Bill's "Tip of the Week"

We are always looking for bargains for adding to our Food Storage Pantry. We buy canned beef, chicken, turkey, tuna, and albacore as a protein in our diet. These, along with legumes (beans), are the basis of our storage menus.

How about EGGS? We buy powdered (freeze-dried) eggs in #10 cans, but never open the can to learn how to use them. Well, here's another method of obtaining that necessary protein--canned or pickled eggs.

CANNED EGGS--
Yes, you can home can pickled eggs. You can use these pickled eggs simply as-is or make deviled eggs or egg salad sandwiches with them. To can them, hard boil and peel as usual. If they are fresh, boil them, then toss them around in the dry pan afterward, while hot, until the shells crack up. Then, immediately put several changes of cold water on them until they cool down. Next, soak the eggs in cold water for an hour in the fridge. They peel much easier than when you use other methods.

Now you have a big batch of cooled hard boiled eggs. Pack them into wide-mouth quart jars to within an inch of the top. Put the following ingredients into a saucepan:

For each quart of eggs, add--
3 c. vinegar
1 small, dry red pepper
1 tbsp. mixed pickling spice
2 tsp. pickling salt

If you prefer, you may tie the spices in a spice bag, then bring ingredients to a boil. Remove spice bag or strain out spices. Pour boiling liquid over eggs, covering them completely.

Process: 20 minutes in a boiling water bath canner (above 1,000' adjust your time). Allow to cool. Store in a cool, dark place.

Tomorrow--Pickled Eggs
Tuesday--Pickled Eggs II
[from Jackie Clay, Backwoods Home Magazine]