Mom's Pickled Eggs

Pickled eggs have been a tradition in our family for as long as I can remember. We come from Pennsylvania Dutch country where a big family dinner isn't complete without a big bowl of colorful pickled eggs and beets on the table. This is the recipe my mom has always used, and my grandmother before her. When you're trying to come up with ideas for using up all those hard boiled Easter eggs next week, you might want to give this recipe a try.

9" x 12" sketch

The recipe is so simple - the hardest part is peeling the hard boiled eggs! After marinating for several days (or longer) in a mixture of beet juice, vinegar, sugar, and salt, the eggs are ready to eat. And they're pretty as a picture, with that glowing yellow center and shades of pink and purple surrounding it.

Here's a text copy of the recipe, in case you'd like to print it out:

Pickled Eggs and Beets

Ingredients:
1 pound can of beets
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 tsp salt
8 hard boiled eggs

Empty the beets and their liquid into a small saucepan. Add vinegar, sugar, and salt. Heat just until the sugar dissolves. Cool to room temperature. Place the eggs in a container. Pour in the beet mixture, and add enough water so the mixture covers the eggs. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator at least 2-3 days.

Recipe Notes:
- It's best to use a tall jar or plastic container to marinate the eggs. It takes less liquid to cover them than when using a wide bowl.
- The longer the eggs marinate in the liquid, the darker the color and stronger the flavor will be. I like them after they've marinated at least 4 or 5 days.