Red Beet Eggs

I love beets.  I love pickled beets.  In fact, I love just about any pickled vegetable.  The one non-vegetable thing I can think of that I like, however, are Red Beet Eggs.

"What ARE red beet eggs?" you might be asking yourself right now.

I'll tell you.  They are delicious.

Oh, but that's not a very clear answer, is it.

Well, I believe they are a Pennsylvania Dutch recipe (My dad's from McSherrystown, PA, which is near Hanover, PA); and, basically, they are hardboiled eggs that have been soaked in a jar of pickled beets for a few days.  Somebody can correct me if I am wrong about their origin.  I know my mom's family called the "Pickled Eggs," and my dad's called them "Red Beet Eggs."

Do they sound delicious?  Doesn't matter.  They are.  They are also beautiful, and quite a conversation piece when brought to gatherings not frequented by those who grew up eating them.  But, mostly, they are delicious.

Did I mention how delicious they are?

They are also super-easy to make.

Now, if you want, you can cook your own beets, but I am a busy L.A. mom, so I usually don't.  Here's what I do.

Empty 2 cans of beets into a large, clean jar.

Add:
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
about 8 whole cloves
3-4 thick slices of onion (or some onion powder)
a good sprinkle of allspice
1-2 bay leaves
salt & pepper, if desired

Mix it up until the sugar dissolves.

Add:
1 dozen hardboiled eggs (peeled and cooled)

Gently mix it, using your spoon to make sure all of the eggs are dunked down in to the liquid.

Cover your jar tightly and put it in the fridge.  Leave for at least 48 hours.  During that time, you can take out the jar and make sure the eggs are still down under the liquid, so they are getting nice and pickled.

I am not sure how long these keep in the fridge, because Hallie and I tend to eat them up pretty quickly.
I found my latest batch was PERFECT on day 4.

There you have it!  Red beet eggs.

Yum!