Salted ducks eggs is quite simply, duck eggs preserved in a salt water brine for 30-40 days. The white is REALLY salty, but the yolk inside is a prized delicacy. During the chinese mid-autumn festival, tins of moon cake (the salted egg yolks inside represent a full moon) are exchanged and shared between family and friends. The yolk can also be used in stir fries creating a tasty coating on bitter melon, or steamed with egg and pork (a traditional favourite which I will post one day soon!). The best way to eat salt duck eggs is boiled, scraping the salty contents into a bowl of plain rice or congee.
Brined for 30 days and boiled, the centre hasn’t quite changed texture.
The egg above could’ve gone another week longer. What you’re after is an oil, grainy, crumbly texture which you can see in the darker outside yolk. The colour should also be deep bright orange, but it isn’t here. Maybe because the ducks haven’t been able to forage on grass. Duck eggs are typically used because of their high fat content. I suppose you could try chicken eggs, but it may not be the same.
Yum. Perfection.
Stella’s first egg on left, beside it is her second egg, a few days later.
Stella, our Cayuga duck laid her first egg on January 2o at 9 months old. I was expecting a totally black egg, but it came out a deep olive green. Each subsequent egg got a little bigger, now they barely fit in an egg carton. She also surprised us with her egg production, giving us between 5-6 eggs a week, which is better than some chickens.
Stella and her brother Harry were the Cayuga ducklings that were first “hired” to power our duckaponics system last summer. Now, in addition to helping us grow vegetables, she also provides gorgeous XXXL duck eggs.
The only downside is that Harry, started beating up the chickens. He’s been extra protective since Stella’s been laying, biting and pulling feathers off the poor hens in attempt to keep them away from food, water and nest.
Begin by washing a dozen duck eggs. I love the natural black scribbles on the end of each egg.
Make your brine by dissolving 1 cup of sea salt into 4 cups of boiling water. Let cool to room temperature before filling glass container, be sure to cover the eggs.
To keep the eggs from floating to the top, a plastic sandwich bag filled with plain water, is sealed and place on top of the eggs to weigh them down. Cover with lid, and leave out on your counter for 30 days.
After 30 days, take one out and boil it for 15 minutes, then cut through to check the yolk inside. Take eggs out of brine when ready, rinse and store in the fridge for up to a month.
You can also purchase salted duck eggs in most asian grocery stores. They commonly come whole, uncooked, encased in black dirt which you just wash off prior to using, or packaged with just the raw yolks.
Don’t forget to label your eggs to keep track of the time.
- 1 dozen raw duck eggs
- 1 cup sea salt
- 4 cups boiled water
- glass container with lid
- Dissolve salt in 4 cups of boiled water. Let cool to room temperature.
- Wash eggs and carefully place in clean jar.
- Fill and cover with brine. Cover with air-tight lid and wait 30 days. No refrigeration needed, keep away from full sun.
- Test after 30 days by boiling for 15 minutes. Cut in half and examine yolk. The white will be really salty, and can be eaten with plain rice or congee.
- Also really good diced, mixed with fresh raw tofu and a dash of sesame oil. Eaten as as a cold accompaniment to rice or congee.
- Store eggs raw, or cooked in refrigerator afterwards. Brine may be reused for next batch.
ben phang - Can we store the raw eggs in brine solution for more than 1 month as we want to use them for a festival in May.Thank you.
Matt - Hi Jen. Thanks for giving everyone an insight into how to make salted duck eggs! I’m a little tentative but I think I’ll give it a go soon.
I was just wondering whether the diet of your ducks altered the taste of the eggs. My understanding is that if they have access to a more varied diet (possibly including fish and frogs etc) then the eggs can already taste fishy. Guess it might not matter if the eggs are salty, but thought it was worth asking regardless. Thanks, Matt.
WOMEN IN AGRICULTURE - Hi
Great Post… the article is very educative. Thanks for the information, I will try it one of this day thanks.
Betty Pham - thank you for this- will be trying it out soon 🙂
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Diane Roberts Wahby - Can you brine them for less that 30 days so they aren’t as salty? Thank you! Can’t wait to make them. I love duck eggs.
Diane Roberts Wahby - Can you brine them for less that 30 days so they aren’t as salty? Thank you! Can’t wait to make them. I love duck eggs.
Elaine - I meant to thank you for this salted duck egg recipe. It came out very well. I am about to try it again, but with chicken eggs from the grocery store which is why I remembered to write to you!