Eggs are a staple ingredient found in every household kitchen. You devour them as yellow globes in a pellucid white pool, with edges crisped and crinkled to perfection. And sometimes, you decide to churn them into a dense cake batter when your sweet tooth impinges your midnight cravings. But how long do fresh eggs last anyways?
How can you tell when an egg has gone bad? And what can you do to prevent it from rotting?
Eggs are selling for the rates of kidneys, and in this inflation, there’s no joy more immense than the joy of reaching up to the Hen-nest and finding a shelled egg! But not all of us have the facility to grow in-house organic produce.
With a shelf life of 2-4 weeks at room temperature and up to 6 months in a refrigerator, eggs can also be frozen or powdered to ensure longevity!
Be at ease; we have researched all the guidelines to keep your farm or market-bought eggs safe, healthy, and fresh for long periods!
Don’t chicken out just yet!
Table of Contents
Should I wash eggs after mama Hen lays them?
Chicken eggs have a hard shell on top, keeping the edible part of the egg sheltered from impurities. However, if the shell is dirty and filthy, there’s no harm in washing it with gentle hands once.
You can swipe away the muck by cleaning the egg with a wet tissue or pad. This method is safer than washing it with warm water as it removes the egg bloom!
What’s egg bloom?
A thin layer of almost imperceptible membrane that exists over the shell of a freshly laid egg is called egg bloom. Eggshells are porous, susceptible to bacteria, and separate from all the gooey proteinaceous goodness inside by the bloom. The bloom keeps eggs fresh and healthy.
If you’re buying eggs from a market, do not wash them as they’ve already been washed, and the bloom is no longer there to protect the eggs.
How long can I keep eggs on the kitchen counter?
If you live in the northern parts of the regions with frosty cold climates, you can easily ration eggs in large quantities, and they can lie on the kitchen counter for weeks without rotting. However, if you’re from a region where the sun shows no mercy, even fresh market eggs won’t last longer than two days on the kitchen counter.
When you purchase eggs from a local supermarket, they’re probably at least two weeks old, but if you have a mama hen at home laying balls of joy for you, your eggs won’t rot for at least 2-3 weeks at room temperature.
We would suggest skipping on washing the honeycombed shells of the eggs.
How long can I keep eggs in the fridge?
The fridge is the ultimate life-prolonging device for all sorts of edibles. If you want to extend the shelf life of fresh eggs, you must keep them in a refrigerator.
They’ll stay fresh and healthy for at least four months, but keep them in an appropriate sealable container. Else, they might crack or pick up bad odor from other food items.
Also, if you want fresh, delightful omelets in the morning, try using eggs within 2-6 weeks of purchasing.
Can I freeze chicken eggs?
If your farm girlfriends are laying eggs at high speed and you’re left with plenty enough to store, you can surely freeze them for longer shelf life. However, freezing eggs is not child’s play!
Separate the egg whites from the sunny yolk from the shell, as it can break because of the expansion of the viscous fluid components.
Freeze them in separate containers and label the containers with dates, so you don’t forget to use them within a year.
When defrosting, remember to not directly place the eggs on a hot stove directly from the freezer. Once you take them out of the freezer, remember to keep them in the fridge overnight and cook up your favorite ramen with eggs in the morning!
Egg whites might lose a little taste, but the yolk won’t disappoint you.
How can I tell if my chicken eggs are still fresh or safe to eat?
Check the expiration date on the carton of the market-bought eggs. If the eggs are from your mama hen, visually inspect it, or sniff a raw egg to see if it’s fine or rotten. You can also conduct a float test by putting an egg in a water bowl. If the egg sinks, it’s fresh; otherwise, you can drain it down the gutter.
Can I use old eggs?
If you like eating frosting, melt cakes, or fudge brownies, you can use old eggs that haven’t rotted yet for baking purposes. The white of an old egg is thinner, making it stretch more, resulting in high-rising cakes and confetti.
Ask Away: FAQs
When will my Hen start laying eggs?
If your chicken is 18-22 weeks old, they will start laying eggs if provided with adequate sunlight, nutrition, and housing.
Is it safe to eat a fertile egg?
Fertile eggs are notorious for having high cholesterol levels, but they’re almost negligible, so they won’t make a significant difference (unless you suffer from chronic conditions).
Some people find it cruel to eat a fertilized egg as it is only in its embryonic stage, but otherwise, it’s safe to eat a fertilized egg.
Does a brown-shelled egg last longer than a white-shelled egg?
Shell color has nothing to do with what’s inside and lasts like a white-shelled egg. The color of the shell is typically different because of the breed of the mama Hen.
Can I eat a raw egg?
Eating raw eggs gives you a boost of protein instantly. However, the FDA recommends eating pasteurized eggs, as they are heated enough to kill the harmful germs without disrupting the protein levels.
