Pickled egg recipes call for a little kick

While school was out last week for spring break, our children had a very enjoyable time. Monday they spent the day fishing with their Aunt Pat. After a couple of different fishing holes, they found one where the fish were really biting. When I got home and checked the answering machine, two excited voices were screaming into the machine that they had caught dinner and to get out a big frying pan. They were so excited to have had a great day fishing. When they got home with their catch, it was time to clean them. As you can imagine, both of them said they really didn't think they wanted to watch and left immediately. It was only when the neighbor children showed up to watch that our children stayed around to take part in the "yucky stuff."

They had a fabulous day, and the look on their faces was a priceless treasure as they once again build a memorable moment in their childhood.

Last week we had a request from Opal Rodgers for pickled eggs. I suspected that we might get a response or two, but I received about 16 different recipes. I chose only a sampling of the recipes that were sent in to share with you today. Read through each of them as they do have some different ingredients in them. Also, when pickling them, always keep the eggs refrigerated.

Pickled Egg Recipe

2 dozen hard-boiled eggs, peeled

4 cups vinegar

1 jar or can jalapeno peppers

1 onion

1 cup water

1 tablespoon Tabasco

1 tablespoon salt

Bring ingredients to a boil. In sealable jar pour over peeled eggs. Allow to sit for 3 days to 3 months. Shake once a day. Serve with salt, pepper and Tabasco.

Pickled Eggs

3 dozen hard-boiled eggs

2 cups white vinegar

16 ounces sliced jalapeno peppers and juice (canned is easiest)

1 cup water

12 ounces MacIlheney Tabasco sauce

Boil the water, vinegar and jalapeno peppers for about 20 minutes and then add the Tabasco sauce. Layer the eggs and the peppers in a 1 gallon glass jar and then pour the liquid over the top, filling any extra space with 50/50 water/vinegar. Top off and let stew for 2 to 3 weeks. Warning, these are very, very hot.

Easy Pickled Egg Recipe

12 hard-boiled eggs

1/2 cup vinegar

1 can beets, red

Salt

Pepper

1 tablespoon sugar

Cover peeled eggs with beet juice, vinegar and remaining ingredients. Refrigerate at least overnight before serving. Yields 1 dozen eggs. They're best if left for three or four days before you eat them.

Awesome Pickled Eggs

1 gallon glass jar

2 dozen hard-boiled eggs (peeled if you like them that way better)

4 cups white vinegar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 15-ounce jar of sliced hot jalapenos (juice and all)

1/2 jar (about 6 ounces) hot chili peppers (juice and all)

1 medium-size onion (chopped -- not too fine, though)

3 tablespoons hot habenero Tabasco sauce

2 tablespoons salt

1 tablespoon onion salt

1 tablespoon garlic salt

1 tablespoon crushed red pepper

1 tablespoon ginger

1 tablespoon crushed garlic (2 cloves)

Note: Getting exact amounts is not necessary. Just put some of everything in.

Bring all ingredients (except eggs) to a boil. Boil for 10 or 15 minutes. Put eggs in jar. Pour brine over eggs. Put in fridge for 5 to 7 days. Serve eggs in cup cake papers with slices of jalapeno and onion from the brine and Tabasco sauce.

Real Pickled Eggs

1 onion, sliced into rings

3 to 4 dozen hard boiled eggs, shelled

5 generous pinches mustard seed

5 generous pinches dill seed

1 jar sliced jalapeno peppers

1 jar habenaro peppers

5 generous pinches red pepper seeds

10 dashes Tabasco

3 regular pinches of alum

5 generous pinches of black pepper or peppercorns

5 generous pinches of garlic or 5 cloves fresh garlic

4 big handfuls of sliced carrots

Boil everything but the eggs in vinegar for 20 minutes. Use enough vinegar to cover other ingredients and use the juice from the jars of peppers, too. Put eggs in jar(s). You can put 1 or 2 eggs in a small canning jar as a "gift." Pour boiled mixture over the eggs. Top off with vinegar. Let sit 2 weeks, minimum, in the refrigerator.

Makes the House Smell But They Sure Are Good Pickled Eggs

3 dozen hard boiled eggs

3 cups white vinegar

1 white onion, sliced

4 or 5 cloves of garlic

2 or 3 tablespoons of salt

5 or 6 dashes of pepper

2 or 3 dashes of Tabasco sauce

2 or 3 tablespoons of crushed mustard seed

2 or 3 tablespoons of curry powder

15 jalapeno peppers, sliced

5 jalapeno peppers, whole

10 to15 habenero peppers, sliced (optional - makes the eggs fairly spicy)

3 or 4 tablespoons of crushed red pepper

5 or 6 peppercorns

Glass gallon jar, to pickle the eggs in

Pretty much anything else that sounds good (carrots, pig's feet, etc.)

Food Coloring, to make the eggs even more appealing

Hard cook eggs. Remove the shells from the eggs, and set the eggs aside. In a large pan, bring the vinegar to a slow boil. Place all of the ingredients, except for the eggs (and whatever else you want to pickle, such as carrots) and sliced jalapenos, into the boiling vinegar. Your going to want to cover the boiling vinegar combo, so that the vinegar fumes do not escape too much into the air. Let the vinegar boil for 1-2 hours, to cook all of the flavor out of the spices. Place the eggs into the jar, and pour the vinegar combo into the jar over the eggs and jalapenos. Fill the rest of the jar with hot tap water until all of the eggs are covered. Seal the jar tightly. Shake every other day or so. After 2 weeks they are ready to eat and enjoy. To serve the pickled eggs, just use a slotted ladle to fish an egg out of the pickling mixture, and hit it with a dash of Tabasco and/or salt. Enjoy.

A Little Different Pickled Eggs

4 cups cider vinegar

1 cup water

3 bay leaves

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon pickling spice

2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1 tablespoon salt 4 tablespoons hot pepper sauce

1 dozen hard boiled eggs, peeled

Bring vinegar and water to boil in saucepan. Cool. Add remaining ingredients, cover and refrigerate 24 to 36 hours. Keeps up to 3 weeks refrigerated. Makes 1 dozen eggs.

Any kind of hot pepper sauce can be used, depending on taste. Additional eggs can be added to brine.

I am sure you now know more about pickled eggs than you ever thought you might know. But, I found them very interesting and even have the desire to try a recipe or two. I hope you do, too.

Have a wonderful week, and until next time, happy cooking.