Why are there only salted duck eggs but no salted chicken eggs?

Author: Gongzi Xin

When you have breakfast or porridge, the best side dish is a salted duck egg that is greasy and sandy! However, have you ever thought about this question: why salted eggs are made from duck eggs instead of chicken eggs ?

Salted duck eggs have a long history and are elegantly known as "green fruits" among the people.

According to records, as early as the Southern and Northern Dynasties, Chinese people began to try to preserve fresh eggs by soaking them in salt water.

Nowadays, Gaoyou salted duck eggs , which have a history of more than 300 years, are particularly famous. They were created during the reign of Emperor Kangxi and have a high reputation. Yuan Mei's "Suiyuan Food List·Small Menu" has an item for "pickled eggs": "Gaoyou is the best for pickled eggs."

At that time, there were many workshops processing salted duck eggs, which were transported across the country by water and exported overseas!

**Then why pickle salted duck eggs,** instead of salted chicken eggs?

01 Fat

Duck eggs have less water content.
High in fat,
It is easier to produce oil during the pickling process.
Creates a sandy texture.
Eggs are low in fat.
After pickling, the taste is relatively dry.
Of course it’s not delicious enough!

02 heads

Duck egg yolks are large, accounting for about 35% of the entire egg;

Egg yolks generally account for less than 30%, and of course salted duck eggs taste more delicious!

In addition, duck eggs are larger in size, while chicken eggs are relatively smaller, so the time and cost required for pickling duck eggs are relatively low, which is more conducive to mass production.

03 Experience

Ducks generally eat more grass and aquatic life, while chickens eat more grains, so duck eggs are more fishy than chicken eggs, and it is difficult to make them delicious. They can only be pickled with salt, which can extend the shelf life. But what about chicken eggs? Basically, they are delicious no matter how you cook them!

04 Thick skin

Duck eggs have thicker shells and smoother surfaces, which are less likely to break during the cooking process and can better protect the inside of the duck egg, while chicken eggs have thinner shells and are more likely to break during the pickling process.

In summary, duck eggs win! !

Please note that although salted duck eggs are delicious and nutritious, they are high in salt and should be eaten less by patients with hypertension. If you eat salted duck eggs, you need to control the total salt intake of the day, such as reducing salt in dishes and soups, and drinking more water after meals.

References:

[1] Research on the mechanism and method of pickling salted duck eggs, Wang Yiting and Pang Min, 2doi:10.16736/j.cnki.cn41-1434/ts.2020.22.015

[2] Hypertensive patients should be cautious when eating salted duck eggs, Zhang Yan, Medical Health, 2018, No. 8