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PICKLED EGGS
The best egg is cooked, peeled and pickled By Andrew Matte I blame a young man’s appetite. somewhat sharpened after spending a few hours with friends at the Victory House Tavern in Timmins, Ont., for my appreciation of pickled eggs. My affinity for eggs that have been cooked, peeled and pickled has since blossomed into a legitimate hobby. Over the years, I’ve experimented with recipes, boiling times and pickling methods. Today, I enjoy the preparation as much as I savour a pickled egg for its wonderfully sharp taste, portability and nutritional value. Combining the science of pickling with the beautiful simplicity of a hard-boiled egg makes a snack more tasty, economical and satisfying than anything made by any processed-food manufacturer. It helps that I don’t need to share. I find myself happily isolated like those with unique taste who snack on oysters, cow’s tongue or sardines. I always offer an egg to visiting friends and family, but the disgusted looks and rolling of eyes is good news for me. At my house, I’m the only one who reaches for the big weird jar at the back of the fridge. It all began more than two decades ago when I’d summoned the courage, with the help of an adult beverage or two, to give a pickled egg a try. At first glance, a big clear jug of cooked eggs marinating for months in room-temperature brine is most unappetizing. But it was more palatable after the evening’s beer budget was nearly gone and dinner had been skipped. So for just a dollar, a waitress would use long plastic tongs to remove an egg from its vinegary bath and drop it artfully into a shot glass, with the egg’s rounded end at the bottom so the narrow part poked above the glass’s rim. A pickled egg’s taste, to be clear, comes from the pickling. There are mild flavours in a cooked egg’s rubbery outside and its yellow crust, but the pleasurable sting of wild spice and aged vinegar mysteriously explode in ways that only chemists and Mother Nature understand. Throughout my 20s, I enjoyed an occasional bar room egg, and
I’d sometimes place a jar of pickled eggs into my cart during a trip to the grocery store. For those who’ve seen a jar of roomtemperature eggs at your favourite deli, pub or hockey rink, give it a try. If you like a juicy pickle and a hard-boiled egg, you’ll likely appreciate this natural magic. In recent years, I’ve experimented with pickling eggs at home, usually dropping about five dozen hard-boiled eggs into a big jar before adding boiled vinegar and spices. After a few weeks, the eggs are ready. When I compare the cost of eggs pickled at home to those sold in stores, the savings are worth my trouble. A hard-boiled egg on its own is simple and easy — it’s already one of nature’s best fast foods because it provides protein, potassium and other good things. Some wonder whether the pickling solution contains sugar or salt, but using your own recipe can help. My solution, if you will, is simple. First, I buy a giant jar of pickles from my favourite box grocery store and eat them. I sterilize the lid and jar and fill it with cooked, peeled eggs. Then I fill a big pot full with vinegar and add about a cup of pickling spice. I bring it to a boil, let it cool and pour it in with the eggs. After six weeks, I’m in pickled-egg heaven! When it comes to brine, cooks add garlic, cinnamon, brown sugar, salt, pepper or bits of vegetables. In my experience, all the extra stuff isn’t worth the trouble or the cost. Additions beyond the pickling space are too subtle for me to bother with. One idea I will try with my next batch is to poke every egg with a toothpick prior to pickling so the brine can seep into middle of the eggs. When the eggs are ready, I keep them in the fridge and usually eat them whenever when I’m racing out the door without time to prepare something better. A pickled egg is perfect late at night when snackers might usually reach for potato chips, or worse. The biggest challenge is the planning. I sometimes fail to prepare a replacement batch that’s ready when the jar is empty. That’s when I’m in a real pickle.
A pickled egg is an ideal snack because of its flavour, low-cost and portability, says QC reporter Andrew Matte. BRIDGES PHOTO BY ANDREW MATTE