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Red Beet Eggs

Red beet eggs are a Pennsylvania dutch treat. In short, the juice from a can of beets is used to make a weak pickling brine and hard-boiled eggs are submerged in it, taking on the deep red-purple color of the beet juice. The color usually goes all the way to the yolks, making for quite a presentation. I'm the only one in our house who enjoys red beet eggs...but that just means all the more for me.

6 eggs and a bunch o' beets
ingredients:

  • 6 large eggs, hard-boiled and peeled
  • 1 can (15 oz) sliced beets in juice
  • ½ cup Splenda (or sugar)
  • ¼ cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1/8 cup malt vinegar
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 12 peppercorns
  • 6 whole cloves
  • 1 bay leaf
  1. Sanitize a 1 quart mason jar.
  2. Drain the liquid from the can of beets into a small sauce pan. Set the beets and eggs aside and add the rest of the ingrediest to the pan.
  3. Bring the brine to a simmer and hold for 5 minutes.
  4. Place the peeled hard-boiled eggs in the bottom of the mason jar, layering the beets on top of them.
  5. Once the brine has cooled, pour into the jar. You can add the peppercorns, cloves, and bay leaf if you like — I run the brine through a tea strainer as I'm pouring it to keep them out of the jar.
  6. Close the jar and refrigerate. Every 12 hours, tilt the jar back and forth a few times to shift the contents. After 48 hours the eggs (and beets!) are ready to be eaten.

I like to sprinkle a pinch of fine kosher salt over an egg and some beets before savoring them.

Written by Jeff Frey on Tuesday April 19, 2022
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