Pickled Eggs

I love hard boiled eggs, I do not however like boiling them.  I do like the ability to pickle eggs for later use, which is why I make this recipe after Easter - when there are always boiled eggs and not enough time to eat them all before they expire. These eggs have a slight outer seasoning with normal egg taste and texture on the inside. My favorite part about these eggs is that I can have a hard boiled egg with very little effort when ever I want after making these, I really dislike having to boil an egg - let it cool and then dig in.

• 12 eggs hard boiled and peeled
• One quart sized glass mason jar and lid, sterilized
• 1 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon molasses
• 3 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon pickling spice, I use ball mixed pickling spice
• 1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard

1.  Hard boil eggs, in a large pot, cover eggs with 2 inches of water.  Bring pan and eggs to a boil over high heat. turn off burner and cover pot with lid - let pot and eggs sit for 20 minutes.  using a slotted spoon, pull eggs out of water and run eggs in cold water to cool.  Once eggs are cool to the touch or if you want to wait until a later time peel eggs.
2. A cool trick to easily peel eggs is to take a sturdy drinking glass, like a pint glass. add a small amount of water to the glass - basically pour water in then out - it will help lubricate the egg shaking.  Egg shaking?  Yes.  place one egg into the glass, cover top of glass with a hand, hold glass horizontally and shake.  The shell will crack into many pieces and will be held together by inner and outer membranes.  A tough to peel egg will be easier to peel if shaken for a  good 10 seconds. Easy to peel eggs will start to peel themselves in the glass, you'll see pieces of shell fall right off.  All in all this is a good way to peel eggs, out of 16 eggs, only one was a poor peeler that lost most of it's whites. 
3. OK, now that is all finished. Give the peeled eggs a rinse off in water and set aside in a bowl.
4. Sterilize a quart sized mason jar, first make sure it is washed and clean then, in a pot of boiling water emerge jar for 10 minutes. 
5. While jar is boiling, in another pot bring everything but the eggs to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for five minutes.  Turn off heat and prepare eggs in jar.
6. Pull jar out of boiling water, slowly add eggs to empty jar.  Jar will fit 12 eggs in four layers of three eggs.  once eggs are in place, pour brine over eggs.  Brine must cover eggs completely. 
7. Wash and boil mason jar lid, I just drop it in the jar water for 3 minutes.
8. Place lid on eggs and refrigerate for 4 weeks. The eggs will keep for 3 - 4 months in brine.

Use these in deviled egg recipes, egg salad, or just chopped in a salad.  The recipe can be halved - just be sure the eggs are covered in brine.