What’s the perfect high protein snack with tons of tang and flavor? Pickled eggs. I know you may be thinking ew…but believe it or not, pickled eggs are one of my new favorite mid day pick me ups (I was a non-believer too at one point).

Pickled eggs are basically hard boiled eggs taken up a notch. They’re tangy, have a spiced flavor, and the texture is just a bit softer. As far as preservation is concerned, we feel pretty confident in our method where we put hot liquid into hot jars, topped by hot lids (making a seal). We then keep these in the fridge. You may go to a classic, redneck bar and see these on the counter, but I wouldn’t recommend it! We go through these pretty fast, but I wouldn’t keep for more than 2 months. I’m all about safety!

First, hard boil your eggs! You need nine eggs per quart jar. Put in a pot of cold water, bring to a boil, turn off, then let sit for 10 minutes. Then, rinse them in extra cold water. Get to peeling! Make sure you also boil your jars, lids, and screw tops and take out with tongs. It’s essential to have sterilized supplies for the process to be the safest. Now, I’ll tell you all our brine recipes, and the add-ins we put with it. The general recipe is to put 3 eggs, a layer of add-ins, and 3 eggs until you fill it with 9.

Classic Brine

Heat one half cup white vinegar, one half cup apple cider vinegar, one cup of water, and a fourth a cup of sugar to a boil. In the jar, put peppercorns, dill seed (or fresh dill), red pepper flakes, garlic cloves, and red onion. Add this brine on top.

Spicy Brine

Make the classic brine, but add chopped fresh jalapeños to the jar alongside everything listed above. Trust me, just this little addition adds a lovely spice (and the jalapeños are so yummy to eat).

Beet Brine

This is a take on the classic, PA-dutch red beet eggs that’s a bit fresher. Start with one cup white vinegar and one cup water and bring it to a boil, then add a cup of sugar. In the jar, put peppercorns, garlic cloves, and slices of fresh beets. Add the brine on top, and watch as the mixture immediately turns red. After two weeks, the eggs will be a vibrant red on the inside!

Asian Brine

This is definitely a unique one, but results in a lovely, salty situation. Boil a cup of water, half a cup of rice wine vinegar, and half a cup of white vinegar. Add ¼ a cup of sugar and ¼ a cup of soy sauce to this brine. In the jar, put lemongrass, peppercorns, ginger, and carrots. The eggs are a bit saltier than the others (with less acid), but they are fantastic in ramen and other asian dishes!

So, will you make these pickled eggs? Which version would you love to try? I love them all, but am partial to the spicy jalapeño ones! After they’re made, let them sit for at least a week, but they improve with time.

All thoughts and opinions are my own.