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.

We'll give you a further report on MOTHER's Great Egg Preservation Experiment sometime next spring . . . after the completion of the test's full one-year cycle.
Here are the basics of preserving eggs:

    Be sure to use only fresh eggs.  If any decomposition occurs, you will be unsuccessful.  Also exposure to extreme heat or cold will hinder your preservation process.

    image: http://cdn.morguefile.com/imageData/public/files/m/mzacha/preview/fldr_2010_01_23/file6791264254106.jpg
    eggsYou can use an oil as well, but the oil can go rancid… not exactly what I would want on my eggs.
    Store the eggs in a finely ground preservative such as salt, bran, or an equal mix of finely ground charcoal and dry bran or finely ground oats.  You can also store them in finely ground plaster of Paris, but that’s not exactly something that I plan on having on hand regularly.  You can store the eggs layer upon layer, so long as you they don’t touch each other, metal, or wood.  Be sure you have enough finely ground preservative to pack them in.  (You can feed the salt and bran to the cattle afterwards.)
    Store the eggs small side down.
    Store the eggs in a covered container and keep in a cool, dry place.  You don’t want to store them in freezing temperatures.
    Eggs will keep “fresh” for up to 9 months.  In fact, some countries are known to have stored their eggs like this for up to 2 years.

I’ve also read of preserving eggs by placing them in boiling water for 5 to 20 seconds.  I don’t recommend this way as even though they will keep, the texture of the egg is altered a bit from what I want to see when I fry an egg.  And even then they subsequently need to be stored in the salt, etc.  So I see no reason for this particular extra step that would alter the texture
Century Egg – Would You Eat One?
By Spooky on December 17th, 2009 Category: Foods, Pics

I love a good omelet and I’ve been known to gobble down boiled eggs from tme to time, but Century Eggs? No freaking way!

Known also as preserved egg, hundred-year egg, thousand-year egg or thousand-year-old egg, the Century Egg is a Chinese delicacy used in many traditional dishes. Fresh duck, chicken or quail eggs become Century Eggs after weeks, sometimes months of preservation in a mixture of clay, ash, lime, salt and rice. The process of “cooking” Century Eggs is believed to date back 600 years, when someone apparently found some old eggs preserved in a pool of slaked lime. Upon tasting them, he decided to produce some more, but this time with some added salt.

After the preservation is complete, the hull mixture and egg shell are removed to reveal the now dark-brown egg-white and a dark-green, creamy and pungent yolk.  It’s the alkaline that raises the ph of the egg from 9 to 12 or more and gives it a strong smell of ammonia and sulfur.

Century Eggs are consumed either raw, or as ingredients in other Chinese foods. There are those who associate them with smelly cheese, pungent but really delicious. Sadly there are others (myself included) who just can’t get past the disgusting colors and smell.