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Easy Classic Pickled Eggs Recipe Done My Way

*Updated* / By: 165 Comments

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A true pub favourite, this Easy Classic Pickled Eggs Recipe is done my way. With so many variations competing for “the best” tasting egg, I had to come up with my own pickled egg version too.

Close up of eggs in brine in a glass jar on the counter.

I will admit this is the first time I have attempted making pickled eggs. All these years, I really thought they were disgusting. The concept of putting a hard boiled egg in brine was something that I could not wrap my head around. Now devilled eggs, on the other hand, is a different story.

Since I was a kid, my mom made pickled eggs. In fact, she was a true “canner”. All kinds of pickles, fruits, jams, canned tomatoes, sauces and of course sauerkraut, lined the walls of the cold cellar. I am more of the quick pickle person, like with my zucchini pickles and pickled onions recipe! According to my husband, she made the best pickled eggs, until he tried pickled eggs done my way.

I still remember that room in the basement. It was dark and only had a small light bulb that did not provide much light at all. The door was hard to open, and the cement floor was uneven. Inside the wooden shelves were lined with various sizes of glass jars. It was like entering some sort of dingy, creepy biology lab.

Peeled hard boiled eggs in a jar.

Perhaps my childhood imagination got the best of me. That room totally freaked me out. Whenever my mom asked me to go get something, I would take a flashlight with me. I was in and out as fast as possible, hoping I got the right jar. Maybe that is why I don’t have a cold room in my house??

Do You Like Pickled Eggs?

Ok, so back to the pickled eggs. Mom would make these for every stag or bachelor party that was hosted by the family. Seems the guys loved eating these, especially when they drank beer. Guess that is why they are a pub favourite, especially in the UK.

For the life of me, I could never figure out why these are such a hit. Hard boiled eggs are delicious, but after sitting in a jar of vinegar? It just reminded me of preserving something in a science lab. The smell, and from what I could see (since I didn’t eat them) the texture, did not appeal to my culinary senses.

Overhead shot of the eggs in a jar, with the brine and pickling spice off to the side.

Of course, my husband happens to be one of those people who loves pickled eggs. He would always be so happy when mom made them. In fact, she would make a jar just for him. Perfect, I got to see these sitting in my fridge every time I opened the door.

We will be married 40 years this October. Finally, I decided that I would make hubby happy, and try to re-create my mom’s pickled eggs. After searching I finally found her handwritten recipe. That alone brought back some fond memories of the wonderful food I once enjoyed. I still miss her cooking, at least most of it. She also made pickled herrings (yuk). Just listening to the crunch as the knife cut through the fish. Creepy science project number 2!!

So Many Pickled Eggs Variations

I decided to research how to make pickled eggs. After looking at my mom’s pickled egg recipe, I just could not see how this would be tasty. Vinegar, salt, and mustard powder? Really? What happened to balance? Isn’t there supposed to be water, sugar, and seasoning?

Extreme close up of pickled eggs in a glass jar, pickling spice sprinkled on the counter.

Not liking the sounds of her recipe, I knew I needed something different. I personally didn’t have anything to taste reference it to. I NEVER tasted any pickled eggs she made.

My search revealed endless recipes of pickled eggs. Brines can be all vinegar, no vinegar, beet juice (if you want pink ones), white vinegar, cider vinegar, and even just water. Some had salt, some had sugar, some had both. Dill, onion, garlic, various herbs and spices, each recipe slightly different from the next. All aiming for the end result of the perfect pickled egg. There is even a spicy pickled egg recipe too.

So MY version consists of vinegar, water, sea salt and pickling spice. Hard boil some eggs. Sterilize a glass jar. Boil the brine, and let it cool slightly. Place the peeled eggs in the jar, and cover with the brine and seal.

A wooden board containing crackers, cheese, a dish of pickled eggs, and beer in the background.

I left them on the counter for a couple of hours, then I placed them in the fridge. Allow at least 2-3 days before eating. The longer they sit in the brine, the stronger the taste.

