freezing eggs???

[maransfan16]

my mom has seen somewhere that you can freeze eggs to store them and you can thaw them out when you need them thought i'd get everyone opinion on this before i let her try her "test it out" on my precious eggs what do you think

 

[sumi]

This freezing egg talks reminded of a funny story a friend of mine told me years ago. She mistakenly put the eggs in the freezer, instead of the fridge. But she admitted she knew nothing about food and cooking and storing food etc. One day she had a new BF come round to visit and she decided to cook him some eggs. And found the eggs frozen solid. That didn't deter her. She somehow managed to get the shells off and dropped them in the frying pan and spooned hot oil over them, trying to thaw them and cook them. That didn't work very well... For some reason she decided to feed them to the BF like that, cooked slightly round the outside and still quite frozen inside. And sat and watched the poor guy trying to eat them and probably wondering why the eggs kept scooting off the plate when he tried to cut them!

Believe it or not she ended up marrying this guy, but I guess it's safe to say he didn't marry her for her cooking skills!

 

[sumi]

You can freeze eggs. Cooked, uncooked, in the shell... Here's some how-to's about if that I found online:

http://www.ehow.com/how_4620606_refrigerate-freeze-chicken-eggs.html

This one's quite funny:

http://chickensintheroad.com/cooking/how-to-freeze-eggs/

Just remember if you freeze them in the shell to thaw them in a bowl as the freezing can damage the shell and you'll have a mess when thawing it.

 

[sumi]

As I've said in a previous post I decided to freeze some eggs to see what effect the freezing has on them and the quality. I picked 2 fresh eggs and 2 older ones that were sitting on the counter for about 2-3 weeks. The results are in:

After a day in the freezer they looked like this (oops, think my freezer may be a bit too cold):




I thawed them slowly overnight. Surprisingly they didn't make a mess:




I opened them to see what they look like inside:




And had them for breakfast:




Conclusion: I think my freezer may have been a bit too cold, hence the cracked shells, so I would suggest freezing them in a container. The whites after thawing them were a bit runny, like an older egg's. I didn't see a difference between the fresh laid eggs and the older eggs after thawing. Their quality turned out to be identical. After frying them I found they tasted a bit watery, but otherwise they were completely fine. So, for those of you who get frozen eggs: you don't have to throw them away. They are perfectly fine to eat.

 

[VintageLilFarm]

I freeze mine using muffin tins. I break one egg into one muffin spot. I personally just leave them in the muffin tin long enough to freeze, then dump them into a jar or freezer bag. I recommend spraying the tin first for this reason. I found that ice cube trays were too small to hold one egg per square so muffin tins are the pperfect solution for me. Makes it easy-peasy to use the correct amount in baking.

 

[donnavee]

I had more eggs than I could use this summer so I froze some of the extras. I cracked 3 at a time into a bowl, whipped them with a fork & poured into small freezer containers. I was able to use them for scrambled eggs and baking this winter once the girls slowed down.

 

[Spartan22]

No worries, I don't sell eggs anyway.  Just can't believe how complicated this forum makes everything.  To each his own.  I only read this forum for amusement anymore. 

I think Sydney was just answering your q's, forum only became complicated as you make them. Take infos that will help you leave what doesn't. That's what makes it great lots of people with different ideas, experiences and wisdoms. I'm only 22 and am so willing to hear from people when I travel with my job, then use what I needed.

 

[frostbite]

Quote:
I won't tell you your chickens will love you more if you do this, (hard to know how much thinking their reptilian brains are capable of) but they'd probably enjoy eating those compost eggs! The protein and calcium is good for them. Just chop them fine so they don't recognize them as the eggs they just laid; don't want to give them any ideas...

 

[Marty1876]

I think I should add that egg whites only maintain reasonably good quality for about a month in the freezer. Chemically, the eggs have broken physical bonds from the act of the water freezing and expanding. Normal detioration will continue. The act of freezing will slow down this chemical process, but not stop it. Egg whites are more water based than oil based, and will be more intensely effected. Egg whites whole, or mixed with other egg whites can be used with 70% volume and natural texture (appx.) for about 30 days. After than, whites continue to deteriorate faster than yolks if plain. Now, if you mix the egg whites and yolks, and freeze promptly, the now heterozygous mixture (yolks and white don't truly blend very well since one is oil based and the other water based, and they don't like each other) is less effected overall from the cold, and should continue to be reasonably useful in baking and regular cooking for about 3 months.

I'm not egg professional, but I took a lot of chemistry and biology classes for my pre-med degree. When I see my own results, its easy to see the theories at work. LOL Also, I raise ducks and chickens, and freeze eggs. I don't freeze them whole myself, but I see no reason not to if you've washed the eggs shells well before freezing. If they are going to break open, you still don't want unpleasant contaminants touching the egg parts you intend to consume. (poop) Wash them well, and go for it, its as good a container as any. I can also see the advantage to being able to freeze them on a tray, and put them into a resealable baggy, and taking out what you need to thaw to use one at a time.

I'd be interested in the results of somebody freezing them whole, and putting them into a freezer bag, and testing their qualities in 90 days, or 180. Seems like a convenient and well protected package, but don't know how the whites will react. The egg shale itself might offer some protection to improve egg white freezer life.

 

[pigeonguy]

In the old days great grandma would put between 2 and 4 inches of flour in the bottom of a very large crock and then threw out the summer and fall put extra eggs in standing up. When she had a layer of eggs not touching each other on the sides and not touching the sides of the crock but all around and across. She would then put another layer of flour covering those eggs by 2 to 4 inches she then put another layer of eggs then flour then eggs then flour. You get the idea. Then when she made bread or pancakes in the winter while the chickens were not laying plus back then you reduced you flock in the winter for meat.She would take out enough flour and enough eggs for that meal. The eggs kept that way all the way threw the winter which lasted for 4 to 5 months. They never went without bread or things made with eggs. In those days there were no refrigerators or freezers to keep them in. So this was the method used by some old farm women. Also when she cracked one for use each was opened in a bowl and added to what ever or cooked 1 at a time that way she could see if it was good before using. Put one egg in the bowl use it put another egg in the bowl use it. Do not put more than one in the bowl at a time. That way you don't ruin 2 eggs because the 3rd is bad. I still do that today because I have gotten a bad egg before.
If a frozen egg is watery or rubbery or what ever and only keeps for a couple of months. Then this method would make more sense to do. You can keep them 4, 5 or 6 months this way and not have the watery issue. Even though the bloom is on the egg the flour cuts off the air to the eggs. No air no spoilage. Just a side note do not leave the crock where it can freeze in the winter and keep it in the shade or root cellar in the summer. Even in summer months flour stays cooler than the air around it don't know why it just does.
Hope this helps someone to preserve their eggs better. Sometimes the old ways are the best ways. I should probably also add unwashed eggs will keep in the fridge for 2 or 3 months. Sometimes they are that old when bought from the store.