The Origin Of Pickled Eggs Dates Back To The Pilgrims

Pickled eggs are perhaps an unspoken hero of egg dishes. Not only are their often brightly colored exteriors visually appealing, according to some — such as TikToker Erik Hopkins who dug into a big jar of Big John's brand pickled eggs on the social media app — they're pretty darn tasty. According to Hopkins, they're a "gotta try" food.

While the idea of pickling eggs might sound new to you, it's a practice that dates back hundreds of years, as far back as the Pilgrims, in fact. According to Wisconsin State Farmer, the Pilgrims brought various foods to America on the Mayflower, including tubs of pickled eggs, which were a good choice, given that the pickled nature of the eggs allowed them to be enjoyed even months later.

The Pilgrims were at sea for 66 days, and few foods were allowed to be cooked due to fear of setting the ship on fire, so foods like cheese, salted meats, dried fruits, and, of course, pickled foods like eggs became essential for nutrition during the journey (via Carthage Public Library District). Eggs will only stay fresh for about two weeks without refrigeration (via Purina Mills), so if the Pilgrims wanted to enjoy some eggs beyond this two-week point, they'd have to opt for the pickled variety.

The history of pickled eggs in America clearly didn't stop with the Pilgrims, as the tradition of pickling eggs has continued in many communities, and these tasty morsels have gained popularity as a picnic food, hors d'oeuvre, and snack. Throughout the 18th century, much produce, as well as eggs, would often be pickled to preserve it so it could be eaten later. The pickling process involved placing the food in crocks, pouring in some vinegar, and covering it with something like a layer of butter or a piece of leather (via Washington Crossing Historical Park). 

If you fast forward a couple hundred years from the time the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock and head west to Wisconsin, you'll find a small town called Hingham, named after none other than the town of Hingham in Plymouth County, Massachusetts. In the 1860s, a businessman named S.D. Hyde put Hingham — and pickled eggs — on the map by preserving them by the thousands to be shipped to the east coast, earning Hingham its nickname as the "Egg Capital of Wisconsin" (via Wisconsin State Farmer). 

Today, pickled eggs are often a favorite food of the Pennsylvania Dutch , and, according to the comments of Hopkins' TikTok, a popular food in the southern U.S. "Definitely a Florida thing. Pickle[d] egg with a hot sausage and some salt n vinegar chips ... chef's kiss," commented one user, while another TikToker chimed in, "D.C. loves pickled eggs, we eat it with seeds, sometimes add hot sausage."