Mom's Pickled Eggs

Name: Mom's Pickled Eggs
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 2 cups white vinegar; 1 cup water; 1 teaspoon pepper; 1 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon ground mustard; 2 tablespoons pickling spice; 1 dozen hard boiled eggs

Published: Mar 27, 2023 · Modified: May 6, 2023 by Laureen King

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Mom's Pickled Eggs is an easy recipe for making traditional pickled eggs. Tangy, salty with a bit of spice make these eggs an old-fashioned snack that is sure to please.

Glass jar of pickled egg with red checkered cloth lid cover.

This pickled egg recipe is a treasured family recipe from my husband's Mom. Hard boiled eggs marinated in a homemade pickling brine of vinegar, pickling spice, ground mustard, salt and pepper. There is no sugar added to this pickled egg recipe, making it a perfect, healthy snack. You will want to keep a jar of these protein-packed and low-calorie eggs in the refrigerator at all times!

Pickle brine being poured over hard boiled eggs in glass jar.

Years ago picked eggs were often found in big glass jars in the pub. They were popular bar food items and tasted great with a pint of beer. I think they make a delicious appetizer to add to a charcuterie board or even make into tangy deviled eggs or egg salad sandwiches. Don't let your leftover Easter Eggs go to waste, make some pickled eggs with them!

Ingredients

Eggs - fresh eggs tend to be difficult to peel, so choose eggs that are at least a week or two old. You want your hard boiled eggs to look perfectly peeled.
Vinegar - plain white vinegar.
Pickling spice - found in the spice section of your grocery store. It is usually a combination of mustard seed, bay leaves, coriander, cloves, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and chili peppers.
Ground mustard - use only ground mustard, do not substitute for any other kind of mustard.
Water
Salt and pepper

How to make perfect hard boiled eggs.

Place the eggs in a single layer in a large saucepan.
Cover the eggs completely with water. The water should be about an inch higher than the eggs.
Bring to a boil, then turn the stove heat off.
Cover the pot with the lid and let stand for 11-12 minutes.
Drain and immediately run cold water over the eggs.
Peel using the side of of your thumb.

My recipes for Egg Salad Stuffed Pea Pods and Crab Stuffed Snow Peas include hard boiled eggs. Give these appetizer recipes a try as well.

Three hard boiled eggs cut in half on wood board.

Instructions

Prepare the pickle brine. Combine the vinegar, water, salt, pepper, ground mustard and pickling spice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 5 minutes.

Place the peeled hard boiled eggs into a clean glass jar.

Pour the hot pickling liquid over the eggs. Make sure the eggs are completely covered with brine.

Seal the jar with a lid and refrigerate. You can eat the eggs after 2-3 days, but I find letting them marinate in the brine for 5-7 days really enhances the flavor.

Storage

This pickled egg recipe is not canned and therefore must be kept refrigerated. They will keep sealed in a jar and stored in the fridge for 1-2 months.

Variations

My family thinks this classic pickled egg recipe is the best, but here are some tasty options.

Add fresh sliced regular onions, red onions, or, some fresh garlic cloves.
If you like a little heat add fresh sliced jalapeño peppers.
A few fresh dill sprigs with enhance the pickle favor.
To make pretty pink Beet Pickled Eggs, simply substitute the water with canned beet juice. You can even add several beets with the hard boiled eggs for a tasty option.

More Hard Boiled Egg Recipes

Crab Stuffed Snow Peas

Egg Salad Stuffed Snow Peas

This post was originally published March 2, 2014. Occasionally I update with fresh tips, content, and photos. Current update March 27, 2023.