ''Clostridium'' inhabit soils and the intestinal tracts of animals, including humans. This genus includes several significant human pathogens, including the causative ...

'' into the finished product. Eggs prepared with this method have sometimes had high enough levels of

botulinum toxin Botulinum toxin, or botulinum neurotoxin (commonly called botox), is a neurotoxic protein produced by the bacterium ''Clostridium botulinum'' and related species. It prevents the release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine from axon en ...

to cause illness in a human. Pickled eggs may be served as part of a main course,

s, or garnishes.

Recipes

A variant historically associated with the

Pennsylvania Dutch The Pennsylvania Dutch (), also referred to as Pennsylvania Germans, are an ethnic group in Pennsylvania in the United States, Ontario in Canada, and other regions of both nations. They largely originate from the Palatinate (region), Palatina ...

is the

pickled beet egg Pickled beet eggs are hard boiled eggs that are Curing (food preservation), cured in a brine of beets, beet juice, vinegar, sugar, cloves and other spices. There are many regional variations to this classic dish; for instance, some recipes sub ...

where whole

beets The beetroot (British English) or beet (North American English) is the taproot portion of a ''Beta vulgaris'' subsp. ''vulgaris'' plant in the Conditiva Group. The plant is a root vegetable also known as the table beet, garden beet, dinner beet ...

, onions, vinegar, sugar, salt,

clove Cloves are the aromatic flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae, ''Syzygium aromaticum'' (). They are native to the Maluku Islands, or Moluccas, in Indonesia, and are commonly used as a spice, flavoring, or Aroma compound, fragrance in fin ...

s, and (optionally) a cinnamon stick are used as the brine. The eggs take on a pink or even purple color from the beets and have a sweet and sour taste. Pickled red beet eggs, long a common food at

picnic A picnic is a meal taken outdoors (Al fresco dining, ''al fresco'') as part of an excursion, especially in scenic surroundings, such as a park, lakeside, or other place affording an interesting view, or else in conjunction with a public event su ...

s and pot-lucks in the Pennsylvania Dutch country, have diffused into the folk cuisine of the surrounding "English" and become a popular snack that can be bought in supermarkets as far east as the

Delaware River The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and is the longest free-flowing (undammed) river in the Eastern United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock, New York, the river flows for a ...

. A typical British recipe for pickled eggs includes eggs, vinegar, salt, and sugar. The eggs are first boiled, peeled, then boiled with the other ingredients. They last for three to four months (for best quality) and are traditionally found in British

public houses A pub (short for public house) is in several countries a drinking establishment licensed to serve alcoholic drinks for consumption on the premises. The term first appeared in England in the late 17th century, to differentiate private ho ...

and

fish and chip shop A fish and chip shop, sometimes referred to as a chip shop or chippy, is a restaurant that specialises in selling fish and chips. Usually, fish and chip shops provide takeaway service, although some have seating facilities. Fish and chip shop ...

History

Germany

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

, pickled eggs were commonly made and eaten. German emigrants took this practice with them when they moved to the New World. During

Lent Lent (, 'Fortieth') is the solemn Christianity, Christian religious moveable feast#Lent, observance in the liturgical year in preparation for Easter. It echoes the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring Temptation of Christ, t ...

, many Christian denominations forbade the consumption of eggs. However, hens would continue to lay eggs, and pickling provided a practical way to preserve them until Easter.

United States

German-speaking Anabaptist refugees, who are by now commonly called the Amish, brought their particular variation of the pickled egg to Pennsylvania. The so-called

created the pickled beet egg, where beets were added to the recipe turning the eggs into a pinkish color. The beet adds a contrast in flavor creating both a sweet and sour taste. In the 1940s, pickled eggs became very popular, as they were advertised in newspapers as lollipops, and wives were encouraged to make them on a skewer as a creative appetizer. In November 1959, Hingham and Gibbsville students held a celebrated

Veterans Day Veterans Day (originally known as Armistice Day) is a federal holiday in the United States observed annually on November 11, for honoring military veterans of the United States Armed Forces. It coincides with holidays in several countries, i ...

within their area. Larry Shaver dressed up as Mr. H.D Hyde, to honor him as the leader of Hingham's egg industry while shipping over 10 rail carloads of pickled eggs at one time. Pickled eggs were popular around Easter as an added way to celebrate the season. Today, pretzels and chips are a more common snack for a restaurant and bars, but pickled eggs are still found in rural locations in the United States and presented in a jar at some bars.

Serving pickled eggs

The traditional method of eating pickled eggs is with salt and pepper. People will often add food coloring to the solution so that they are more festive. They are also commonly eaten on avocado toast as well as in an egg salad. Pickled eggs can be served wherever hard-boiled eggs are served. For example, they can be used to make pickled deviled eggs or grated over asparagus or salads.

References

External links

Pickled Eggs (National Center for Home Food Preservation)

Tips To Make Hard Boiled Eggs (Complete Guide)
{{Portalbar, Food Christmas Island cuisine Cuisine of the Midwestern United States Danish cuisine Egg dishes English cuisine German cuisine Cuisine of the Pennsylvania Dutch

Egg An egg is an organic vessel grown by an animal to carry a possibly fertilized egg cell (a zygote) and to incubate from it an embryo within the egg until the embryo has become an animal fetus that can survive on its own, at which point the ...