Hi everybody, I am just curious how long most of you keep your fresh eggs? I have always kept them up to one month but now am wondering if maybe that is too long for good quality? They go into the refrig. unwashed and stored at about 38 degrees. Sue

-- Sue Hudler (catzrus2@wetv.net), January 22, 2002

Answers

I use both, the 30 day rule and yolk viability as the expiration indicators. For boiled eggs I only use 30 day or less eggs, any that ay be older get used in cracked egg cooking or frozen. If the yolk spreads out instead of maintaining itself intact when deposited, I dispose of it. However, eggs seldom last more than 2 to 3 weeks in my house , so I seldom have to rely on this protocol.

BTW I also store my eggs unwashed, but I do not store them in the same refridgerator with other food products. I instead store them in the canned beverage cooler to avoid any fresh food contamination from the fecal residuals.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), January 22, 2002.

the eggs you buy at the grocery store can be a year old

-- Stan (sopal@net-port.com), January 22, 2002.

Stan,

You're right, I've heard that the eggs from the grocery store at Easter time can be several months old. And who knows what conditions they have been stored in. Room temperature, refrigeration then back again to room temperature. The yolks don't even have any color left in them.

-- Charleen in WNY (harperhill@eznet.net), January 22, 2002.

Stan is right! Eggs from the store can be months old before you buy them, especially around the holidays. The egg packing companies start holding back eggs several months before a holiday so they have a good supply for that holiday. Also the eggs can set in the egg house almost 24 hrs.before they are gathered and put in cold storage! And if you knew what those chickens are fed you would never eat a store bought egg again. For one thing they are given penicillin in their water once a month. They also are fed food that has dead animals (everything from chickens to dogs that were put to sleep at an animal shelter) cooked and ground into the food! Makes me SICK to think about it. About 15 years ago my husband was the manager of a large egg farm. There's nothing like a fresh homegrown egg!

-- Jo in PA (farmerjo16666@pennswoods.net), January 22, 2002.

I read a old book about homesteading and the women use to wash there eggs then rub them with oil and leave in cool spot in the house to keep them longer. I hadn't heard of it. I bet we have lost alot of tricks the housewifes use to do before the fridge!

-- Teresa (c3ranch@socket.net), January 22, 2002.

I check my eggs for freshness by putting them in a glass of cold water. If they lay on the bottom, they are very fresh. If they stand upright on the bottom but don't float, they are still good but not "fresh". If they float, they are bad and get thrown out. This has something to do with the yolk and white separating in the shell as the egg ages. Because I use storebought eggs, I always do this because not only will they store eggs for a long time, they will also take old eggs and put them in a new box with a more up-to-date expiration date on the box.

-- Cindy in NY (cjpopeck@worldnet.att.net), January 22, 2002.

When I lived in Tanzania, we kept our eggs on the counter - we got fresh eggs every Friday. No refrigeration needed! Afternoon temperatures 100+ and evening temperatures 70+.

-- hmm (h.m.metheny@att.net), January 22, 2002.

Lately, I am lucky to get eggs that are ever more than three days old. My regular customers sometimes have to wait a day or two while I go squeeze the hens:) I should probably get a few more layers! But I like it this way. I'm going to need the space soon to get some broilers ready.

-- Nancy Boswell (nannyb@huntel.net), January 22, 2002.

Another old-timey method of storing eggs is with waterglass. This is purchased from a pharmacist.

If you're going to coat the eggs with oil, you should wash them first and use a good quality vegetable oil -- and they should be refrigerated if possible

-- MissJudi (jselig@clemson.edu), January 22, 2002.

Here in North Florida for eggs that are unwashed but not terribly dirty I've kept them on the kitchen counter for a month or more without losing too much quality. Room temperature hovered between 78-85 or thereabouts. Those same eggs would last for a couple of months in the refrigerator. If you washed the eggs I'd keep them for no more than maybe a week on the counter in summer temperatures and maybe a month in the refrigerator. Really dirty eggs should be used fairly quickly. Even unwashed their protective coating is largely compromised.

.........Alan.

-- Alan (athagan@atlantic.net), January 22, 2002.

I have two comments...One...eggglassing works...good supplier is the lehman catalog....Two....when I get too many eggs...I break them open into freezer bags ( about 3 per bag ).. and freeze them...They work great for bread, cakes, or other uses....not great if you try to scramble or fry...Kristean

-- Kristean Thompson (pigalena_babe@yahoo.com), January 22, 2002.

I do it the same way Cindy does, check them in a glass of water if I'm not sure if they are good or not. I keep them for months sometimes--I don't find too many bad ones.

-- Sharon (spangenberg@hovac.com), January 22, 2002.

what does washing the eggs do to them? does it shorten the life of them? should i leave them dirty? noone minds buying dirty eggs from you?

thanks- neweggcollector

-- marci snowden (noexit_ever@yahoo.com), January 26, 2002.