My husband loves pickled eggs. I was never a huge fan- always likening their taste to a picture in my mind of the wagon driver in Dances With Wolves. I love hard-boiled eggs with vinegar, but the thought of a “canned” egg just didn't make me jump with glee. That's when I started researching fermented pickled eggs.
I have never been able to find jars of pickled eggs that we liked in a store either. Since I don't have a canner and have no desire to get one, making pickled eggs was just out of the picture for us.
That is until we started Lacto-fermenting veggies. I started thinking of all the different foods that were probably preserved in brine before the canning process we know today was developed. Since it was likely that eggs were originally dry-packed in salt or stored in brine to preserve them, it is the Lacto-fermented egg that is the true pickled egg.
I didn't have to mention my idea twice to my husband- he was immediately on board. So, we gathered some basic supplies and began our adventure.
distilled water (you can use tap water if your water source is pretty good)
To start things off, you are going to boil your eggs. Actually, boiling is a misnomer because you want to just simmer and then turn off the heat. The hot water will cook your eggs to perfection. This video explains it well:
After your eggs are cooled, peel them and gently rinse them to get rid of any little specks of the shell. If there are little cracks or flaws from peeling don't worry. As long as your eggs are not breaking apart down to the yolk they will pickle just fine.
Here is the recipe for the actual fermentation process:
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Since it was likely that eggs were originally dry-packed in salt or stored in brine to preserve them, it is the lacto-fermented egg that is the true pickled egg.
garlic clovespeeled (about 5 cloves per dozen eggs)
fresh or dried dill weed
half gallon mason jars
Instructions
Place 2-3 cloves of garlic and a few sprigs of dill at the bottom of your mason jar(s)
Pack eggs into a jar, adding more dill and garlic in layers
In a pitcher or pyrex measuring bowl, mix 1 tsp kosher salt into 2 cups of water
Pour salt brine into your jar. Repeat these last two steps until the brine covers the eggs. Make sure to leave about 1 inch of headspace at the top of the jar to allow for gases to be released. Put the seal on top of the jar and screw lid on securely, but not too tight.
Set the jar(s) in a cool dark place for about 3 days. Check after 3 days for signs of bubbling. Ferment to taste.
Tips:
Your eggs will not bubble as much as raw veggies do because they are already cooked. If you see what appears to be bubbles on the surface of the eggs, you have fermentation!
You can add whey to help speed up the process, but I have found that I don't like the taste of whey in my products. To each his own I guess.
People are often concerned with fermentation and the risks of spoiled food. If you make sure to clean your jars well, keep an eye out for bad produce/food, and always smell before you eat– you will be fine. Your fermented food should smell a little sour. It has been said that any spoiling will make the jar smell so bad that you would be crazy to try to eat it! Many canning books and publications from the government use scare tactics to keep people from attempting to ferment. This is a natural process- more natural than pasteurization or pressure canning.
So- the big question on your mind now is, “How do they taste?” I only tasted one, but they were surprisingly good. They are not as tart as the vinegar kind, but they have a certain tingle that makes them very tasty.
My husband and oldest daughter approved- they ate the whole jar in a few days, garlic cloves and all.
Aadel has been married to her career Army man for 13 years and they have 2 daughters and a freshly made son. She is a homeschooling mom, volunteer, and online college student. Her hobbies include cooking, organic gardening, sewing, and crocheting.
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Pour the brine over the eggs. You can add more water if necessary. Cover the jar with the Easy Fermenter Lid and place the Fermentation Weights in the jar to ensure perfect fermentation results. Allow the eggs to ferment for 3 days, at room temperature.
Place the jar in a cool, dark location. A closet or kitchen cupboard is fine. Leave the eggs to ferment for 1 to 3 days. Store the pickled eggs in the fridge, and enjoy within 2 weeks.
All you need are peeled boiled eggs, salt, water, herbs for flavoring and presto! From there, just leave your jar of eggs at room temperature for 5-7 days and good bacteria will do the rest. Once things begin to smell lightly fermented, the jar should be refrigerated to slow the fermenting process.
Add the eggs, make sure they are submerged (you can top them off with an additional 1-2 tablespoons water if you need to). Cover and chill overnight. The eggs will intensify in flavor and color the longer they are pickled. We suggest waiting at least 2-3 days before eating them.
Place the egg in a jar. Cover the egg with vinegar and store in a safe place. You should see bubbles forming at the surface of the shell. The next day, use the big spoon to scoop the egg out of the vinegar.
Fermented eggs are unlike pickled eggs preserved in vinegar. Fermented eggs are preserved in a salt-brine solution. The salt brine, plus added starter culture, create an anaerobic environment for good bacteria on the surface of the eggs to develop, thereby producing healthy probiotic bacteria to feed your gut.
Like commercial brands, homemade pickled eggs usually have a maximum four-month lifespan when refrigerated appropriately. However, using the right pickling technique is essential to ensure your eggs will keep well for as long as possible.
One problem may be you started with overcooked hard-boiled eggs. Another issue may be with the brining liquid itself. Leaving the eggs in a pickling liquid that's too strong will change their texture over time.
The quickest way to distinguish between an uncooked egg and a solid boiled egg is to put it flat on the counter and spin it. A raw egg will wobble and spin slowly, because it's filled with liquid, while a boiled egg will spin very quickly and very easily.
The health benefits that a daily meal of fermented eggs can afford you are: Enhanced Digestibility: The enzymes and probiotics produced during fermentation can help break down complex compounds in eggs, making them gentler on the digestive system.
If you soak this egg shell in vinegar (which is about 4% acetic acid), you start a chemical reaction that dissolves the calcium carbonate shell. The acetic acid reacts with the calcium carbonate in the egg shell and releases carbon dioxide gas that you see as bubbles on the shell.
In general, all pickled eggs can last up to four months in the refrigerator before experiencing decreased quality. Keep in mind that eggs may be safe to eat after that time, but they're not likely to be as tasty as when you first bought them.
Pickled eggs need to be hard-boiled and peeled prior to making the brine solution of vinegar, salt, spices, and other seasonings. Pickled eggs MUST be always stored in the refrigerator. The pickling solution must completely cover all hard-boiled eggs.
While recipes can vary from brand to brand, store-bought pickled eggs are often submerged in pickling solutions consisting of ingredients like beet juice, vinegar, water, and sugar. Commercial pickled eggs can also contain sodium benzoate, which is a common preservative that keeps food stable on store shelves.
The health benefits that a daily meal of fermented eggs can afford you are: Enhanced Digestibility: The enzymes and probiotics produced during fermentation can help break down complex compounds in eggs, making them gentler on the digestive system.
It may also be simmered with congee (rice porridge) and salted dried pork or steamed with spinach, garlic, and another type of Chinese preserved eggs (salted eggs). A century egg tastes rich, complex, and pungent, like ripe blue cheese with a very faint hint of ammonia.
Traditionally century eggs were made by preserving chicken or duck eggs in a mixture of salt, lime and ash, then wrapping in rice husks for several weeks. During this time the pH of the egg raises transforming the egg, the chemical process breaks down some of the proteins and fats into smaller, more complex flavours.
Introduction: My name is Rueben Jacobs, I am a cooperative, beautiful, kind, comfortable, glamorous, open, magnificent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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