Best Egg Storage Ideas To Preserve Your Fresh Eggs!

If you own a backyard flock, you’ve probably found yourself overrun with a supply of farm-fresh eggs on more than one occasion! Sometimes, the blessing of abundance can be a little overwhelming, and you find yourself trying to figure out how to store and preserve all of those eggs. Here, I am giving you lots of egg storage ideas, plus I’m going over all of the ways that you can store and preserve your fresh eggs – including both fresh egg storage for immediate use, and long-term food storage!

First, let’s talk about fresh chicken eggs!

Before we get into the many different egg storage ideas, there are a few basic facts about fresh chicken eggs you should know. These facts will help you decide which fresh egg storage idea is the best option for you!

When it comes to the quality of an egg, how you raise your chickens really does matter. Healthy chickens lay healthy eggs! The quality of the egg shell and yolk will be noticeably weaker if the chicken’s health is affected by dietary deficiencies, and diseases. If you’re brand new to chickens, my post on everything you need to know about raising backyard chickens will answer all of your questions, and get you started on the right foot! 

I’ll also mention that letting your chickens free-range to forage their own bugs and greens will dramatically improve the quality of their eggs. However, there are some things to consider before releasing your chickens into the wild without protection. Knowing the pros and cons of free-ranging chickens is an important part of deciding what’s right for your flock. 

The “Bloom”

When chickens lay eggs, there is a natural invisible coating on the egg called the bloom. The bloom is a protective thin layer that is applied to the egg shell right before the egg is laid. This is what makes a fresh egg look wet and shiny. Once it dries (which is usually within a few seconds), it provides a protective layer over the porous egg shell. This is what prevents harmful bacteria from entering the egg. 

Fresh unwashed eggs have a naturally long shelf life due to the protective bloom! When you wash an egg, you are also washing off the bloom. As soon as you wash the bloom off, the shelf life of the egg decreases significantly. To be sure there is no miscommunication, when I refer to “fresh eggs” in this post, I am referring to eggs that still have the bloom. 

Humidity

Humidity also plays a role in how long your eggs will stay fresh, whether at room temperature or in the fridge. The shelf-life of fresh eggs is extended when they are stored in proper humidity. Low humidity can cause the egg to dry out due to evaporation, and high humidity can create a mold issue. 

Fresh eggs that are stored at a temperature of 12°C (55°F) and 75% humidity will last for 2-3 months. Eggs stored at a temperature of -1°C (30°F) and 85% humidity will last for up to 9 months. The freezing point for eggs is -2°C (28°F).

Storing unwashed eggs

When it comes to storing unwashed eggs, you have a few different options. If you’re looking to store them for fresh eating, the best place for that is either on the countertop at room temperature, or in the refrigerator. 

Room Temperature

You can easily store your fresh unwashed eggs on your kitchen counter at room temperature, and they will stay fresh for anywhere from 1-3 weeks. Technically after about 1 week, the quality of the egg will start to deteriorate, which can possibly lead to egg spoilage. However, we have stored our fresh unwashed eggs on the counter for 2-3 weeks without any issues! Just be sure to be aware of the possibility of spoilage, if it’s been sitting for longer than 1 week.

One tip for doing this effectively is to make sure you eat the oldest eggs first! Create a system where you know which eggs were brought in today rather than a few days ago, and eat the older ones first. This will keep a steady rotation of fresh eggs on your countertop. To help you with this, consider purchasing some egg storage containers that help keep your eggs organized. 

If you do forget which eggs are older and which eggs are newer, there are a few ways you can test to see if an egg is still fresh. Check them out here! 

Refrigeration

Refrigerating your eggs is a great way to store and preserve fresh eggs when you want to use them for fresh eating. Storing your unwashed eggs in the refrigerator will keep them fresh for up to several months! If you have extra space in your fridge, this is the way to go. Wrapping each egg individually in plastic wrap will extend their shelf life in the fridge even further, as this adds an extra layer of protection against evaporation. 

However, if you have cracked your egg and are looking to store the egg yolks or egg whites in the refrigerator, they can only be stored safely for a few days. Egg yolks can be stored in cold water in an airtight container for 2 days, while egg whites can be stored in an airtight container for up to 4 days. 

How to handle a dirty egg

Sometimes, eggs get dirty! No matter how clean your coop is, or how healthy your chickens are – sometimes, poop happens! 

If you have to wash your eggs, just be sure to store them in the refrigerator and eat them within 3-5 weeks. Remember, washing the eggs removes the bloom, so your eggs will spoil much quicker after they are washed. 

Long Term Egg Storage and Preservation

During the spring and summer, you will likely find yourself with way more eggs than you can possibly eat fresh! This is where long-term food storage comes into play. There are a lot of different methods of preserving eggs long-term, but if you’re anything like me, the easiest ways are the best ways! 

Here are a few easy egg storage ideas to preserve your abundance of eggs for future use!

Freezing

Freezing your eggs is a great egg storage idea! It is super easy and very convenient! However, you shouldn’t try and freeze a whole, fresh egg. Doing so will cause the shell to break as the contents freeze and expand, which can invite bacteria into the egg. 

