Topic of the Week - What do you do with all those eggs?

[KJzCola]

We eat most of them , give away/sell some. I also freeze my extras in the spring because in the winter we get very few eggs. (I dont add light by personal choice)

How do you freeze them, how do you thaw them, and how are you able to use them once thawed? I would love to do this for the same reasons but havnt been super successful in freezing amd thawing for varied use in the past.

Thanks!

 

[Wandercreek]

Not too long ago I heard from a family member that you can put mineral oil or water glass on eggs to keep them fresh longer. Has anybody else heard that?

I just read an article that talked about this. It was about a 7 month long experiment on several methods of egg storage. Here are the conclusions they came up with (see #3 for the water glass info):

Egg Preserving Test Conclusions

At the end of seven months (all of our experiment that was finished and processed at the time this issue went to press), then, we had drawn these conclusions about our egg preservation experiment:
[1] Unwashed, fertile homestead eggs seem to store much better than washed, unfertile agribiz eggs. Why? Probably for the simple reason that they're unwashed . . . and not because they're fertile. Hen fruit, as it comes from the chicken, is coated with a light layer of a natural sealing agent called "bloom". And, while a good wash may make a batch of eggs look more attractive, it also removes this natural protective coating . . . leaving the eggs more subject to aging and attack by the air and bacteria in the air.
[2] The very best way we've found to stash eggs away for long-term storage is in a sealed container at a temperature of 35 degrees Fahrenheit to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Their whites may become somewhat runny looking over a period of time, but even after seven months—the cackleberries stored in this manner smell good, taste good, have a good texture, and — in short — seem "almost fresh".
[3] The widely touted idea of covering eggs with a solution of one part water glass (sodium silicate) mixed with nine parts of boiled and cooled water does indeed seem to work better than any other "room temperature" preservation method we tried. If our experiences are any indication, though, it's really good for only about five months and is a distant second to controlled refrigeration.
Another point: As good as some eggs kept in water glass were, almost every batch we opened seemed to contain one real stinker. Which makes it a superior idea to open any water glassed egg (or any egg, for that matter) separately into a cup . . . where it may be inspected before pouring it into a skillet, pan, or dish with other food.
[4] Unwashed, fertile eggs submerged in a solution of 16 parts water/2 parts lime/1 part salt, packed in lard, and coated with lard seem to keep at room temperature almost as well as unwashed fertile eggs that have been given the water glass treatment. Washed, unfertile eggs do not.
[5] Unwashed, fertile eggs packed in dry sand or coated with vaseline and stored at room temperature keep a little longer — but not much — than unwashed fertile eggs that are just left lying out at room temperature. Washed, unfertile eggs exhibit the same characteristics . . . with all storage times running a few days less across the board.
[6] Forget packing any kind of eggs in wet sand or sawdust! Our tests show that such methods of "preservation" can turn eggs rotten within a month and are worse than doing nothing at all to the hen fruit.

ETA: forgot to link the article: http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/how-to-store-fresh-eggs-zmaz77ndzgoe?pageid=3#PageContent3

 

[Blooie]

Bantam eggs are a harder sell.....Every one oohs and ahs over the cute little eggs but basically didn't think they could use anything that small. Well, my grandaughter will eat an egg, but she never eats a whole one. So I started using the little eggs just for her and it's worked out perfectly. So I had a brainstorm....

I cut 12 compartment egg cartons in half, so I have two half cartons of Bantam eggs. I mark the cartons as "Batman Kids Meals." It worked! Toddlers are eating eggs sized just for them and parents aren't tossing away half an egg when their little tummies are full. So when people with kids come to buy eggs, I can toss a half carton Kid's meal in for an extra dollar and they pay it gladly.

 

[Wandercreek]

Not too long ago I heard from a family member that you can put mineral oil or water glass on eggs to keep them fresh longer. Has anybody else heard that?

