Too Many Eggs? Safe Ways to Preserve a Backyard Flock's Harvest
Updated: 6 days ago
Fresh eggs are one of the best parts of keeping a backyard flock, but a good laying season can bring in more than any family can eat.
The good news is that hens working overtime don't have to mean wasted eggs. Freezing and pickling are two easy ways to enjoy the extras long after the laying slows down.
Start with a good egg
Great preserved eggs start with great fresh eggs! Grab ones with clean, uncracked, sturdy shells, since the shell is the egg's built-in first line of protection.
Every egg comes with a natural protective coating called bloom, which rubs off with brushing, washing and rough handling. Eggs from your own flock don't have to be washed before they head to your kitchen, but if you'd rather wash them, here are a few easy ground rules from Penn State Extension:
Wash one egg at a time in water with a little food-safe detergent. Keep the water at least 90°F and at least 20°F warmer than the egg itself.
Give the egg a gentle swish instead of dunking it, and skip the scrubbing.
Rinse in slightly warmer water with an approved sanitizer, dry the shell, and get the egg into the refrigerator right away.
Why warm water? Cold water can get pulled through the shell as the egg's contents contract, even when the egg looks spotless.
Once eggs are sorted and cleaned, the refrigerator is their first stop. Covered eggs kept at or below 40°F keep safely for at least one month, and freezing and pickling cover the rest.
Freezing is the workhorse
Freezing is the easiest way to handle a big batch. Leave the shells behind, since eggs crack when they freeze in them, and freeze them whole or as separate yolks and whites.
Crack each egg into a small dish on its own. Make sure it looks fresh and fish out any bits of shell before adding it to the rest.
For whole eggs, mix the yolks and whites together well, without whipping in air.
Add a little salt, sugar or corn syrup so the yolks don't turn grainy (amounts below), then pour through a sieve to smooth things out.
Fill freezer containers, leaving ½ inch of room at the top. Seal and freeze.
Form | Add per cup | One portion equals |
Whole eggs | 1½ tbsp sugar, 1½ tbsp corn syrup, or ½ tsp salt | 3 tbsp is 1 egg |
Yolks | 1½ tbsp sugar, 1½ tbsp corn syrup, or ½ tsp salt | 1 tbsp is 1 yolk |
Whites | Nothing needed | 2 tbsp is 1 white |
Sugar or salt? Sugar or corn syrup suits sweet baking, and salt suits savory dishes like scrambles and omelets. Jot down what you added on the container so you can tweak recipes later.
Ice cube trays are great for portioning. Freeze 3 tablespoons of the whole-egg mixture per compartment, then pop the cubes into freezer containers. One cube equals one whole egg.
Don't forget to date every container! Frozen eggs are at their best when used within 12 months.
Thawing your frozen eggs
When you’re ready to bake, pull out only what you need. For a whole-egg cube, one cube equals one egg, so there’s no math involved.
Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Slow and cold is the safest route.
In a hurry? Run cold water over the sealed container until the eggs are fully thawed. Skip the microwave and the kitchen counter.
Use thawed eggs right away, and don’t refreeze them.
Save them for dishes that are cooked all the way through, like scrambles, quiches, casseroles, pancakes and baked goods. Leave them out of anything raw or lightly cooked, like homemade mayo or soft-cooked eggs.
Pickled eggs earn a spot on the fridge shelf
Pickled eggs are a tasty add-on for salads, lunchboxes and relish trays. The one rule is that they live in the refrigerator, since there are no home canning directions for pickled eggs. For the best quality, enjoy them within three to four months.
Start with clean surfaces and sterilized jars and lids, and keep those jars chilled, since pickled eggs stored at room temperature are a food safety risk.
Ready to get pickling? The National Center for Home Food Preservation pickled eggs page has tested brine recipes and plenty of flavor ideas to try.
What to leave off the pantry shelf
Home canning is the one that surprises people, but there aren't any tested recipes for canning eggs at home. The freezer and the fridge are the way to go.
Water glassing, an old-school method of preserving eggs that is talked about a lot, isn't recommended either.
Making the most of a full egg basket
At the end of the day, hens that over-deliver are a good problem to have. Keep fresh eggs cold, freeze the extras, and pickle a jar or two for the fridge.
