Pickled beet eggs are hard-boiled eggs that have been pickled along with whole, cooked red beets. Pickling with the red beets causes the eggs to turn a pink or purple color. They are sometimes referred to as beet eggs or red beet eggs.
Pickling is a process by which foods are preserved by being marinated in an acid solution that usually includes vinegar. The pickled food usually has a salty or sour taste. Originally, pickling was used to preserve foods for storage and for use out of season or for long journeys. Now, foods are pickled mainly because people like the taste.
There are numerous recipes for making pickled beet eggs. A basic recipe involves hard boiling the eggs and removing the shells, then immersing them in solution of vinegar, salt, sugar, spices and other seasonings, along with the beets and beet juice. The eggs and beets are left in the pickling solution for as little as 24 hours or as long as several months. Leaving the eggs in the solution for too long, however, can cause them to become rubbery. Care should be taken to make sure that the eggs and beets are pickled properly to remove any harmful bacteria.
It is easier for the beets to be bought already pickled. Cooks put the peeled hard-boiled eggs in canning jars, then add the pickled beets and pickled beet juice to the eggs. The jars are then sealed and refrigerated for at least 24 hours to pickle the eggs and impart the red color.
Pickled beet eggs usually are eaten as appetizers or as a side dish. They also can be used on top of salad greens or to make deviled eggs. Easter is a popular time of year for pickled eggs. An abundance of hard boiled eggs during this season makes pickling them popular. It helps offer variety to those who eat a lot of eggs.
It has also been noted that pickled beet eggs are a good way to introduce children to beets. The sweetness in the pickling solution helps kids like the eggs and the beets. The eggs' unusual color might even help convince some kids to try them for the first time.