Using Onion Skins to Dye Pascha Eggs

[Maria]

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-on ... er-e-81574

See this comment for the best result:

I dye my eggs with onion skins, but I use a different method. I wrap raw eggs with onion skins softened in warm water. I make sure the entire egg is covered, then I wrap in cheese cloth and tie off with twine to make sure the skins stay on they eggs. Then I put the eggs in water to cover with a couple Tablespoons of vinegar. I bring the pan to a boil, turn off the heat, cover and let sit 15 minutes. The eggs turn out mottled and very pretty and they are perfectly cooked. No gray rings around the yolks.

Rewriting this recipe:

• 4 1/2 cups water in stainless steel saucepan
  skins from 10 onions - brown and/or red (or gather from supermarket and save during the year)
  3 tablespoons white vinegar

Bring water, vinegar, and onion skins to boil; cover; simmer for 30 minutes; cool to room temperature; strain.

• 12 medium eggs at room temperature - cleaned beforehand
  extra onion skins
  cheese cloth
  string or thread

Wrap each egg in damp onion skin and cheese cloth to hold in place.
Tie with string; place in stainless steel pot in single layer.
Bring pot with eggs to a boil; cover and turn off heat; let sit in the covered pot for 15 minutes.

This is where the recipe is not clear. Thus, it is important to try this recipe beforehand.
Does one let the eggs cool and dry before removing the cheese cloth/onion skin wrap?
Won't the onion skins stick to the shells?

I would suggest:
Remove the eggs from the pot with a slotted spoon.
Let cool for a few minutes so that the eggs can be handled safely.
Carefully remove the wet cheese cloth and onion skins.
Dry on a rack, and when cool enough to handle, gently brush with extra virgin olive oil for a luscious shine.
Refrigerate.

Please do share your successes or struggles.
Thanks.

In my experience:
I have always used the red onion skins, while others have used brown onion skins.
Brown eggs tend to give a better result with a deeper red whereas white eggs tend to look a pale pink.

While drying eggs on the rack, some of the dye will pool under the eggs. This will leave spots on the eggs.
While the eggs are still warm, reposition eggs to a cleaner area the rack so that they can dry properly.
However, be careful as the liquid dye can run down the egg as it is turned creating more problems.
Eggs must be completely dry before brushing them with olive oil, with no drops of liquid dye from the rack.

[Barbara]

Instructive ! Thank you, Maria, for your careful description of the process. I have never tried this myself, so I cannot
add anything here.

[Maria]

Here is a better site with a great recipe.

Use Yellow Onion Skins ... not red onion skins ... wear an apron.
NOTE: Hands will be red for a day or two.

Best to prepare on Holy Thursday or Good Friday afternoon.

http://myocn.net/a-natural-red-dye-for- ... scha-eggs/

BUY MEDIUM EGGS as they take the dye better.

STEP ONE – Collect Yellow Onion Skins. Yes, YELLOW ONION SKINS. Not red onions, yellow. If I didn’t do it myself I wouldn’t believe it either. A large pot of yellow onion skins, when boiled for 30 minutes in 9 cups of water and 3/4 c of white vinegar make a red dye.

Suggestion: Go to a family restaurant (not a franchise) that makes onion rings, etc.
Ask them for a day's worth of yellow onion skins. One filled brown paper grocery bag will do.

REMOVE a dozen medium eggs from refrigerator immediately before cooking the onion skins.
Eggs need to be at room temperature to avoid fractures.

POUR 9 cups of water and 3/4 cup of white vinegar into a stainless steel or glass pot. Add the onion skins.
Do not use aluminum or teflon-coated pans. Aluminum will react with the vinegar and onions, and the dye will destroy the pan.

INVERT a plate into the stainless steel pan over the onion skins to keep them immersed. Place a quart glass Pyrex measuring cup to weigh the plate down. Use one of those oven- and microwave-safe plates.

STRAIN: After 30 minutes, first use a colander to strain the onion skins. Next use a coffee filter to remove any tiny grits.

CLEAN the pot or have another clean one ready.

POUR the strained dye into the clean stainless steel or glass pot and carefully lower eggs into it using a slotted spoon.

BRING water and eggs to a boil; TURN heat down. COVER pan.

SIMMER eggs for 10 minutes at sea level. Higher altitudes over 1000 ft. need 15 minutes or more.

REMOVE with a slotted spoon; PLACE on a drying rack.

