Pickled Eggs and Beets

As a little girl, I spent my share of days on long drives through the country with my parents and sisters.  My sisters and I would climb into the back of the car ready for another adventure.

We never knew where we might end up.  The truth is, I don’t think my parents knew where we’d end up most of those times.  Most of those rides ended somewhere in North Carolina.  Sometimes, we would end up at a relative’s house for an impromptu visit.  We were also likely to end up at one of the North Carolina Sounds (as in a body of water).  And there were other times when we ended up on the Outer Banks.

To this day, I love getting into a vehicle and setting out for a long drive – destination unknown.  Lucky for me, I married a man who loves it too.

By now, you’re probably wondering what on earth pickled eggs and beets have to do with my childhood rides?  Well, I’m going to tell you – now and then throughout the day we’d stop for a snack (or a potty break).  More times than not, these stops were at old service stations or general country stores.  Pickled eggs graced the countertops of most of these places.  Sometimes they would be plain pickled eggs, other times there were red pickled eggs.

There was one thing for sure – when I left those stores my snack of choice never included a pickled egg of any kind.  I used to always see them but was never daring enough to waste my snack on something I might not like.  As an adult, I  learned that they’re not bad at all.  My husband likes them too.

These are great to make deviled eggs with too.  The purple color is pretty on a platter, and the added spices give a great flavor to the finished product.

There are many variations of this recipe out there, but this one was passed down, and I’ve stuck with it.  You can use whole or sliced beets.  I’m using sliced beets today since that’s what I have on hand.  Also, when in a pinch, I have used white vinegar with good results.

You will need 8 hard boiled eggs, 2 (15 ounce) cans of whole beets,1 cup juice reserved, 1 onion, sliced in strips, 1 cup of white sugar, 3/4 cup of cider vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 pinch of black pepper, 2 bay leaves, and 12 whole cloves.

Since I used sliced beets this time, I decided to quarter them (they fit in the jar around the eggs better that way).

Layer beets, peeled eggs, and onions in a glass jar or container.  Notice anything missing?  Yep.  No onions.  Of all the days – the day of this post – I don’t have onions on hand.  Trust me; you want to make these with onions – they’re just plain good that way.

In a medium saucepan combine the sugar, vinegar, 1 cup of the reserved beet juice, salt, pepper, bay leaves, and cloves.  Bring this to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes.  Pour the hot liquid over the eggs and beets.  Cover and refrigerate.

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These are best if refrigerated at least 48 hours before eating.  Enjoy!

Pickled Eggs and Beets

Serving Up Southern

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Ingredients

  

• 8 eggs, hard boiled
• 2 15 ounce cans whole pickled beets, 1 cup juice reserved
• 1 onion, sliced into strips
• 1 cup white sugar
• 3/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 2 bay leaves
• 12 whole cloves

Instructions

 

• Layer eggs, beets, and onions in a glass jar or container.
• In a saucepan combine the vinegar, beet juice, salt, pepper, bay leaves, and cloves. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Pour over eggs and beets. Cover and refrigerate. Best if refrigerated at least 48 hours before serving.

Disclaimer: Nutritional values (per serving) are approximates only and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

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