How are preserved eggs made?

When making preserved eggs, you should choose fresh duck eggs. The process of making preserved eggs is actually a relatively complicated chemical reaction. It involves many ingredients, such as quicklime, pure alkali, wood ash, etc. Through relatively complicated reactions, you can finally make more delicious preserved eggs. It usually takes about ten days to make preserved eggs. In recent years, lead-free preserved eggs have become more popular among people, and the lead content has been greatly reduced.

How are preserved eggs made?

l. Recipe for the ash material: The preserved eggs on the table taste very delicious, but they are covered with an ugly "coat". Don't underestimate it, as it is the key to making preserved eggs, and that is the ash material. The formula of ash is: 50g quicklime, 3g pure alkali, 1g wood ash, 2g salt, 20g water, and a trace amount of tea leaves. 2. Preparation of ash: According to the requirements of the ash formula, put the required ash into a container (a large beaker will do) and prepare it with water. Quicklime first reacts with water to produce slaked lime, and then the slaked lime undergoes double decomposition reactions with pure alkali and potassium carbonate, the main component of charcoal, to produce sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide. The chemical equation of the reaction is as follows: CaO+H2O=Ca(OH)2Ca(OH)2+Na2CO3=CaCO3↓+2NaOHCa(OH)2+K2CO3= CaCO3↓+2KOH In order to allow the substances in the material to react fully, it can only be used after 24 hours of preparation.

3. To process preserved eggs , roll the fresh eggs in the prepared ash for a few times so that the surface of the eggshell is evenly coated with a layer of ash powder. Take them out and roll them in rice bran or sawdust for a few more times so that a layer of rice bran or sawdust sticks to the ash. Squeeze gently with your hands to firm it up and place in the prepared container. Treat the second fresh egg in the same way, seal the container, and place it at an ambient temperature of 18-24℃. It can be eaten after 10 days. During these 10 days of changes, the inside of the egg is not as calm as a pool of deep water. The strong alkali (NaOH, KOH) in the ash penetrates into the egg white and yolk through the eggshell, reacting with the protein in them, causing the protein to decompose, coagulate and release a small amount of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas. At the same time, the infiltrated alkali will further neutralize the amino acids produced by the decomposition of proteins. The resulting salt crystals are deposited in the egg white of the preserved egg with gel peptides, and white "pine flowers" will appear (this is also the reason why the preserved egg got its name). The hydrogen sulfide gas reacts with the minerals in the egg white and yolk to form various sulfides, so that the color of the egg white and yolk changes, the egg white becomes a special brown color, and the yolk becomes dark green. Salt can make the preserved eggs shrink and leave the shell, increasing the flavor. The tannins and aromatic oils in tea can color the coagulated protein and enhance the flavor of the preserved eggs.

Why can preserved eggs remain intact for half a month or even several months? One reason is that it contains salt, which has a preservative effect; the other is that the alkaline substances kill the bacteria in the fresh eggs that may cause protein corruption. 10 days later. When you sit at the dining table and enjoy this delicious preserved egg, your heart will be filled with joy and you will be thinking about when to make more. But next time you prepare to make a large batch, don't forget to change the ash recipe accordingly.

<<: Crispy Cake Recipe

>>: The simplest way to make preserved egg and lean meat porridge