NOTE: Eggs will change to a red after drying and being coated with olive oil.

WHEN COOL enough to touch, dip a clean rag into a small bowl of olive oil, and gently and lightly coat the eggs.
Do not rub the eggs as the dye can come off or the eggs can crack.

Refrigerate.

A cute story about eggs:

** Once when I was living in Reno with my parents, my mom asked me to make the Easter Eggs early in the morning for my younger sister and brothers as she was not feeling well. Little did I know that she was pregnant. I was only 11. It was around 6 AM and my brothers and sister were sleeping in for a change.

I followed the instructions for cooking the eggs, but the instructions did not mention higher altitudes. Where we lived in the foothills, it was almost 5000 ft. I only cooked them for 15 minutes, and did not test any. They did not take the dye very well.

Well, my brother asked my father if he could crack the egg on my dad's head. My dad bent over so that my little brother could reach him. The egg immediately cracked and ran down my dad's head, so he had to take another shower.

I took the two dozen eggs or what was left, and recooked them letting them simmer for 30 minutes. The dye came off in the pan. Then I colored them again. This time the dye took, but they were not as pretty as the ones my mom had made.

The next year, my mom planned ahead. She had us dye the eggs on Holy Saturday with dye, stickies, wax markings, and other appliques.

[Maria]

I met an older Romanian Orthodox Christian who had lived under communism. She had learned to make Pascha eggs from her mom.

They used what they could find as not much was available to them but only what their village could provide. So, throughout the year, they secretly saved onion skins whether brown or red. When Holy Week came, they would place all the onion skins in a huge pot, and gently place whatever eggs they could find, usually a dozen or two along with some white or apple cider vinegar. Again, supplies were limited, so one had to use what one could find. If they did not have a good onion harvest, then beets were used.

These eggs were cooked in that simmering pot for 12 hours. They did not strain out the onion skins. As a result, when the eggs were removed from the pot, the colors were variegated and had a wonderful marble texture imparted by the onion skins. They were beautiful. Olive oil, if available, or whatever oil was available, added a nice sheen so these eggs looked like precious gems.

Inside, the whites of the eggs had turned brown, but the eggs had a delicious onion taste.

[Barbara]

Quite interesting !

And your anecdote was cute about the less than success with your first attempt to dye Easter eggs, Maria !

This is all quite helpful info, such as use of Medium-sized eggs. I would never have guessed that : would have surely selected Large if I didn't know better.

I just checked one fact about vinegar. This is to reassure people who have old but already opened bottles of either Apple Cider Vinegar or White Vinegar sitting around. If anyone is loathe to use these, never fear ! As I suspected, Vinegar NEVER goes bad. While there are the inevitable worriers who say to throw a bottle away after the expiration date rather than to take a chance, the overwhelming number of sources admit that vinegar will last almost forever due to its high acidic content.

So, don't waste that half-consumed Spectrum Naturals or Nana Mae [in Northern California] Apple Cider Vinegar ! Use it !
I haven't mentioned the brand called "Braggs" due to the unfortunate name as I must have said elsewhere on E. Cafe !
If I do have to choose this brand, I remove the label RIGHT AWAY so I don't have to look at the perhaps boastful assertions of Patricia Bragg, et al. There is too much focus on humans, instead of employing a name to do with God or an Angel. Which is what I would want to do if I were starting an Organic, Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar line !

[Maria]

Okay, I just rediscovered the Greek Way of making bright red Pascha Eggs with yellow onion skins. A senior moment. I guess I need a yearly reminder around Pascha time having been around Romanians who tell of using whatever they can obtain -- beets and onion skins, no matter what the color.

You will need:

Code: Select all

the skins of approx. 10 medium yellow skinned onions
5 cups of water
2 Tbsp. white vinegar
Eggs

Add your dry ingredients into a pot and pour enough water to cover by over an inch. Bring up to a boil and then simmer for 30 minutes. Take off the heat and allow to cool to warm.
Remove the onion skins and place the eggs gently in the respective pot. Bring back to boil and simmer for 5 minutes then take off the heat.
Allow the eggs to cool in the dye then transfer to your fridge to set overnight.
Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and allow to air-dry (about 45 minutes). Dab a white paper towel into some vegetable oil and polish then place in the egg carton and store in the fridge until needed.[/quote]

http://usa.greekreporter.com/2015/04/07 ... -to-do-it/

Remember to cook/dye your eggs on Holy Thursday.