Easy Classic Pickled Eggs Recipe is a true pub favourite.
Popular bar styled food made at home with this easy no canning method. All you need is a nice big jar, hard-boiled eggs, and a brine to make the best-pickled eggs ever.
Who would have thought a hard-boiled egg cured in vinegar or pickling brine would create such a great snack and appetizer? Egg pickles!
Since I was a kid, my mom made these all the time. 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.
RECIPE and INSTRUCTIONS for this old fashioned pickled egg recipe is at the bottom of this post.
I am more of a quick pickle person. This recipe is a no canning method, just like my zucchini pickles and pickled onions recipe! According to my husband, she made the best pickled eggs, until he tried them done my way.
If you love pickles without all the work, check out this roundup 30 Easy Refrigerator Pickles.
I still remember that room in the basement of my parent’s house. 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.
She also made homemade sauerkraut, which we called kapusta. It is so delicious in the traditional Ukrainian Kobasa Kapusta recipe. Often seen on the holiday dinner tables.
Those days of traditional canning does not happen in my house.
Simple Pickling Ingredients
Like with ALL quick pickles, ingredients are easy to find.
- hard-boiled eggs
- white vinegar
- water
- salt
- *(affiliate) pickling spice
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.
I guess that is why they are a pub favourite, especially in the UK. They are found in fish and chip shops too.
I thought they were Ukrainian pickled eggs. Who knew they would be SO DELICIOUS!
Of course, my husband happens to be one of those people who loved my mom’s recipe. He would always be so happy when mom made them. In fact, she would make a jar just for him.
Now my grandkids can say grandma’s pickled eggs are the BEST! Just like the kind you can find in the bar.
How To Make Easy Pickled Eggs
This is a super easy no canning method.
- Sterilize a clean large glass jar. I add boiling water to it and let it sit for 5 minutes. Pour the water out and you are good to go.
- Have your hard-boiled eggs cooked and peeled (the hardest part is peeling those eggs).
- Place them in the jar.
- Boil the brine ingredients in a small pot.
- Pour over the eggs.
- Put on the lid.
- Let cool slightly, then place in the fridge.
- Let sit until seasoned (at least 3 days). Ok…this is the second hardest part.
After looking at my mom’s 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?
The typical British recipe uses vinegar, salt and sugar. Mine is a no sugar recipe.
I knew I needed something different. I wanted my recipe to be infused with more flavour.
Egg Pickle Variations
- Brines can be all vinegar (usually white vinegar or malt vinegar)
- You can use beet juice or pickle juice in the brine
- Some recipes include salt and vinegar
- Some use only one or the other
- Additional seasonings such as dill, onion, jalapeno (for a kick of heat) can be added
- You can also use a pickling spice blend
Ok now for the test. I let hubby do the honours. Well to my surprise, he LOVED them. In fact even better than moms!!
This DIY easy pickling recipe is a must-try. You can make them YOUR way. Spicy, flavoured, coloured. Skip the eggs in a jar from Costco. These are better than store-bought hands down.
Recipe Tips
- If you want the pickling brine to be clear (like the ones you see in the store) do not use the pickling spice (cloves turn the brine brown).
- Be sure to let the eggs sit for AT LEAST 3 days in the fridge before eating.
- You can experiment with the brine ingredients, creating the brine you prefer.
- Be sure to serve at room temperature.
- Ways to serve pickled eggs include: snacks, party appetizers (especially game night) and sandwich fillings.
- The longer the eggs stay in the brine, the stronger the taste.
- Prolonged time in the brine tends to create a rubbery texture.
I would say safely 3-4 months. Since this is a quick pickle method, the shelf life is not as long as the traditional canned method, or the ones purchased in the grocery stores.
Yes for food safety you will want to keep them in the fridge.
The hard-boiled eggs are peeled before they are put into the pickling brine. Unpeeled eggs will not work in this recipe.
People have used pickle juice to make pickled eggs. This recipe uses a seasoned brine. If you use dill pickle juice, the eggs will have a dill pickle taste. Pickled eggs with beet juice will make them pink.
Still Looking For Some Great Egg Recipes?
Here are some of our favourites:
- Flavoured Devilled Eggs
- Poached Eggs and Lentil Hash
- Egg Tacos with Smoked Salmon
- Egg Muffin Baked Omelette
- Sausage and Egg Breakfast Tacos
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Easy Old Fashioned Pickled Eggs
Ingredients
- 12 large eggs (hard boiled & peeled)
- 4 cups white vinegar
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 ½ teaspoons course sea salt
- 1 tablespoon 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!!
James
Is there any way that you could provide your Mom’s traditional canning recipes? My Mom had the same thought as you and always told me canning was too much work. Now she doesn’t even remember the process or my Grandma’s recipes. Thank you for this delicious recipe!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
I wish I could help you, but my mom did not keep any records on canning. She just did it. I never had the interest to follow in her footsteps in that department, unfortunately.
Alton R Clark
These are great, but next time I’ll use apple cider
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
Let me know how the apple cider vinegar works. Glad you enjoyed this pickled egg recipe.
Phil
Pickling spice can be made thousands of ways. Do you know what’s in yours?
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
Sorry, I just picked some off the shelf at the grocery store. There is no right or wrong blend, so whatever you like will work.
Di
So easy to goggle, if you can’t find pickling spice at your supermarket. I made up my own from the pantry. Let’s hope they taste good lol.
Vivian
Can I can them for a longer shelve life in water canner? And how?
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
This is NOT a recipe for long storage so I would strongly recommend against using this for that purpose.
Cassondra
I do not see how much mustard powder to put in and is that with the pickling spice or instead of the spice? Thank you in advance for your reply
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
Sorry, I don’t include mustard powder in the recipe ingredients. I have only used pickling spice. If you want to add mustard powder, I would do it when you boil the brine and add as much as you like.
Angie
My friend is a canner and she uses apple cider vinegar in all of her recipes including pickled eggs. Yummy!
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
Good to know, I will give that a try too.
Kristi Ambrose
Sounds great
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
These pickled eggs are a hit in our family. Hope you give them a try.
Joyce Knight
I have fine sea salt and kosher salt. What would be the amount to use of 1 of those?
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
Kosher salt is large, and sea salt is small in size. I would go by your taste and how salty you want the eggs to be.
Janice
Would you think apple cider vinegar might be an option?
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
I have heard of people using apple cider vinegar. Personally, I have not tried it. I would experiment and see how they turn out.
Amanda Pittman
If I were to omit the pickling spice what could I replace it with?
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
You can omit it completely, or add something like dill to the brine. Whatever you choose will flavour the vinegar and the eggs will take on that flavour.
Noel
Great recipe have used it many times. If i use Extra Large Eggs would i have to boil them longer?
Gloria Duggan | Homemade & Yummy
I would think the boiling time would be the same for any hard-boiled egg. I have not used extra-large, so you may need to test it a see.