Expert: Carol Schlitt - 11/18/2006

Question
When I make pickled eggs I make a brine with 6 different hot peppers and other hot spices. I have made these recipes many time but this one turned out different. I also put garlic and thick chunks of onions in. I made a gallon of eggs (52). The only thing I did different was I did not let the brine cool down to room temp. I poured the brine in when it was luke warm. I put a triple layer of saran wrap over the opening of the jar then sealed it with the lid. I stored the eggs in the pantry for 3 weeks. When I opened the jar to try a egg it fizzed from the bottom to the top like a can of ginger ale. I tried half a egg and it seemed taillight and they smell ok but I am not sure if they are spoiled or not. Could you please let me know what I did wrong or if these eggs are still good to eat. The guys at work have been waiting impatiently for the last month for this jar.

Thank you
Nick

Answer
Hi Nick,

Whoa...whenever a potentially hazardous food like eggs spews and fizzles when you open it up should not be consumed. Botulism can occur in eggs-- in fact the last deaths due to botulism occurred to a couple in Utah who canned eggs.  Please do not eat any of these eggs!!!

Please read this article on home canned pickled eggs and botulism --http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm4934a2.htm

Again -- do not eat these eggs. Botulism can be deadly so please do not eat any more eggs.

For correct procedures for pickling eggs, please see these websites: http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/eb1104/eb1104.pdf
http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/files/filelibrary/2019/1531.pdf

Nick -- You've been lucky to date to not have had any problems with the way you are preparing your eggs. Not refrigerating the eggs while they "pickle" is asking for problems and I only hope that your eating on half an egg does not cause you any harm. If you have any symptoms, please seek medical attention and tell them about your eggs. If anything does occur they will want to examine the eggs in a laboratory.

Good luck Nick -- and please follow a research-based recipe for pickling eggs in the future.

If I can be of further assistance, please let me know.

Carol C. Schlitt
Extension Educator, Nutrition and Wellness
University of Illinois Extension