The best way to freeze eggs is by using a silicone ice cube tray, or even a muffin tin. Here’s how to do this:

• Crack each egg separately into a small bowl and gently scramble (you can do 1-3 eggs together depending on how large your tray or tin cups are).
• Pour the scrambled egg into each section of your tray.
• Cover with a lid or plastic wrap and place in the freezer (wait at least 24 hours).
• Once frozen, pop them out and store each frozen cube in a freezer bag for long term storage. Label the bag so you know how many eggs make up a single cube (eg. 1 cube = 1 egg)

Using your frozen eggs is also easy – simply allow the frozen egg cube to thaw in an airtight container overnight in the fridge. It can then be used for baking, or even be cooked into scrambled eggs or even an omelette! If your goal is to preserve your eggs for fresh eating purposes, this is the best method for that!

Water Glassing

Water glassing is a long-term storage solution where you store your fresh eggs in a lime/water solution. When doing this, it is crucial to use clean, unwashed eggs and ONLY food-grade hydrated lime. 

Water glassing has been used as an egg preservation technique since the 1800’s, and when done properly, can keep eggs fresh for up to 18 months! This method requires no electricity, so you’re never at risk of losing your preserved stash of eggs in the event of a prolonged power outage.

If you decide to give water glassing a try, it’s important to follow all instructions and safety precautions properly. Although this is not a hard technique, there are specific things NOT to do. So be sure not to cut corners, or use the wrong supplies. Failure to do so could result in food poisoning. Here is an excellent step-by-step guide on how to safely water glass eggs for long-term storage! 

When done properly water glassing is very simple, and is a perfect addition to your preservation reservoir!

Dehydrating

Dehydration is another great egg storage idea, and way to preserve your fresh eggs for future use! What I like about this method is that you can do it right in your oven – whereas freeze drying requires you to have a freeze drying machine. Therefore, dehydration is a method of preservation that is more widely accessible. 

You can safely dehydrate both raw and cooked eggs, however it is recommended to dehydrate cooked eggs only, as there is less risk of bacterial issues. To dehydrate cooked eggs, simply scramble the eggs and then dehydrate them in your oven at 135°F for 4-6 hours. 

If you do decide to dehydrate raw eggs, you should still scramble the yolks and whites together. Also, take note that dehydrating raw eggs can take longer, up to 8-10 hours in a 165°F oven. Also, when dehydrating raw eggs you will need to give them a little stir about halfway through, to break apart a thin film that forms on top of the raw eggs as they dehydrate. 

 After the eggs are fully dehydrated you can run them through a food processor to make egg powder for easy storage. 

How To Rehydrate Eggs for Use

Rehydrating your eggs is very easy! Simply use a 2:1 ratio of powdered eggs to water, and let the mixture stand for a few minutes. To get the equivalent of one egg, mix one tablespoon of egg powder with two tablespoons of water. 

Once the eggs are rehydrated, cook them as normal or use them in your baking! Most people agree that this method works best for baking purposes rather than fresh eating, because sometimes the eggs can have a slight grainy consistency when they are rehydrated. This is way more noticeable when eaten on their own, but not noticeable at all when used in baking. 

Freeze-Drying

Freeze-drying is another popular way to preserve your fresh eggs. But again, you need to have a freeze-drying machine in order to do this. You can freeze-dry raw or cooked eggs, but due to food safety precautions, cooked is recommended. Much like dehydrating eggs, all you need to do is scramble your eggs and place the cooked scrambled eggs into your freeze-dryer. 

The main difference between freeze-dried eggs and dehydrated eggs, is that freeze-dried eggs tend to have a finer consistency than dehydrated eggs. This means they may taste slightly better if used for fresh eating. But when used in baking, there shouldn’t be any noticeable difference between freeze-dried and dehydrated eggs. 

To rehydrate freeze-dried cooked eggs, simply combine the freeze-dried egg powder with a little water in a hot skillet. For baking, just combine the egg powder with a bit of water. Note, 2 tablespoons of freeze-dried egg powder equals 1 egg. 

Pickling

Pickling is another tried and true egg storage method for preserving fresh eggs. Pickled eggs can be easily stored in the refrigerator and do not require any canning. 

In order to pickle eggs, you first need to hard-boil them and remove the shell. Next, you pack the warm boiled eggs into clean canning jars and cover them with a warm spiced vinegar solution. Find a great recipe for this here! 

Small eggs are great for pickling because their small size allows the pickling solution to thoroughly penetrate the eggs which ensures proper preservation. Small eggs are also easier to pack into your canning jars, which minimizes the amount of empty space within each jar of pickled eggs. 

After the jars are packed with the eggs and warm spiced vinegar, you will need to let them cool. Once they are cool, pickled eggs can be stored in the fridge for up to 2-3 months. 

Other ways to use your eggs

The internet is full of egg preservation methods, so there is sure to be something for everybody! If you’re looking for other ways to use up your abundance of summertime eggs, here are a few more ideas: 

• Salting egg yolks 
• Homemade Eggnog 
• Making homemade egg noodles 

So many egg storage ideas to preserve your fresh eggs!

There are so many egg storage ideas when it comes to storing and preserving your fresh eggs! If you find yourself with a large number of eggs and needing to put some up for future use, just be sure to choose the option that best suits your individual needs. Don’t choose a preservation method just because it’s trendy, or even easy! Make sure you are storing your eggs in the best way for how you want to use them. 

Also, don’t forget to thank your hens from time to time for all the delicious food they provide! And do your best to keep your ladies healthy and strong, so that they continue to give you those farm-fresh eggs for years to come! 

Blessings!

~Maryann