Storing a Glut of Eggs
Spring brings more eggs than any family can eat. Here is how long they really keep, and how to bank the surplus for winter.
A backyard flock lays hardest in spring and slows right down in winter, so most keepers swing from drowning in eggs to having none. The good news: fresh eggs keep far longer than people think, and a few simple methods let you store the spring surplus for the lean months.
How long fresh eggs keep
An egg from your own hens, collected clean and left unwashed, has its natural bloom intact and keeps for weeks on the bench and 2-3 months in the fridge. The bloom is the whole secret, so do not wash eggs until you are about to use them. Shop eggs, which are washed, must be refrigerated.
The float test
Pop an egg in a glass of water. Fresh sinks and lies on its side; older eggs tilt upright as their air cell grows; a true floater is past it. It is the fastest freshness check there is, and a good habit before cracking any older egg.
Banking the surplus
- Fridge (months): unwashed eggs, pointy end down, keep 2-3 months. The simplest store.
- Freeze (up to a year): beat eggs and freeze in ice-cube trays, one per cube. Perfect for baking later. Do not freeze in the shell.
- Waterglassing (up to a year): the traditional method. Submerge clean, unwashed, fresh eggs in a pickling-lime solution in a sealed crock. The lime seals the shells. Only ever use clean, unwashed, never-refrigerated eggs.
- Pickled eggs (months): hard-boil, peel, and store in spiced vinegar in the fridge. A pub classic and a great use for a surplus.
What to plant, flock and hive jobs for the month, in one short email. No spam.
Unsubscribe any time.
Images on this page are AI-generated illustrations.