Non-refrigerated Egg Preservation

VickiP

I don't subscribe to many YouTube channels, but I really enjoy this one. It covers many aspects of 18th century life. I thought with winter approaching this would be of interest to those of us who have chickens. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUYgguMz1qI&list=PL4e4wpjna1vxjVcKc_BHTb0nsvVwimwXt or just go to YouTube and paste: "The Top 6 Historical Egg Preservation Techniques!" I haven't tried these personally, but I would like to try the number one method on a dozen eggs.

nksunshine27

I havent watch any yet but i dehydrate my eggs and when i need some for baking i just add the powder to the baking or reconstitute them

VickiP

I don't have a dehydrator, but that is a good Idea. I may freeze some this year. We put some in the fridge but they do eventually get funky.

Hassena

We often don't refrigerate our eggs. I believe most of the world doesn't either...https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2014/09/11/336330502/why-the-u-s-chills-its-eggs-and-most-of-the-world-doesnt

There is a protective coating on the egg, that keeps bacteria and things out of the egg. If an egg is washed, the coating is removed, thus requiring refrigeration.

It's interesting to learn what we used to do and what other parts of the world do. :)

jjocean

Eggs that are commercially sold in the US have been washed and do not do as well unrefrigerated. The EU doesn't permit washing and it is much more frequent there to leave eggs out of the fridge. Home laid eggs should be fine. It is interesting that the reasons given for washing the eggs in the US is to prevent salmonella and yet the unwashed eggs in the EU are not related to any increase in salmonella. Having to sell your eggs unwashed leads to better, cleaner husbandry practices because the buyers don't want poopy eggs. Go figure.

findbeth-1

Thank you @VickiP

If you try the lime, let us/me know how it works....

VickiP

If I try it I will!

VickiP

As for leaving eggs on the counter, I agree and that is where my unwashed eggs are sitting as we speak. For long term storage they will keep longer in the fridge. Several months, as in more than three or four months as a general rule. We normally give excess eggs away to friends and family and any that have been sitting out for more than three weeks get scrambled and fed to the animals. They are still OK at that point, but I start doing a sniff check on them every time I use any after two or three weeks. We actually haven't had any go bad but they tend to dehydrate. How long they last on your counter depends on the temperature and humidity in your home. For long term storage I will continue to use the fridge, except this year I am going to try freezing some just see how it works. And if I can get some lime I will give that a try as well.

Leslie Carl

The hydrated lime sounds effective but if you had many eggs to store, it would take up a lot of space to store them that way. Like nksunshine27, I like to dehydrate my eggs to preserve them. You can get 4 dozen eggs in a quart jar after dehydrating and powdering them. Now that's space-saving!

bkpelfrey

I am trying the hydrated lime as we speak. Can’t wait to see how it works.

SuperC

If the eggs come from the hens to your basket then they do not need a fridge. Yet, if eggs are from the store then they need refrigeration

jjocean

Your mileage may vary but a trick of sailors is to coat the egg with Vaseline. The old salts reported keeping for six months without refrigeration. Disclaimer:I've not tried this.

VickiP

@bkpelfrey keep us posted!