Ok now for the test. I let hubby do the honours. I sure didn’t need to, I don’t know how they are supposed to taste, let alone compare this recipe to my mom’s. Well to my surprise, he LOVED them. In fact even better than mom’s!! They paired perfectly with one of his favourite beers Beaus Lug Tread.

Curiosity got the best of me. I really needed to find out what the fascination is with this pub fare. Cautiously I finally ate my very first pickled egg. I didn’t know what to expect. The way I can explain it is a mild vinegar taste, with a huge hit of pickling spice. The texture of the egg is similar to a hard boiled egg. The yolk is about the same, with the egg white having a slight “rubbery” feel to it. Apparently the longer they sit in the brine, the more rubber they become.

Overhead shot of a serving board with salami, crackers, cheese, eggs in a bowl with one cut in half. Jar of eggs in the background.

Do I love it? No. Do I hate it? No. One thing I do know, I can finally say I made and tasted a pickled egg. The fact that it actually beat my mom’s version (which was gold), does bring a smile to my face.

If you are looking for the perfect way to boil eggs for this Easy Classic Pickled Eggs Recipe, check out the post How To Bake Perfect Boiled Eggs In Oven from my friend Julia over at Imagelicious.

What about you, pickled eggs “yay” or “nay”?

For more great eggs recipes try: The Green Devil or Poached Eggs and Lentil Hash.

Easy Classic Pickled Eggs Recipe long pin image.


A true pub favourite, this Easy Classic Pickled Eggs Recipe is done my way. So many variations competing for "the best" tasting egg. | homemadeandyummy.com

Easy Classic Pickled Eggs Done My Way

A true pub favourite, this Easy Classic Pickled Eggs Recipe is done my way. So many variations competing for "the best" tasting egg.
4.92 from 36 votes
Print Rate Recipe Collections
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: British
Keyword: Pub Food
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Author: Gloria | Homemade & Yummy

Ingredients

  • 12 large eggs (hard boiled & peeled)
  • 4 cups white vinegar
  • 1 1/2 cups water
  • 1 1/2 tsp course sea salt
  • 1 tbs pickling spice

Instructions

  • Sterilize a large mouth jar.
  • Hard boil and peel the eggs.

To make the Brine:

  • In a pot combine the vinegar, water, salt and pickling spice.
  • Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

To Pickle:

  • Place peeled eggs into the clean jar.
  • Pour brine over eggs.
  • Seal jar. Leave on kitchen counter for about 1 hour, then place in fridge.
  • Let eggs sit in brine for at least 3 days before eating.
  • ENJOY!!

Notes

***Always keep the pickled eggs refrigerated until ready to eat*** These will keep for several months.
You can take them out of the brine and bring them to room temperature before eating if you wish.
You can make less brine if you wish. I wanted to make sure I had the eggs completely submerged in the liquid.
Tried this recipe?Take a picture and tag @homemadeandyummy
Nutritional information on this site is generated via a plugin. I am not responsible for the accuracy of the plugin information.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Anne Lawton

    I like you have never had the desire to make or eat pickled eggs, but now I’m curious! My parents were huge preservers, and they had the same type of room in our basement, and I brought the flashlight with me too!

    Reply

  3. Joyce

    I’ve always wanted to try picked eggs, but never had the opportunity. I just boiled up 2 eggs, and will try your recipe, scaled down. I hope I’ll get the flavor with a scaled down recipe, I’ll try it again with a dozen eggs, if I like it. Thanks!

    Reply

  4. Connie Sears

    I’m trying these out for my hubbie…he’s a diabetic…and loves vinegar! I’ll let you know how he feels…good or bad.

    Reply

  5. Max Walker

    Good idea for a recipe but really 5 1/2 cups of liquid for 12 eggs? Why would you water down the vinegar to the point that it is not acidic enough to preserve the eggs, no wonder you need to keep them in the fridge.

