Pickled and Beeted Hard-Boiled Eggs

When I was little, my dad used to make the best pickled and beeted hard-boiled eggs around. These brilliant purple eggs have a delicious balance of sour and sweet, and they're gorgeous to look at, too. Dad died before I could get his recipe, but I took a stab at making them based on what Mom remembered. Between Mom's memory, a handful of pickling recipes I found online, and my own tastes, I managed to come pretty close to what Dad used to make. I think mine are a little sweeter, though less sweet than most of the recipes I found online. Anyway, my recipe is as follows:

• 2 doz. hard-boiled eggs, peeled
• 4 cans sliced beets, reserving liquid
• 2 large yellow onions, sliced
• 4 cups white vinegar
• 1 cup white sugar
• 2 cups water
• 3 T pickling spices of your choice (I make my own up; I'll post that recipe later)

Layer eggs, beets, and onion slices in a one-gallon jar. Combine the rest of the ingredients and reserved beet juice in a large sauce pan. Heat until sugar dissolves. Let cool to about 100F, then pour into one-gallon jar. Add cool water until liquid covers the eggs completely. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 24 hours before eating. 

These eggs give beautiful color to a salad, but I prefer to eat them straight out of the jar.