How to Refrigerate and Freeze Chicken Eggs

Fresh eggs

Sometimes you can find good deals on eggs and will buy them up in large quantities. Eggs will spoil even in the fridge after 3-4 weeks after buying from the market. To keep them longer, follow instructions below.

Things You'll Need

• Eggs
• Refrigerator, freezer
• - - Following items are selectable, depending on the method you choose according to the article steps - - >
• Container with lid
• Ice cube tray; ice making container; freezer tray
• Freezer bag
• Corn syrup
• Pinch of sugar
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. 

   You can freeze whole eggs if you first beat the yolks and whites together (see Step 4 and 5). You can also freeze whites or yolks alone.

2. 

   To freeze only the whites. Separate the whites from the yolks. Pour the whites into a freezer container and seal tightly. The whites can be keep for up to 6 months in the freezer.

3. To freeze yolks alone. In a lightly oiled bowl or container, you need to mix four yolks with a pinch of salt and 1-1/2 teaspoons sugar or corn syrup. For eight yolks, add a pinch of salt, 3 teaspoons of sugar or corn syrup... etc. Put into a plastic bag and store in the freezer. They will be good for up to 6 months in the freezer. Keep the yolks frozen until needed. Then defrost them in the fridge.

4. If freezing the entire uncooked egg (white and yolk together), crack egg, use ice cube tray, fill 3 tablespoons each in their own section in the tray. Put into a plastic bag and store in the freezer. Depending on how much you will be using, you can pop each frozen egg cube out (just like you would for ice cubes) when you want to use them. There is no need to thaw the eggs in the fridge before use for this method.

5. 

   To freeze hard-cooked (hard boiled) eggs. Place the eggs in a pot or saucepan, add water until they are covered. Add a pinch of salt, bring to a boil. Remove the pan from heat, drain water, and let the eggs cool in room temperature. When cooled, place the cooked eggs in a freezer container, seal, and freeze. You can keep this frozen up to a year. You can also freeze uncooked shell-on eggs, but they will be prone to cracking than cooked. Shell-on eggs can be keep well frozen for 2 months. Thaw cooked and uncooked shell-on eggs in the fridge before use.

6. 

   If you don't want to freeze extra eggs, you can use them quickly by making cake, bread, cookies, or hot breakfast items (i.e. scrambled eggs, omelet).

Tips & Warnings

• Do not wash eggs until you want to use them in the recipe. There is a natural thin wax coating on the egg shell that protects it from contaminants. Eggs have been cleaned prior shipping; further washing might do more damage to the protective wax.

• The best way to keep eggs is in their carton when you come home. Some people would take the eggs out, wash it, then put them in the fridge egg compartment without the original box - not an ideal way for storing eggs. Place eggs on the coolest part in the fridge; which is not on the door where usually the egg compartment is.

• Label the time and date on the container of your eggs before freezing so you know when to use them up.

• It is unwise buying eggs that you'd be unable to finish using them within 2-3 weeks, even you bump into a big sale.

• Myth - some believe that freezing eggs in their shell will result in eggs exploding. Not true - frozen eggs in their shell will NOT explode in the freezer.

• These instructions are for chicken eggs only. For freezing other poultry eggs, for example, duck eggs, quail eggs..., see relating articles elsewhere.

• You can separate the whites and freeze them in the ice tray, each one in an ice cube square. If you want to freeze yolks alone, you MUST add some salt and sugar/syrup; otherwise they will turn to jelly.

• Sometimes shells crack a bit if you freeze the eggs in their shell, but there's a little air sack inside that provide enough room to expand, so they don't explode. To prevent risk of cracked eggs, better not freeze them in the shell in the beginning. Discard any egg that crack when frozen.