    Reply

    • Gloria | Homemade & Yummy

      Hello Max. Thanks so much for your comment. Please feel free to cut the liquid in 1/2 if you like. There is enough brine for several dozen eggs. I only made 12 since I did not need more at the time. As for the vinegar, that is personal preference. I personally don’t like biting into something and all I can taste is vinegar. The pickling spice really shows through here. You can adjust the ratio to your liking. As far as keeping them in the fridge, for SAFETY reasons. Even if these were preserved in pure vinegar, I would still keep them in the fridge. I really don’t want to deal with bacteria in my food. Yes, the vinegar is acidic, but I won’t risk getting sick over a pickled egg.

      Reply

    • JOHN G.

      Good recipe…made a few additions for my taste: 1/8 (sliced) of large white onion and a tsp. of minced garlic (after cooking the brine)

      Reply

  6. Jennifer Morrison

    What a neat recipe. I have never tried these before, but remember that my Uncle used to have a large jar of them on his counter. His were always pink, and I thought they looked like eyeballs. I guess we have similar imaginations. I loved the story of how you were nervous about going to go get items from the cellar room.

    Reply

  9. Nathalie

    I needed a sugarless recipe for my SO and this fits the bill! He loves it. I halved the brine recipe and it covers the eggs just right.

    Reply

  11. Liz McNally

    Do you use pickling vinegar or regular? I do roughly the same as you but I started leaving them in a bowl overnight so they would be evenly coloured and free floating and also add a tiny bit of sugar to take some of the bite out of the vinegar. The reason I want then coloured is so I can place them in out local fair. Thanks.

    Reply

    • Homemade & Yummy

      I used just regular white vinegar (just like my mom did), but feel free to experiment with other kinds of vinegar as well. You can use sugar (and lots of people do). Experiment to see what you like best.

      Reply

  14. Stephanie

    Never been much of a pickled egg fan, but tried your recipe and I’m hooked! Making my mother a batch for Christmas after she tried one and loved it, too! Thanks!

    Reply

  15. karen munro

    I work at retail and if 1 egg is broken in a dozen, they throw them all out, and i saw your picked egg recipe on line and said , give me all the good eggs and i will pickle them, instead of throwing the out as damaged…so i did and everyone love your recipe…just wondering , you say keep for several months, how long is the expiring date from bottling them?

    Reply

  18. Josee Marchessault

    I have 12 chickens and they’re on a laying frenzy. I just made 2 dozens of pickled eggs following your recipe. I am also growing some very hot peppers so I sliced thinly and added some to the brine.
    The first dozen I made as written, the second, I added smoked salt instead of regular. My house smells amazing! Thank you!

    Reply

    • Homemade & Yummy

      Quarts of liquid? It certainly makes more than you need for the recipe. I would rather have too much than not enough. Feel free to adjust the recipe to your needs. As long as you have the eggs completely covered you are good to go??

      Reply

  20. Sherry

    Thank you for sharing your “non-beet” recipe. I’ve only ever eaten a Chinese-style pickled egg, and I don’t recall liking it much. (Mom made them using a soy sauce/vinegar/sugar brine so they were brown and not appealing to look at.)

    Thirty+ years later, I’m on a diet that calls for a daily serving of boiled eggs and because I love deviled eggs and egg salad, I want to try pickling some. But my cookbooks and Internet seaches keep showing beet versions with cinnamon and sugar–likely tasty, just not the flavors my palate is craving. That said, I’m going to try half a batch of your version first to see if the rubbery texture you descibed will be too *blech* for me as well.

    Reply

      • Sherry

        While heating my brine, I sampled it and knew it’d be too sour for my hubby so I added a little more salt and a teaspoon of sugar. He didn’t even wait 24 hours before eating one, and once he told me it was good, I just HAD to try one myself. I LOVED it!
        And there was a bonus…I used the extra brine to make my first batch of pickled watermelon rind! So thanks for the inspiration!!

      • Homemade & Yummy

        THANKS so much for letting me know. I really appreciate the time you took to do that. This brine is perfect for tweaking, and I am so glad you found the perfect combination to suit your taste. Let me know how the watermelon turned out!!

