So, the question is, how long do pickled eggs last in the fridge?
Well, you can preserve pickled eggs for months if you try the best method.
Once pickled, you can enjoy these flavourful eggs in a variety of ways.
But, there are multiple factors that you need to strictly check.
If you want to know in detail, scroll down for the recipe and so much more!
How Long Do Pickled Eggs Last After Opening?
Pickled eggs usually last up to 7-8 days after opening. And you need to keep them in the refrigerator after you open the jar.
If you don’t refrigerate pickled eggs after opening, they might not last for even 2-3 days.
After opening the pickle jars, the risk of spoilage is too high. Bacteria may start to form in the jars, which can contaminate the eggs.
That’s why you need to keep them under the cool temperature of your refrigerator to ensure safe consumption.
How Long Do Pickled Eggs Last Unrefrigerated?
If you keep pickled eggs unrefrigerated, they won’t last for more than 2-3 hours. It’s the general rule for all kinds of pickled egg recipes. After 2-3 hours, the eggs will start to spoil and they won’t be safe for consumption.
Yet, many people claim that they eat unrefrigerated pickled eggs and they don’t feel sick at all. They also say that it’s okay as it used to be the method when refrigerators weren’t there.
In British pubs, pickled eggs are very popular accompaniments to beer and booze. Some people claim that these eggs are kept unrefrigerated and are safe for consumption.
But, according to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, it’s not a good practice. Moreover, a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that it can be life-threatening.
So, I will never recommend you keep pickled eggs unrefrigerated for more than 2 hours. Only if you want to serve the eggs within 1-2 hours, you can keep a portion at room temperature. That’s how you can ensure safety for your loved ones.
How To Make Pickled Eggs?
Pickled egg is an easy recipe that you can try at home. The mildly acidic taste of these eggs lends a wonderful hint to salads and other recipes.
You can also enjoy them on their own as well.
The process of this recipe shouldn’t take more than 10-15 minutes.
Tools You Need
For this recipe, you need a sterilized pint glass jar with a tight lid. Also, you need a saucepan, a large bowl, and a sterilized spoon.
Ingredients
Here’s a list of ingredients that you need for this pickled egg recipe. While some ingredients are essential, others are optional.
Also, you can add more seasonings according to your taste and preferences.
- Eggs (Hard Boiled): 10-12
- Cider Vinegar: 1 liter
- Salt: ½ teaspoon
- Sugar (Brown/White): 1 tablespoon
Optional
- Chili Flakes: ½ teaspoon
- Peppercorn: ½ teaspoon
- Dill Pepper: ½ teaspoon
Method
- You need to prepare a pint jar first by sterilizing it with hot water. Then, take a saucepan and boil the vinegar for 1 minute. If you want to add the optional ingredients, you can add them while boiling the vinegar.
- To peel the eggshells easily, take a large bowl filled with ice water. Soak the eggs for 2-3 minutes and then remove the eggshells. Once done, you can put all the eggs in the pint jar for pickling.
- Add the vinegar, salt, and sugar to the jar and stir with a sterilized spoon. Then, close the lid and keep the jar at room temperature for 15-20 minutes. It’ll ensure that the broth is not too hot to be refrigerated.
- The minimum time for pickling eggs is one month. So, it’s better to avoid opening the lid of the jar before that. Once opened, your pickled eggs are ready to enjoy.
Notes
- You need hard-boiled eggs for this recipe as the egg whites need to be firm enough for pickling.
- Boiling eggs for at least 10-12 minutes is essential to make sure they are hard-boiled properly.
- The choice of vinegar for pickling is yours. But, I’ll recommend cider vinegar because I prefer the rounded flavor it lends to the eggs. You can use white vinegar as well.
- If you want your pickled eggs to be simple, it’s better to avoid any kind of spices. Only salt and sugar will be enough for that.
- You can use granulated white or brown sugar for this recipe. It is the purest sugar, which will ensure a better pickling method.
- So far, you already know how long do pickled eggs last in the fridge. But, do you know how to check if the eggs have gone bad? Well, let me explain it to you now.
How Do You Know If Pickled Eggs Are Bad?
Usually, pickled eggs don’t spoil when they are properly preserved in an airtight container.
