Methods of Preserving Eggs for Storage
Sodium Silicate Coated Eggs can be stored in a cool basement, root cellar or refrigerator for 6 months (even close to a year at 400F). The sodium silicate works by sealing the oxygen and bacteria out of the eggs. Although they are not close to the quality of fresh eggs still warm from the nest, they are perfectly eatable, especially for baking and bread making. Note: The preserved eggs can be washed to remove the silicate or, if hard boiling them, you should prick a small hole in the pointed end so they will not explode.
• Waterglass Coating Procedure
o Mix one part waterglass with ten parts cooled, boiled water and pour into a crock or plastic bucket leaving room for adding the eggs (about 1/3 full).
o Wipe off fresh eggs with a cloth and covered with 2" of solution. It starts out clear liquid but gradually turns cloudy into a milk color sort of jelly. If it gets low due to evaporation add some more solution that is mixed 1:9.
o One gallon of diluted waterglass will preserve 900 to 1200 eggs.
• Choosing the Eggs
o Eggs up to 4 day old eggs are best older eggs do not keep as well and fertile eggs do not keep as well as those from flocks with no roosters or drakes.
o Eggs harvested between March and May keep better.
o To check if eggs are good, put in cool water: The best, freshest eggs lie on the bottom while they float progressively more as they age.
• To prepare the eggs for preservation
o Do not wash the eggs as they are covered by a natural sealer which protects them from bacteria and moisture loss. Any cracked and particularly dirty eggs should not be preserved.
Wax Coated Eggs
Preserving with Wax Method 1
• Coat fresh eggs with low melting paraffin or bees wax.
o Melt the wax at the lowest temperature and dip the eggs covering all surfaces. The wax coating excludes germs and air.
o The eggs should keep at least 6-8 months in a root cellar.
Preserving with Wax Method 2
• Melt 4 ounces of paraffin or bees wax and add 8 ounces of mineral or coconut oil.
• Let the solution of wax in oil cool and momentary dip the fresh eggs one by one into it so as to coat every part of the shell.
• All excess mixture should be wiped off with a cloth. The oil is absorbed in the shell, the wax hermetically closing all the pores.
Oil Coated Eggs
Preserving with Oil
• Using the thinnest available food grade Mineral oil or the most saturated available vegetable oil (coconut or palm) warmed enough to work comfortably.
• Apply the oil with a clean cloth and wipe the egg so that every bit of the shell has been coated.
• Place the eggs small side down and store in a cool place.
• The eggs should keep at least 6-8 months.
Lime Coated Eggs (Note: lime can affect the taste of the eggs)
Preserving with Lime Method 1
• Dissolve in each gallon of water 12 ounces of quick (corrosive) lime, 6 ounces of common salt, 2 ounce of soda, 1 ounce saltpeter, 1 ounce tartar, and 2 ounce of borax.
• Cover the bottom of a bucket with lime water and placed a layer of eggs then more lime water until the bucket is filled several inches deep over the last layer of eggs and then cover the bucket.
Preserving with Lime Method 2
• Make the solution with 5 gallons of water and two pounds of quick lime stirring constantly as the water cools letting any undissolved lime settled to the bottom.
• Siphon the clear liquid into the crock, taking care not to disturb the sediment on the bottom, and pack the eggs as closely as possible into the crock and immersed the lime solution.
• Cover the crock a good lid or melted paraffin to prevent the liquid from evaporating and store in a cool place.
Freezing Eggs- freezer life is about 8 months.
• Separate the egg whites from the yolks and bag separately in packages of 6 eggs or so.
• Frozen eggs need to be used within 12 hours of thawing.
• 1 1/2 Tbs of thawed yolk equals 1 egg yolk
• 2 Tbs of thawed egg white equals 1 egg white
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