  21. Healthy Kitchen 101

    Honestly, I had no idea of pickled eggs in my childhood until I’ve got the culinary education ? Actually, the first time I met them is when I was in a bar. I looked curiously at the bartender bringing eggs for the customer next to me, then I asked him and yes, it became my first try. Not bad! Well, now it’s the indispensable can in my kitchen xD

    Reply

  22. Otis cooper

    Can still remember the “dugout” smell like it was yesterday,but that was 52 yrs ago. Grandpa and ma had a concrete cellar that they call the dugout,filled with all kinda canned garden veggies and served as a storm shelter also. Pickled eggs were a treat on special occasions….can remember how ma smiled when grandpa bragged on the eggs!

    Reply

  23. Claudia Lamascolo

    Wow talk about a childhood memory you just gave me a flash back. My dad would make a whole humungous jar of these. I never did learn how to make them and I really forgot about them and him making these until now. It actually brought a smile and tears to my eyes. So Glad you posted this to stumble or I may have never seen it thank you

    Reply

  25. Jim

    Thank you so much for this recipe (and funny story), Gloria. My dad and I used to eat the pickled eggs my mum made using the old English pub method: dropping the egg into a packet of potato chips and giving the packet a shake. You get a kind of crispy coating on the egg and the chips borrow some of the pickle flavour from the egg. It’s culinary symbiosis!
    We’ll be in Ontario in April – I’ll have to keep an eye out for a bottle of Beau’s. Sounds like my kind of beer.

    Reply

  27. Murray

    Hi Gloria. Why no sugar? I’ve just started making my own pickled eggs after years of my parents making various pickles. I must admit i prefer the tartness of pickled onions and dill pickles. I’ll let you know how my version goes. I used sugar and I’ll try the next batch without. Have you used sugar and if so how did it go. Would be interested to know.

    Reply

    • Homemade & Yummy

      I personally have NOT used sugar. There are lots of recipes out there that include sugar (I guess the sweet/salt balance). For me I have never been a SWEET pickle person (except for pickled beets). I am sure ALL are delicious, and I really think it is personal preference. I used pickling spices in mine, where my mom did not.

      Reply

  30. Mel

    I”m happy to see a recipe for pickled eggs that doesn’t include sugar. This is the closest I’ve been able to find to my dad’s recipe. I’ll be making these this weekend for sure. Thanks!

    Reply

  31. DODSTIL L DEMPSEY Jr

    I’m glad you decided to make these pickled eggs for your husband. I have looked for a recipe for pickled eggs but everyone I’ve found has had Sugar in it. Thank You for this recipe. Also it amazes me that so many people have never heard of nor tried pickled eggs. My Mom used to use beet juice from her pickled beets and I loved them but everyone I know that makes them adds sugar and I don’t like sweet pickled eggs.

    Reply

    • Homemade & Yummy

      Seriously I don’t know how long these will actually last. I can say I have made them and kept them in the fridge for several weeks. You can buy them in the grocery store here….so they will last for quite some time….in the fridge….at least that is where I would keep them.

      Reply

  34. Billy

    I totally get the creepiness of the basement / cellar. We had a wine cellar that I would often be convinced into venturing in to grab things from. Whether that was pickled goods, wine, whatever it may be. It really wigged me out. I could see why that would add an element of skepticism when it comes to pickling things! Now that I have broken down that barrier I love pickling! I hope I have time to try your recipe soon, thank you for sharing!

    Reply

  35. RichardB

    Thanks for the recipe and like others here I look forward to trying it. Like another comment here I too used to put them in the pickle jar when the pickles were gone and that was really great! What I wonder about with your recipe is: will this taste like it was soaked in dill pickle juice like the ones I made in the past? I do plan on trying yours so I guess I’ll find out in the near future.
    Grandpop had a 250 year old house in New Jersey with a dirt floor cellar and a single pull string light bulb you had to reach around in the dark to find the string to pull to turn it on. One day when I stepped off the last step onto what was supposed to be dirt I stepped on something kinda soft that didn’t move. When I finally found the string to turn on the light, there was the biggest dead rat I have ever seen, even to this day almost 60 years later! That’s my cellar story and I’m stickin to it!
    Thanks again for the recipe,
    Richard

    Reply

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