Pickling eggs?

[Flummery]

Now I had a feeling that you didn't peel the hard boiled eggs, just dunked them in vinegar and the shells dissolved.

Can anyone tell me if I dreamt that?

[Hilary B]

Now I had a feeling that you didn't peel the hard boiled eggs, just dunked them in vinegar and the shells dissolved.

Can anyone tell me if I dreamt that?

You could do that, but there would still be a thickish membrane around the egg, and the egg shrinks in the vinegar so the membrane becomes rather conspicuous.
It also makes the eggs more vinegary (you don't pickle them in the vinegar that dissolved the shell off).
We did quails eggs in assorted vinegars (chilli plus red wine vinegar, garlic pluc cider vinegar etc) and used ordinary white vinegar to dissolve the shells. They were fine after 2-3 weeks, but got increasingly vinegary after that.

[Snadger]

I've bought Sarsons clear malt pickling vinegar but I think I will use it for something else (Jallie's?) and get some white wine vinegar for the eggs!

[Newbie]

I used the Sarson's stuff, found it too overpowering.

[bubblewrap]

I worked in a place that did hard boiled eggs (some were sold to picklers)
We did abut 1,000 cases(30 doz a case) a day, it put me off pickled eggs for life.

[Snadger]

I worked in a place that did hard boiled eggs (some were sold to picklers)
We did abut 1,000 cases(30 doz a case) a day, it put me off pickled eggs for life.

Ah look.....he's back.

There's this bloke called akabubblewrap been trying to steal your thunder mate!

[Mell]

Slightly older eggs peel easier than fresh eggs. Boil & cool quickly gives I best results I've found !

[Snadger]

Done some in white wine vinegar...............not impressed!

[Mell]

Done some in white wine vinegar...............not impressed!

You said, but reading this thread thdey must be very young still ? Way too early to eat or judge I think ?

What don't you like about them ?

[Snadger]

You said, but reading this thread thdey must be very young still ? Way too early to eat or judge I think ?

What don't you like about them ?

More 'vinegary' than I imagined they would be. Maybe a month old or so and the vinegar hasn't penetrated more than 2mm into the white. If the white was totally saturated I don't think I would enjoy them at all!
Thinks I maybe should have added some sugar to the vinegar to counteract the acidity!

Next lot I will probably use clear malt pickling vinegar with added sugar. (just because I already have some)........undecided yet!

[Mell]

might be on a sticky wicket to get non vinegar tasting pickled eggs ! Sugar and spices might move the taste nearer to what you want. Brown & cinnamon perehaps ? Or maybe take a different approch brined eggs ?

[jojo2910]

My Grandma makes pickled eggs (converting my husband this year). She boils the eggs then puts in with 'spiced pickling vinegar', which I think is the Sarson's pickling vinegar. They certainly had pucker power, but very nice (until the jar she gaves us leaked in the car leaving a lovely vinegar smell every time we open it).

Balsamic could be a good alternative, slightly sweet vinegar, but with spices as per minskey's recipe.

[susieq100]

My gran used to do them in the vinegar left over from pickled onions - I tried that a few years ago ... they were strong AND they had a luminescent quality in the dark pantry - looked like aliens had landed!

[VanWin]

I used to find very small pullets eggs in the market which were great for pickling because they were more bite-sized.
Since moving to France I have found white Balsamic vinegar in the supermarket, don't know if it is in the UK supermarkets but it's very nice and not so heavy as the red one.
Also if you cared to experiment, you can easily make your own wine vinegar. Start off with say, a small cup of one you like, perhaps a red or white wine one, then keep adding left over wine to it. Do not seal out air, it is necessary, but just plug some paper tissue in the bottle-neck to keep out dust etc. Now you will grow your own vinegar. Test after about a month and keep it ongoing like a ginger ale plant but no yeast.

[jojo2910]

I have just finished one jar of eggs and am about to start another jar. Is it safe to re-use the cider vinegar from the old jar or safer not to re-use it? The old jar contained some dried chillis and peppercorns too.