Salted duck egg is a very famous Chinese traditional food across the entire country. My grandma used to usually make this duck eggs with preserved eggs together. It has been a long family tradition and memory.
In summer days, eggs can't keep for a long time and thus we developed several ways to keep them longer. If you visit Cantonese restaurants and order a congee, pickled vegetable, fresh lettuce and pickled duck egg are always the matches.
Salted egg is with a long history
Salted duck egg is widely used in lots of traditional Chinese holiday food like moon cakes for Mid autumn day and Zongzi for Dragon Boat Festival. It can bring a super unique texture and flavor in filling. There are around several ways to make salted duck egg, the method I introduce today is dry method using wine and salt only. Some of the traditional ways are not feasible since we cannot find the tools and materials needed like yellow sands or red soil. But there is another way popular among housewives—pickled duck eggs.
It is all about balance
When the salted eggs are well pickled, the white remains still liquid but the yolk in center turns solid. The sodium and chloride ions separate the proteins from each other, which further presents as agglomerated proteins. That's the oil sandy texture. The fat really around 8% comes out along with the agglomerating process. So as long as the pickling time is enough, you get oily yolks.
The actual time needed is very much depending on how salty you want the eggs to be and on the room temperature. A perfect well salted duck egg has an oily egg yolk and acceptable saltiness in egg white. But in most cases, we need to find a balance.
In warm days, we need to start testing for around 3 weeks (in shadow places). Start testing the saltiness of the egg after 3 weeks fermentation. Just boil one and cut in halves for testing. Wash the eggs carefully when they are appropriately salted. and place them in the refrigerator. However in winter days, one or two more weeks might be needed.
Steps
Carefully wash the eggs until clean. Then place under sunshine for 6 hours (depending on the room temperature). In summer days, shorten the time to 1 hour in soft morning sunshine. This process helps to open the pores and fasten the process.
Then soak the eggs with lard liquid or you can use a small amount of the liquid and soak them in batches.
In the mean time, add salt and water in a completely clean pot, heat until boiling. Turn off the fire and wait until cool down.
Wait for 25 to 45 days, also depending on the room temperature.
When the egg is well pickled, hard boil them before serving.
Salted Duck Egg
Ingredients
- 10 fresh duck eggs
- 500 ml hard liquor , or 100ml to soak in batches
- 500 ml water
- 175g salt
Instructions
- Carefully wash the eggs until clean. Then place under sunshine for 6 hours (depending on the room temperature) in winter. In summer days, shorten the time to 1 hour, morning sun please. Or at least 4 hours in other seasons.
- Then soak the eggs with lard liquid or you can use a small amount of the liquid and soak them in batches.
- In the mean time, add salt and water in a completely clean pot, heat until boiling. Turn off the fire and wait until cool down.
- Wait for 25 to 45 days, also depending on the room temperature.
- When the egg is well pickled, hard boil them before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Martin Ngindang
Excellent