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!!
Aurora Mathews
I grew up loving pickled eggs. My dad kept them in the fridge. Thanks for your recipe. I plan on trying it very soon. I’m 70 years old and both of my parents are gone. I’m sure the pickled eggs will bring back wonderful memories and I’ll make sure to get my granddaughter’s to try them out.
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
Isn’t it funny how many people grew up with pickled eggs. It is a true classic that is for sure.
Jason Rodier
I have made this several times now and will make it in the future. These taste a lot better than the store brands. These eggs keep well and are healthy.
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
Thanks so much for swinging back to let me know. So glad you love the recipe. Hubby does too.
Ana
Hi,
Are these quick pickled or are they canned in a water bath to seal? I’d really like to try making them!
Thanks!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
They are QUICK pickled. No water bath, but DO be sure to keep them in the fridge for longer storage. Hope this helps.
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!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
HAHAH….well it took me well over 50 years to try pickled eggs!!
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
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
HAHAH…I love your basement story. Funny how those images are ingrained in our brains FOREVER. Enjoy the pickled eggs.
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!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
Not sure how well the scaled-down version will work. Please let me know. Hubby loves these…hope you to do too.
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.
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
Well I hope he LOVES them..my hubby sure does.
Melba
I really enjoyed your story. We didn’t have a cellar, but I’d feel like you did! When I was about 4 yrs. old my dad was a bartender. I remember he, my mom & 2 older sisters sitting around the kitchen table peeling hard boiled eggs! Daddy put them in large jars to take to work. I didn’t know what he put in the jars to pickle them. I haven’t eaten them much in my life, but I just wanted to find a recipe so I could “go back in time” so to speak. Thanks for your recipe & your wonderful story! I’ve boiled the eggs & need to buy pickling spice. My husband requested them to be more sour than dill. We’ll see!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
Well I hope he enjoys them as much as my hubby does. Thanks so much for stopping by and giving this recipe a try. Love hearing your story as well.
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.
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.
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)
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
Thanks so much for swinging back to let me know. So glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Pam
Hi! I’m new to the pickled egg thing too. Let me share an idea that a friend shared with me. For those of you who can cucumbers/pickles, when the jar is empty of pickles you can add the boiled eggs to that brine. The brine is still strong. Let the eggs sit in the frig for about a week before eating. I have done this and they are quite good.
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
That sounds like a great idea. Thanks so much for sharing. I love when my readers comment on each others post.
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.
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
HAHHA….that is funny. And I can see where you get the “eyeball” thing. I totally agree.
Mary
What was your mom’s recipe? I don’t like the “pickling spice” mixture.
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
My mom DID use pickling spice. She used SUGAR and I did not.
Tommla Callihan
My family loved these.
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
I am so glad you swung back to let me know. Thanks so much.
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.
Homemade & Yummy
SO glad they turned out for you. I NEVER put sugar in my pickled eggs….and you can see there is NO need for it. Thanks for swinging back to let me know.
Diana
Hi Trying your recipe tomorrow. I just wanted to tell you that I LOVE your Logo. It is absolutely perfect.
Homemade & Yummy
Well thanks so much. Hope you this recipe as much as my husband does.
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.
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.
Pam
Do you strain off the spices when you pot brine over eggs?
Homemade & Yummy
No you do not, keep them in the brine for the entire time.