Homemade Pickled Eggs and Beets

This recipe is so quick and easy, yet yields fabulous results. It has become a tradition in our family for me to prepare a gallon size jar of pickled eggs and beets at Easter time. The recipe is very easy and can be prepared with items that you already have on hand. The ingredients you will need to make a gallon jar of pickled eggs and beets are:

1 flat of hard boiled eggs, peeled (30 eggs)

3 - 15 oz cans of sliced beets, in juice

3 cups white vinegar

1 cup white sugar

2 oz pickling spice

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon garlic powder

1. Drain the juice from the beets into a 2 quart saucepan.

2. Add all of the other ingredients except for the beets and eggs and bring this to a boil.

***Be careful not to breathe in the steam because the boiling vinegar is very strong!***

3. Remove from heat and allow this mixture to cool.

4. Place the boiled eggs and sliced beets into a clean, sterilized 1 gallon jar that can be fitted with a lid.

5. After the vinegar mixture has cooled pour the entire sauce pan full into the gallon jar over the beets and eggs.

6. Cover this with the lid and allow it to set in the fridge for two to three days before serving. The longer it sets the better the eggs and beets taste.

If it bothers you to have the big pieces from the pickling spice floating around in the mixture you can tie these in a piece of cheese clothe and remove this after it has been in the jar for a day or so. I think it adds to the "pickled" look, though. The eggs will turn red and this makes a very nice display in the bright juice with the pickling spices floating around.

If you can't find pickling spice in the spices aisle you can make this blend yourself. A jar of pickling spices will typically contain cinnamon, mustard seeds, dill seeds, cloves, black pepper, ginger, allspice, bay leaves and chilies. You can experiment using any or all of the above until get that "just right" taste. If you want to try something with smaller results than a gallon jar then you can simply cut the recipe in half or fourths or whatever you desire. Enjoy!