Imagine eating exclusive out of food storage for an extended period of time. Wouldn't we miss those eggs? Now you don't have to. Unfortunately as a society with all the awesome conveniences we have, we have lost much knowledge that those who lived before us had. Such as how to preserve many different varieties of fresh foods, such as eggs. There are a couple of ways to preserve eggs. I'll mention one today.
Did you know that an egg will stay fresh as long as air does not penetrate the somewhat porous shell? When an egg is laid, it has a coating on it that protects the contents from going bad, even in a hot nest, while being sat upon by a contented mother bird. When eggs are processed for sale, they are cleaned, thereby removing some of the natural coating that was protecting the egg from spoilage. By purchasing fresh eggs and recreating the barrier between the outside air and the egg within the shell, you can significantly increase the egg's shelf life, even when stored at room temperature for great lengths of time.
Here's how. First, get a large container of Vaseline and a bunch of eggs, preferably in Styrofoam containers. If you can only find eggs in cardboard containers, that's okay. Just use plastic wrap inside of them to protect the cardboard from the Vaseline.
Next, get ready to get messy. Take eggs out of container. Get a small amount of Vaseline on your hands. (You can use gloves if you wish.) Pick up an egg and rub the Vaseline all over the egg until it is covered completely. The Vaseline doesn't have to be thick, just don't miss any spots. When it's covered, set it back into the egg carton, with the wide end of the egg at the top. (That's where the little air space is located inside the shell) Get a little more Vaseline on your hands and do another egg. Repeat until all eggs are covered. Close cartons, date, and put into your food storage room.
To use an egg, put a little dish soap on your hands and rub it all over the egg. Rinse with warm water while wiping the egg clean. Only wash as many eggs as you intend to use right away.
If you want to be sure your egg is still fresh before eating it, simply drop it into a bowl of water. If it sinks, it's fresh. If it floats, some air has gotten inside the shell and you should discard the egg.
9 comments:
Since egg shells are porous, wouldn't the chemicals in Vaseline penetrate the shell and contaminate the egg?
The man who created Vaseline said that he ate a tablespoon of it everyday to make sure it was safe.
I found that statement to be very inspiring. To think he wanted to protect others so he tested on himself back when testing wasn't the norm.
How do you know they will last for 2 years? do you have any other sources?
Ragual,
If you read the last paragraph it tells you how to test for freshness.
This test is exactly the same test that my grandmother used for farm eggs.
I suggest you search for more testing support on this type of egg storage before using it.
Here's a link to make your own non petroleum jelly aka vaseline :
http://pinterest.com/pin/57632070201718492/
just click on the picture and it will open into a new tab.
I've been oiling eggs with mineral oil normally used as a horse laxative instead of vasiline. Works the same, the plastic wrap liner helps. I usually rotate eggs out every week or two since June. I have eggs in my storage for September 2012, no one has died yet.
I have read about this method before, as it is used by those who have sailboats and spend many months at sea. They all said it works very well. Just because the shell may be somewhat air permeable doesn't mean that something like Vaseline can pass through it. It can't.
What if the eggs had already been refrigerated? Wouldn't it be susceptible to salmonella if stored unrefrigerated?
How about coating them with paraffin wax? Not super hot but just warm enough to coat and seal them?
Bill Gargan
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