Soleier: German Pickled Eggs

By
Jennifer McGavin
Jennifer McGavin
Jennifer McGavin learned to cook German food while living in Germany for 11 years and has worked in the food industry for many years.
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Updated on 02/7/22
German pickled eggs soleier recipe

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 20 mins
Servings: 10 servings
Yield: 10 eggs
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
84 Calories
5g Fat
1g Carbs
6g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10
Amount per serving
Calories 84
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 5g 7%
Saturated Fat 2g 8%
Cholesterol 187mg 62%
Sodium 1333mg 58%
Total Carbohydrate 1g 0%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 6g
Vitamin C 0mg 2%
Calcium 31mg 2%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 70mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

German Soleier, or pickled, hard-boiled eggs, are typical pub food all over Europe, not just in Germany.

Originally, foods were pickled to preserve them for consumption in the winter. But the unique flavor caught on and now foods are pickled year-round. Fruits, vegetables, meats, seafood, and eggs are all popular options.

When farmers who raised chickens had an overproduction of eggs and there was a glut in the marketplace, they preserved them by pickling. 

It's no secret that German pickles are revered and take pride of place on the dining table, from a street vendor, in a pub or in a biergarten. But pickled eggs can hold their own against the almighty pickled cucumber.

Since these eggs will be pickled, the recipe calls for 5 percent vinegar. That means vinegar with a 5 percent acetic acid content. Some cooks add thinly sliced onions to the brine so feel free to do that if you like (but obviously it alters the flavor somewhat).

This recipe is perfect for using up all those decorated Easter eggs that seem to multiply just by sitting next to each other. It's OK if the food coloring has seeped onto the whites of the eggs, as often happens. It will just make them more colorful.

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    German pickled eggs soleier recipe
    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  2. In a nonreactive bowl (not aluminum, but stainless-steel, ceramic, glass, and plastic are OK), stir together 1 cup of 5-percent vinegar, 1 cup water, and 2 tablespoons salt until the salt is dissolved.

    Vinegar
    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Add 2 whole bay leaves, 1/2 teaspoon whole caraway, 1/2 teaspoon whole peppercorns, and 3 whole, peeled cloves of garlic.

    Add garlic
    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Place cold, peeled hard-boiled eggs in a large glass jar or another container with a lid. Pour the brine over the eggs to cover (make more if necessary).

    Place boiled egg in jar
    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Place the lid on the jar and refrigerate for 3 days before eating with oil and vinegar.

    Place lid on jar
    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

How to Eat German Pickled Eggs

You can eat the eggs whole or cut them in half, spread with some rémoulade sauce or serve simply with oil and vinegar.

You also can eat pickled eggs as they do in the Ruhr ("Ruhrgebiet"):

  1. Cut the egg in half and remove the egg yolk carefully.

  2. In the egg white hollow, add a dab of hot mustard, freshly ground pepper and a few drops of oil and vinegar.

  3. Place the egg yolk in your mouth and follow it quickly with the entire filled egg white. Enjoy!

Pickling Safely

According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation, pickled eggs should not be canned for long-term storage in a pantry or cellar. They need to be refrigerated at all times. Once made, the eggs will require some time to season, which should be done in the refrigerator. The jars can remain in the refrigerator for three to four months and should never be stored at room temperature.