I just read an article that talked about this. It was about a 7 month experiment on different methods of long-term egg storage. Here are the conclusions (see #3 for the water glass info):

Egg Preserving Test Conclusions

At the end of seven months (all of our experiment that was finished and processed at the time this issue went to press), then, we had drawn these conclusions about our egg preservation experiment:
[1] Unwashed, fertile homestead eggs seem to store much better than washed, unfertile agribiz eggs. Why? Probably for the simple reason that they're unwashed . . . and not because they're fertile. Hen fruit, as it comes from the chicken, is coated with a light layer of a natural sealing agent called "bloom". And, while a good wash may make a batch of eggs look more attractive, it also removes this natural protective coating . . . leaving the eggs more subject to aging and attack by the air and bacteria in the air.
[2] The very best way we've found to stash eggs away for long-term storage is in a sealed container at a temperature of 35 degrees Fahrenheit to 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Their whites may become somewhat runny looking over a period of time, but even after seven months—the cackleberries stored in this manner smell good, taste good, have a good texture, and — in short — seem "almost fresh".
[3] The widely touted idea of covering eggs with a solution of one part water glass (sodium silicate) mixed with nine parts of boiled and cooled water does indeed seem to work better than any other "room temperature" preservation method we tried. If our experiences are any indication, though, it's really good for only about five months and is a distant second to controlled refrigeration.
Another point: As good as some eggs kept in water glass were, almost every batch we opened seemed to contain one real stinker. Which makes it a superior idea to open any water glassed egg (or any egg, for that matter) separately into a cup . . . where it may be inspected before pouring it into a skillet, pan, or dish with other food.
[4] Unwashed, fertile eggs submerged in a solution of 16 parts water/2 parts lime/1 part salt, packed in lard, and coated with lard seem to keep at room temperature almost as well as unwashed fertile eggs that have been given the water glass treatment. Washed, unfertile eggs do not.
[5] Unwashed, fertile eggs packed in dry sand or coated with vaseline and stored at room temperature keep a little longer — but not much — than unwashed fertile eggs that are just left lying out at room temperature. Washed, unfertile eggs exhibit the same characteristics . . . with all storage times running a few days less across the board.
[6] Forget packing any kind of eggs in wet sand or sawdust! Our tests show that such methods of "preservation" can turn eggs rotten within a month and are worse than doing nothing at all to the hen fruit.

 

[Stephine]

We give some away to family and tge lady who closes the pop door for us maybe a couple if times a month when we're not home. Then we sell them to friends and acquaintances. Whatever is left goes to my daughter's school - they provide free food for children who don't get enough to eat at home. They love our eggs!
Oh, yes, and the dog gets all the super poopy, cracked or otherwise funky eggs!

 

[Stephine]

Bantam eggs are a harder sell.....Every one oohs and ahs over the cute little eggs but basically didn't think they could use anything that small.  Well, my grandaughter will eat an egg, but she never eats a whole one.  So I started using the little eggs just for her and it's worked out perfectly.  So I had a brainstorm....

I cut 12 compartment egg cartons in half, so I have two half cartons of Bantam eggs.  I mark the cartons as "Batman Kids Meals."  It worked! Toddlers are eating eggs sized just for them and parents aren't tossing away half an egg when their little tummies are full.  So when people with kids come to buy eggs, I can toss a half carton Kid's meal in for an extra dollar and they pay it gladly.

I can't quite picture the carton but it's a great idea!

 

[Blooie]

I can't quite picture the carton but it's a great idea!

Yeah, I wasn't real clear. Sorry. It's just a regular egg carton with a 12 egg capacity. I cut it in half width-wise so that I have 2 cartons that each hold 6 eggs. I haven't had any banty layers for awhile now or I'd show you one done, and I won't have any until this new crop kicks in late this summer.

 

[Beer can]

Pickle them.
Jalapeño, habañero, dill, beet, teriyaki, alligator eggs (cajun) all sorts of ways. Great right out of the jar as a snack or halved and on salad instead of plain ole hard boiled.
One dozen per quart and the last a long time that is if you don't eat them right up

 

[Wandercreek]

Pickle them.
Jalapeño, habañero, dill, beet, teriyaki, alligator eggs (cajun) all sorts of ways. Great right out of the jar as a snack or halved and on salad instead of plain ole hard boiled.
One dozen per quart and the last a long time that is if you don't eat them right up

How do you do this? Just put eggs, spices and vinegar in a jar?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Bantam eggs are a harder sell.....Every one oohs and ahs over the cute little eggs but basically didn't think they could use anything that small.  Well, my grandaughter will eat an egg, but she never eats a whole one.  So I started using the little eggs just for her and it's worked out perfectly.  So I had a brainstorm....

I cut 12 compartment egg cartons in half, so I have two half cartons of Bantam eggs.  I mark the cartons as "Batman Kids Meals."  It worked! Toddlers are eating eggs sized just for them and parents aren't tossing away half an egg when their little tummies are full.  So when people with kids come to buy eggs, I can toss a half carton Kid's meal in for an extra dollar and they pay it gladly.

What a great idea.