The main reason is the vinegar’s thick layer, which enhances the shelf life.
Yet, here are a few signs that you need to check to see if your pickled eggs are bad.
Unpleasant Smell
The first sign of bad pickled eggs is a foul smell after pickling, which is unusual. Pickled eggs carry the smell of the spice-vinegar broth they are pickled in. If you notice a foul smell, it’s a sign of bad pickled eggs.
You also need to know that the smell of pickled eggs gradually improves. Once you put the eggs in the vinegar solution, the taste may seem unpleasant. But, when the pickling is over, the smell shouldn’t be the same.
Puffed Lid
The second sign of bad pickling eggs has bulged or puffed lid. It usually happens when the acidic content of the broth gets too high. As a result, the acid creates pressure that makes the lid bulge during pickling.
If you see that the lid of your pickling jar is puffed or bulged, it’s a sign of poor fermentation. You can discard the eggs as they won’t be safe for consumption.
Bubbles
When you put the eggs in the vinegar solution, bubbles are natural. That’s because of the air or gas that remains in the jar. But, bubbles in the solution after pickling aren’t normal.
If you see there are bubbles in the jar, it means the eggs have gone bad. You can check further by smelling the eggs and touching their texture. But, I’ll recommend you discard the eggs if there are bubbles.
Change in Texture
The too-hard or rubbery texture of pickled eggs could be a sign of spoilage. And it’s also a sign that your pickled eggs are too old. To avoid it, you can add a label to the jar mentioning the date of pickling.
Change of Colour
Pickled eggs may change in color due to fungus contamination. In case your jar of pickling eggs has changed its color, you need to avoid them.
Off-Taste
Finally, in case you have eaten bad pickled eggs by mistake, the off-taste will be a sign of it. So, the best way to stay safe would be to discard the entire batch immediately.
How Do You Pickle Eggs For Long-Term Storage?
How long pickled eggs last in the fridge will mainly depend on the way you preserve them. Here are a few tips to ensure it.
For long-term storage of pickled eggs, you need to prepare them in small batches. Suppose you want to pickle 30 eggs at a time. You can do it in three containers separately to avoid contamination.
Pickled eggs usually go bad within 7-8 days of opening jar lids. For this reason, it’s better to preserve small batches and consume them within this time. This way, you’ll be able to enjoy every batch safely.
Bacteria growth in pickled eggs starts if they aren’t kept below 39 degrees. The best way to ensure the same is by refrigerating them. If you properly pickle eggs and keep them within the recommended temperature, you can store them for a long.
How Long Will Pickled Eggs Last In The Fridge?
How long do pickled eggs last in the fridge is a common query and here’s the answer.
Pickled eggs will last for 3-4 months in the fridge. But, you need to make sure that you don’t open the lid during the process.
Once you open the lid, the eggs will go bad after 8-10 days.
Can You Get Botulism From Refrigerated Pickled Eggs?
Yes, there are chances of botulism from refrigerated pickled eggs, though it’s quite unusual to happen.
Botulism occurs from consuming bad pickled eggs and if your refrigerated ones are bad, there’s a high chance.
Unrefrigerated pickled eggs have higher chances of botulism than refrigerated ones. Botulism, a type of food poisoning, could be life-threatening.
For all these reasons, you need to make sure that you pickle and store them correctly.
Can I Reuse Pickled Egg Juice?
No, it’s not safe to reuse pickled egg juice.
Though reusing pickle brine is a common method but it’s not applicable to eggs.
Why Are Pickled Eggs Rubbery?
Pickled eggs are usually harder than freshly boiled eggs.
But, if the texture is too rubbery, it could be a sign of spoilage.
So, you need to discard the batch if you notice it.
Why Are My Pickled Eggs Cloudy?
Cloudy pickled eggs are a sign of bacteria growth in the jar.
If you notice it, you need to discard the eggs immediately without taking any risk to your health.
Conclusion
Now that you know how long pickled eggs last in the fridge, just go ahead and try the pickling method.
I’m sure you’ll be able to pickle and preserve them correctly by following my recipe.
But, in case you see the eggs have gone bad, you need to avoid eating them at once.
Below is a Pinterest friendly photo…. so you can pin it to your Homestead Lifestyle Board!!
