Sure, these beet dyed eggs are perfect for Easter, but don’t stop there! They’re pretty anytime of year.
These beet dyed eggs are a by-product of my attempt to color deviled eggs naturally for the Fourth of July. While I’ve yet to finalize the true red, white and blue spirit of the holiday (although, I have made strides in the white color), these beet dyed eggs turned out quite well, I think.
While many people might think they’re perfect for Easter, I ask, “What’s wrong with you?” I think they’re perfect anytime of year. Who said purple is a color only destined to be celebrated at Easter? Nope, these colorful eggs should be celebrated anytime of the year.
Before we get started, a few items need to be clarified. First, we’re not dying the egg in the shell. We’ll hard boil the eggs, peel them and then dye them. If you’re looking to dye Easter eggs this is not how to do that. We’re all about eating around here…not hiding and seeking.
Secondly, there are a multitude of recipes for beet dyed eggs out there, but be careful. Many of them are for pickled eggs. Although, I have nothing against a good pickled egg, that’s not our goal here. We just want an everyday type egg that just happens to be purple. If the recipe includes vinegar or a brine, that’s a pickled egg. Maybe that’s a subject for another post.
There’s just one more thing I’d like to mention before we dive into dyeing some eggs. There are two methods to dye the eggs. One is whole. This is best if you plan on eating them whole or slicing them as a topper for a salad. In addition, when dyeing them whole, the color doesn’t penetrate the entire egg. Take a look at my eggs. They were dyed whole for 5 days to achieve that level of color penetration. A two day soak will only dye the outer edge. You may like the “Halo” appearance. The longer you soak them, the deeper the color will penetrate.
The second method is to slice the egg in half, lengthwise and remove the yolk. This is great for deviled eggs. Place the yolks in the fridge for later and dye the eggs. It takes less time, the color will be uniform throughout the egg and you’ll be able to check the intensity of the color without having to cut open an egg.
One question I get asked is whether the beets will affect the flavor of the egg. Yes, they will, but it’s negligible. It’s there, but the majority of people won’t notice unless you share your secret. Actually, I personally think it contributes to the overall flavor.
- 6 hard-boiled eggs, peeled
- 1 16-oz jar or can pickled beets
- If dying half eggs, slice eggs in half, lengthwise. Scoop out egg yolk using a teaspoon and set aside for later use.
- Place eggs in a non-reactive bowl or container. A large zip-lock freezer bag may be used as a last resort. (Beet juice may stain certain plastic containers.)
- Pour beets and the juice into container assuring that eggs are completely submerged in the liquid.
- Cover and place eggs in the refrigerator and allow to soak.
- Half eggs should soak for several hours or overnight. Whole eggs will need 24 to 48 hours depending upon your desired color intensity.
Our process with the beet dyed eggs begins with peeled, hard-boiled eggs. If you need a bit of a refresher on how to do this, who better to guide us than the American Egg Board? Their instructions for perfect hard-boiled eggs can be found here.
Now, that’s some happy eggs!
Recipe © 2016 Gary Glen | Photo © 2016 Gary Glen | All rights reserved
These look beautiful! I have never really tried dying eggs and I would never have thought of dying eggs naturally, I must give this a go!