Perfect Pickled Eggs

Axe's Note:

Perfect pickled eggs every time. A nice clean, store-bought look too! I often add a jar of these in my gift baskets. If you follow the directions, you should get a perfect peel every time. I buy organic, fresh eggs, hot-off-the-chicken from a local farmer in the morning and have jars of pickled eggs in the afternoon!

• Total Time: 30 mins
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 12

• 12 eggs , large
• 1 ½ cups white vinegar
• 1 ½ cups water
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 2 garlic cloves , peeled, whole
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tablespoon salt
• ¾ cup white vinegar
• water for boiling the egg

Directions:

1. Using an egg piercing tool or a needle, poke a hole in each egg shell at the fat/wide bottom of the egg. That is where the air sack is and by poking that hole the air is able to escape as it expands when it gets hot and you will avoid those ugly cracked boiled eggs.
2. Add water and 1 TBL salt to a large pot and bring to a rapid boil. Use enough water so the eggs will be covered when added to the pot.
3. Once boiling, pour approximately 3/4 cup of vinegar to the water. The salt and the vinegar will not effect the taste of the eggs in any way, they are just to facilitate the peeling of the eggs.
4. Immediately start GENTLY dropping the eggs into the pot, being careful not to crack the shells.
5. bring back to a boil and boil for 15 minutes.
6. Drain and dump the eggs into a large pot of ice water. I use a large salad bowl for this.
7. Once rapidly cooled down, crack shells and you should get a perfect peel.
8. In the mean time, in a medium pot, mix together the vinegar, water,& 1 1/2 tsp salt, bay leaf and garlic.
9. Bring to a boil over medium heat, lower temperature, cover& simmer for 5 minutes.
10. Transfer the eggs to sterile containers, fill with hot vinegar mixture& seal.
11. Allow to cool& then refrigerate for at least 2 weeks before serving.