freezing eggs???

[Sydney Acres]

I boiled eggs for thanksgiving lastnight. I have Rhode Island Red hens and we let our eggs stay out of the fridge at room temp. Theese eggs had only been sitting out for appx. 3 days. When we peeled them the egg whites were tinted brown and the yoke was very dark and able to be seen underneath. We are new to brown eggs so is this normal for fresh brown eggs ?

No, brown eggs are only brown on the outside. What's inside should be no different than white eggs. Also, leaving them out of the refrigerator for 3 days shouldn't cause that either. I'm not sure what is going on with your eggs. The only thing that comes to mind regarding the yolk is that it will be darker if they are free range eggs and the chickens are eating lots of grass (mine have yolks that are dark pumpkin orange), or that maybe the yolk was close to the shell in one area (not perfectly centered in the egg, which is common) so there was less white on the side you were looking at, so it could easily be seen. Regarding the egg whites being tinted brown, was it just the outside perimeter of the egg white, like the brown color leached through the membrane and tinted the white while boiling? Or was it brown all the way through, affecting all of the white? Did it occur with every egg, or just some of them? Was the water that you boiled them in tinted brown after boiling? Do you find that the white of the egg is tinted when you break open the egg and fry it, or only with boiling? I guess it is possible for the brown color to leach through with boiling and tint the white, but I've never had it happen with mine, and have never heard of it happening. But every line of hens, or individual hen, is different, so maybe the color components from your hens leaches out?? Anyone else have a better theory?

 

[DarkWater1929]

I like the ice-cube tray idea! When our fridge dropped suddenly dead, I froze everything I possibly could, as we were not able to replace the thing in an instant. I broke the eggs, and put them two by two into zip-lock baggies. They did not stay frozen long, but when I used them I did not notice any difference between them and unfrozen eggs. As I recall, I only used them for baking. I did not try to serve them over-easy, or anything like that.

 

[Nancynakonechny]

Do I wash my chicken eggs before I put them in the refrigerator.

 

[ChickenMammX4]

Do I wash my chicken eggs before I put them in the refrigerator.

Normally I don't wash eggs until I use them nor do I refrigerate them.If any are dirty I wash those and refridgerate.

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Normally I don't wash eggs until I use them nor do I refrigerate them.If any are dirty I wash those and refridgerate.

X2 I have a big basket that sits on my table and holds all the eggs. Any really dirty ones get cracked open and fed to the dogs and when the bowl on the table gets full, we pack up a couple dozen and give to friends and family. The only time we refrigerate any is if we find a hidden nest. Those we wash, test, refridgerate and feed to the dogs.

 

[Sydney Acres]

Do I wash my chicken eggs before I put them in the refrigerator.

That depends on how you're going to use them. If you're going to sell them, then they should be collected at least once a day (ideally twice) and washed and refrigerated ASAP. It's the ethical thing for any seller to do, just in case there is a problem. On the other hand, I only use my eggs for personal consumption, and I want them to last as long as possible in the refrigerator. If they are really dirty, they are washed and put in a specific carton for immediate (within the week) use. If they are reasonably clean, then they are simply put in a solid cardboard carton (not one with vent holes in it) and put in the refrigerator. Depending on which hen laid them, they last anywhere from 8 to 12 months without spoilage, although the white does get a little dehydrated after about 6 months. If they are washed, they typically only last half that time. If you are going to freeze them, it is best to do it within the first month for the best quality.

 

[Cindy in PA]

Why would I wash my eggs before selling when they are perfectly clean? Washing a clean looking egg only removes the bloom & makes it more likely to absorb other bacteria.

 

[Spartan22]

Why would I wash my eggs before selling when they are perfectly clean? Washing a clean looking egg only removes the bloom & makes it more likely to absorb other bacteria. 

You have to communicate to your clients/customers wether you wash your eggs or not. So they are aware of your preference, we told our friends/egg customers we prefer not to wash nor refrigerate our eggs.

We don't sell our soiled eggs, we washed and refrigerate and consume them within 2-3 days.

 

[Sydney Acres]

Why would I wash my eggs before selling when they are perfectly clean? Washing a clean looking egg only removes the bloom & makes it more likely to absorb other bacteria.

Agreed, BUT...

We live in a very litigious world. It is the "industry standard" that eggs be washed before they are sold to the public. Since washing is standard practice, if you bypass such a basic step and someone gets sick from your eggs, or even just claims that it is from your eggs without proof, you are going to lose the lawsuit, especially if it is a jury trial because everyone knows you ALWAYS need to wash everything. If you are lucky it will just be reimbursement for a doctor's visit or a trip to the ER. If you are unlucky you will be held responsible for someone's prolonged hospitalization or death.

Most people do not need unwashed eggs. They are going to use their eggs within a reasonable amount of time. I don't wash my eggs because I want them to last more than 6 months, I know how to avoid getting sick while using "unsanitized" food, and I don't plan on suing myself. But I would never sell unwashed eggs to the public. It's just not worth the risk.

 

[Cindy in PA]

And they will know they are washed how? I understand what you are saying, but they will look the same either way. Some wash with dish soap or dip in bleach, yuck! That is why I don't buy eggs in the store.