Recipe: Red Beet Eggs

Red beet eggs are a Lancaster County / PA Dutch specialty.  I used to make them with my dad all the time.  My mother and younger brother HATED them, but Dad and I loved them.  They're cool, and slightly sour, and sweet, and delicious.  They're especially good with crunchy, salty snacks like potato chips or pretzels.  They're also good deviled or in egg salad.  I mentioned on facebook that I made a batch this evening, and someone requested a recipe.  So, here you go...


I don't really measure when I make them; these measurements are all estimated.  It's totally ok to use more or less of anything; I like mine extra sour.  You might want to cut back on the vinegar slightly.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 dozen hard boiled eggs, shelled
• 1 large glass jar.  You can make these in plastic, but the container will be pink forever after.  A tall container is better than a short, wide one.
• 1 15oz can sliced beets, cut up
• about 1/2 cup diced red onion
• 1 cup (more or less) white vinegar  (you can also use apple cider vinegar)
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup salt

NON-TRADITIONAL, but delicious additions (I use all of these)

• about 1 Tbsp whole cloves
• 4-6 cloves garlic, smashed
• about 1 Tbsp whole black peppercorns

DIRECTIONS

• Put the eggs in the bottom of the jar, whole.
• Dump in the beets and onions.
• Mix the vinegar and everything else together in a bowl.
• Pour over the eggs and beets.
• Put in the refrigerator and wait about a week.  (Because they are pickled, they will keep without being refrigerated, but people FREAK OUT when they find out I eat eggs that have been sitting on the counter for weeks.
• The longer they pickle, the better they get.

I make all kinds of other pickled eggs as well.  Ginger and black tea.  Garlic and balsamic.  etc, etc... Basically, you just need to make a brine of vinegar, salt, and sugar and whatever spices you want.  At Christmas time, we used to make a dozen red beet eggs and a dozen without beets, and with green food coloring.