# Have you ever had pickled eggs?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-had-pickled-eggs/381653>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [November 24, 2006, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-had-pickled-eggs/381653 "2006-11-24T16:23:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2006, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-had-pickled-eggs/381653/1 "2006-11-24T16:23:02Z")

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I was at a gathering last night and one of the many foods was pickled eggs with red beets. There are many ways to make pickled eggs, but the ones with red beets are the ones I’m most familiar with.  
For those not familiar here is a  
[Recipe](http://www.cooks.com/rec/doc/0,1650,152172-225198,00.html)

One of the women there claimed to have never heard of them. She was from Chicago. They are so common here in PA, I just assumed (perhaps naively) that they were common all over the country.

So:

1. Have you had them or at least heard of them?
2. Where are you from?

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2006, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-had-pickled-eggs/381653/2 "2006-11-24T16:31:26Z")

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Yes, they are available as a side order in just about every fish and chip shop here (in the UK). These are just hard boiled eggs immersed in spirit vinegar and that’s exactly what they taste like.

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**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2006, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-had-pickled-eggs/381653/3 "2006-11-24T16:33:46Z")

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In Scotland pretty much every chipshop sells pickled eggs, beets, onions and mussels. The eggs are usually in insanely strong spirit vinegar, and are very much an acquired taste. I love them, usually when pished, but they do have consequences.

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**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2006, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-had-pickled-eggs/381653/4 "2006-11-24T16:33:39Z")

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[QUOTE=Mangetout]  
Yes, they are available as a side order in just about every fish and chip shop here (in the UK). These are just hard boiled eggs immersed in spirit vinegar and that’s exactly what they taste like.  
[/QUOTE]

They also sell in them in quite a few pubs and charge 30p each for them :eek:  
Personally I think they taste bloody awful

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**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2006, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-had-pickled-eggs/381653/5 "2006-11-24T16:37:08Z")

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Had them in a pub. UK.

My impression: the white of the egg is quite nice but the yolk is disgusting.

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**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2006, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-had-pickled-eggs/381653/6 "2006-11-24T16:47:31Z")

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[QUOTE=jjimm]

My impression: the white of the egg is quite nice but the yolk is disgusting.  
[/QUOTE]

I prefer the yolk! I was in a bar once which had a fairly large biker clientele, and the bikers were having a drinking competition. It was a race to see who could down a pint of Guinness the fastest. The pint had a pickled egg and two pickled onions added. Tasty!

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**Author:** ![A.R.Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@A.R.Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.R.Cane)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2006, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-had-pickled-eggs/381653/7 "2006-11-24T18:53:33Z")

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My Mom used to make these, but not like the recipe in the OP. She would hardboil and peel the eggs, then use canned beets, juice included, vinegar, sugar and some spices, but not cinnamon and let them stand in the fridge for a day or two. I loved them and ocassionally make them myself. They look great, sliced up, on a green salad.

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**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2006, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-had-pickled-eggs/381653/8 "2006-11-24T19:23:52Z")

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I’ve had them once or twice. Lovely!

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**Author:** ![StinkyBurrito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b9e5f3/32.png) [@StinkyBurrito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StinkyBurrito)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2006, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-had-pickled-eggs/381653/9 "2006-11-24T20:18:51Z")

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A lot of UK responses here so far. I don’t think you can get them at any normal restaurant in the US outside of a deli, and that is a maybe. You can, however, find them at the deli case of a supermarket in the section with the 3 bean salad and potato salad etc. From the way they were described upthread, I don’t think these are nearly as sour/vinegary as yours. They are just a weird color of pink and taste somewhat sweet, maybe slightly sour. I like them, but I get a very disgusted reaction from most people around me. I think it is fairly foreign to most Americans, but not to the point that you would have never even heard of them before.

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**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2006, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-had-pickled-eggs/381653/10 "2006-11-24T20:52:48Z")

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I have heard of them but I am fairly certain they aren’t common throughout most of the U.S. especially with the beats.

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**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2006, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-had-pickled-eggs/381653/11 "2006-11-24T21:03:04Z")

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My mom makes them, we’re from Ohio.

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**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2006, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-had-pickled-eggs/381653/12 "2006-11-24T21:14:30Z")

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My dad used to make them all the time growing up. We pretty much always had a huge jar of them and my sister and I just loved them. He still makes them. And I still love them.

I used to be able to find them in bars every now and then in New Jersey and PA.  
Anyway, dad is from Louisiana, but we lived in New Jersey.

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**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2006, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-had-pickled-eggs/381653/13 "2006-11-24T21:56:18Z")

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I’ve had pickled eggs and love the taste of them. I’ve also had pickled lemons, which are quite good. Of course, living in Korea, I’ve had quite a few other pickled items (there are very many varieties of kimchi).

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**Author:** ![Adoptamom\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7ba0ec/32.png) [@Adoptamom\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Adoptamom_II)\
**Post date:** [November 24, 2006, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-had-pickled-eggs/381653/14 "2006-11-24T22:07:49Z")

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I think cajun pickled eggs, from Louisiana, are done a little differently according to [this](http://www.realcajunrecipes.com/recipes/cajun/spicy-pickled-eggs/1128.rcr)  
recipe. They aren’t pink, nor do I see any evidence of beets used. They can be found in almost every convenience store/gas station around. Frankly, I’ve never had the nerve to try them … they’re usually located right next to the pickled pigs feet, which make me gag and look the other way.

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**Author:** ![WishIHadACoolName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a587f6/32.png) [@WishIHadACoolName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WishIHadACoolName)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2006, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-had-pickled-eggs/381653/15 "2006-11-25T01:28:53Z")

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I just made a jar of these this week. Hard-boiled eggs, canned beets, the juice from the beets brought to a boil with sugar and vinegar, then poured over the eggs in the jar. Let them sit for a few days until they are offensively purpley-pink.

I think they are foul. My husband’s family and my son both adore them.

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**Author:** ![A.R.Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@A.R.Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.R.Cane)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2006, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-had-pickled-eggs/381653/16 "2006-11-25T01:38:01Z")

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[QUOTE=WishIHadACoolName]  
I just made a jar of these this week. Hard-boiled eggs, canned beets, the juice from the beets brought to a boil with sugar and vinegar, then poured over the eggs in the jar. Let them sit for a few days until they are offensively purpley-pink.

I think they are foul. My husband’s family and my son both adore them.  
[/QUOTE]

May I complement your husband and son on their epicurean taste. 😃

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**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2006, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-had-pickled-eggs/381653/17 "2006-11-25T01:45:12Z")

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Damn! Now I want to try a pickled egg!

I’ve already had pickled lemons. I made them myself. They were good!

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**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2006, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-had-pickled-eggs/381653/18 "2006-11-25T02:30:55Z")

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Another Chicago girl. I’ve heard of them, but never had one. I saw one for the first time in an ethnic market at the deli about a month ago.

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**Author:** ![Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gut)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2006, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-had-pickled-eggs/381653/19 "2006-11-25T02:32:06Z")

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I’ve had them as a wee lad in Germany oh so many years ago. I really liked them. I’ve had them a few times in my teens here in Canada but I don’t know where to get them now. As for the consequences mentioned by **Struan** I have to agree. It might as well be fog. Really smelly fog.

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**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2006, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/have-you-ever-had-pickled-eggs/381653/20 "2006-11-25T02:37:09Z")

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I love homemade pickled eggs, but without the beets please. And I don’t like the kind that you find on the shelves in stores. Not at all the same.

Eat them with salt and crackers. I would think washing them down with beer would be perfect. The best ones I’ve had were at a pub near a university in Nashville.

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