The makeup of pickle juice can vary greatly depending on type of pickle. While some varieties may be similar to the brine used for pickling eggs, others are vastly different. Pickles are made by adding vinegar and spices to cucumbers to create a quick pickle, or through fermentation started by submerging cucumbers in a salt brine and spices. These two processes create a vastly different brine, but both are suitable for pickling eggs. Be sure to let your eggs soak in the brine for at least a week before eating for the best results.

Typical American pickled eggs use a sweet vinegar brine to create the classic flavor. The brine is simmered together with the spices to infuse the flavors and sterilize it for long-term storage. It is important when making any pickling recipe that close attention is paid to the process to ensure that the product keeps well in the refrigerator without risk of contamination and spoilage. There are many simple recipes available that are tested and proven to produce great pickled eggs if you want to experiment with more options after trying them with pickle juice.

Pickled eggs take at least a week to brine well. If you want to eat your eggs before then, are using a subtle brine or just really want a lot of flavor in your eggs, pierce each egg through the white and into the yolk several times. Ensure that eggs are submerged completely in the brine to prevent spoilage. Always refrigerate pickled eggs.

There are so many uses for this salty brine that you never need to toss it. After you try pickling some eggs, consider using another jar for pickling onions or garlic. It also works well as a meat tenderizer and a flavorful addition to meatloaf, barbecue sauce, macaroni and cheese and hummus. It livens up a bloody Mary and makes a great cleaner for copper pans.