When it comes to eggs, I am persnickety about freshness and I hope you are, too. According to the CDC, “Salmonella enteritidis silently infects the ovaries of healthy appearing hens and contaminates the eggs before the shells are formed.” That means there is no way of knowing if that perfectly formed completely intact egg with the expiration date way in the future may cause Salmonella Poisoning. I’ve said before that I always use pasteurized eggs in any recipe that does not call for fully cooked eggs (mayonnaise, raw cookie dough, etc.). Now I’m going to share my tips for assuring the eggs you use regularly are fresh.
Here are some expiry facts about eggs that you should know:
- In shell, fresh eggs keep three weeks in the refrigerator. They can not be frozen in the shell.
- In shell, hard cooked eggs keep only one week in the refrigerator. They can not be frozen. Decorated Easter Eggs need to be kept in the refrigerator. If eggs are at room temperature for more than 2 hours, do not eat them.
- Fresh egg yolks or whites keep only four DAYS in the refrigerator. They can be kept for up to one year in the freezer. The same is true for liquid pasteurized eggs or egg substitutes once they’ve been opened.
Here’s how to freeze eggs:
Whether you are saving just the whites or the entire egg, the process is the same.
- Break eggs out of shell and into a large measuring cup.
- Lightly whisk until well blended (not beaten).
- Add a little corn syrup, sugar or salt to help them “keep”. Most of my frozen eggs are for pancakes and waffles, so I like to whisk in about a teaspoon of light corn syrup per half dozen eggs.
- Mark how many eggs are in the batch on a freezer bag (I generally put two in snack size bags for convenience sake) and pour that amount from your measuring cup into the bag and freeze.
They keep beautifully and are especially convenient on camping trips.
Playing it safe with eggs works for me. For more great tips visit Rocks In My Dryer.
10 responses so far ↓
1
witchypoo
// Jul 9, 2008 at 7:26 am
I don’t even buy eggs anymore since the great cookie-baking in summer debacle occurred.
2
witchypoo
// Jul 9, 2008 at 7:27 am
Also? Since you have gone all WordPress, why haven’t you uploaded the CommentLuv plugin?
3
Janet
// Jul 9, 2008 at 8:59 am
I knew most of this (hubby is wired that way), except the Easter Eggs out more than too hours. Thanks!
4
Sarah
// Jul 9, 2008 at 9:14 am
Thanks for posting this!! I can never remember how long my eggs keep fresh in the fridge!! That reminds me, I need to buy more, mine have been in there too long…
5
Green Girl
// Jul 9, 2008 at 10:34 am
I heard about freezing eggs–thanks for the explanation.
6
Ree
// Jul 9, 2008 at 12:26 pm
I have a question (ooooh, oooooh, Mr Kotter!) What about those eggs you can buy that are hard boiled but shelled? Eggslands Best(?) sells them in a package.
They say 10 days, but that worries me….what do you think?
7
TXPoppet
// Jul 9, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Ree-
According to Colorado State University Cooperative Extension Service and the University of GA, Athens federal food preservation study, boiling the eggs activates the enzymes that speed spoilage. I’d skip the shelled pre-boiled commercially produced eggs for safety’s sake. Oh, and tell Epstein’s Mother I’ll need a note.
8
Karin
// Jul 9, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Isn’t it funny how the shell - presumably nature’s perfect little Tupperware container - must be shed before freezing? That’s totally counter-intuitive, as far as I’m concerned.
Thanks for the great egg tips!
9
Hen
// Jul 10, 2008 at 4:16 am
Just to freak you out read -
http://domestic-hiss.blogspot.com/2008/03/sure-as-eggs-is-eggs.html
I keep hens which are vaccinated, and the eggs get eaten within the week. This is the best I can manage - that said I still don’t let the children lick raw cake mix!!!
Hens last blog post..Would you? Could You?
10
Elaine23Guthrie
// Aug 8, 2010 at 6:25 am
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