Grey discolouration of pickled eggs.

[MKG]

I don't think there's any such thing - apart from acetobacter, which may turn your vinegar into ... ermmm ... more vinegar.

Now don't hold me to this, but I think it's pretty normal for pickled eggs sometimes to go a distinct shade of grey. I've read that it's because the eggs were overcooked, but I don't know how much truth there is in that. Anyway, if the eggs have been submerged and they weren't toxic when you put them in then they should certainly still be at least non-toxic.

I think the nose and tongue test should be brought into play, Richie, and you're a brave man ...

Mike

[grahamhobbs]

Over cooking a hard boil egg causes, I thought, the egg to go grey - not on the outside but between the yolk and white. To avoid this (and a sort of graininess to the yolk) boil the egg for 1 minute, switch off and then leave in the hot water for a further 8 to 10 mins (less if you want the yolk slightly soft, say for eating in a salad). Don't think overcooking ever causes outside of egg to become grey.

[Davie Crockett]

It's the slow cooling that causes it. Once you've hard boiled them, rapidly cool in cold running water. (My Mum used to be a school cook)

[Davie Crockett]

I think you're right about the vinegar being the source. There doesn't appear to be any other reason for it from the list of ingredients. Is the taste tainted (Metallic or over salty taste)?

[oldjerry]

I just figured you'd been giving them a blast of the blues!
Because I pickle eggs in a weak solution 1/2 white wine vinegar,1/2water and sugar,(plus spices,onion,chillies etc.)they dont keep that long,(but taste excellent) but every couple of days I invert the jars,and give them a bit of a shake,blow them a kiss,and they dont discolour.

[oldjerry]

Yeah,and it dont matter too much if your woman and your dog have pushed off as long as your pickled eggs still look OK!

[MKG]

If there's no smell apart from vinegar (which there certainly would be if the eggs were going off in any way) then they're safe to eat. You'd get at least hydrogen sulphide otherwise, apart from anything else any particular bacteria would produce. Yours are the first I've ever heard of being made in cider vinegar - perhaps that's the reason? Let's see - high in tannin, high in malic acid - that might do the deed. But it wouldn't produce anything dangerous.

Mike

[boboff]

MIne often go grey, I had assumed it was staining from spices.

The article is revealing, its only if you prick them you run the risk of putting bacteria inside the egg. By leaving them longer this should negate that.

As you say the bits on contact with the glass stay white, so it has to be the vinegar staining the egg.

[Big Al]

For the sake of a few eggs it really isn't worth it. Chuck them and start again but when you do try some Little Axe, Jonny Lang or good old Paul Kossof.

[MKG]

Me again. I appreciate what you're saying about botulism, Richie, but if that was the case then the source would have been the eggs themselves (the botulism organism can't develop in high-acid conditions). So if you're worried about that, you need to check your egg source.

And I can just hear the first version of "Botulism Blues". Looking forward to it.

Mike

[oldjerry]

Better still how about the' health and safety paranoia blues' ,surely to god you've more chance of choking to death on a pickled egg than getting botulism from it.

[The Riff-Raff Element]

I wasn't going to touch the pickled eggs until Christmas, but this thread made me crack and open one of the jars.

Oh, but they are good. But how much better would they be for a pint of Adnams and a packet of Cheese 'n' Onion.

[grahamhobbs]

Oldjerry, I would seriously not pickle anything in 1/2 strength vinegar. It's a good few years back now, fortunately when I was stronger and fitter, I made some pickled onions to a recipe that said use 1/2 cider vinegar 1/2 water.

I only ever ate one of those onions, it paralysed me, legs were like jelly and if I tried to move my head I got the most almighty pain like an electric shock running up my spine and into my head. I was flat out like this for several days and it repeated on and off over the next 3 weeks.

Do not risk it !!!

[Green Aura]

Two things
1. You'll have to change it to C. botulinum because Clostridium botulinum doesn't fit your 12 bar

2. Try a pickled egg butty made with toast and mayo instead of butter - sublime, especially after a skinful

[gregorach]

I almost always use pickling vinegar, because it's stronger than table vinegar. Certainly wouldn't dilute it...

I suppose it's possible that a recipe calling for half and half cider vinegar and water might be expecting you to use full-strength home-made cider vinegar... Whereas shop-bought table vinegars are diluted to achieve the desired acidity.