Preserving Eggs: Water Glassing vs. Freezing Eggs

We finally hit a new milestone at our suburban homestead last summer- preserving eggs! When we couldn’t keep up with the eggs our hens were laying we had to make some decisions.

What a wonderful problem to have. But I also wanted to make the most of our surplus for those winter months when the eggs dwindle. Especially because I knew that most of my girls were in for their first serious molting (usually happens around 18 months old) and so we’d be short on eggs come winter.

So, I did what most modern-day, first-generation homesteaders do- I took to the internet and started researching…

I found some conflicting information from some of my own trusted resources, but enough research to try a few different options. Because I have learned the hard way, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket” (or mason jar).

So I chose to both Freeze and Water Glass my eggs. I had only frozen a few eggs before and it worked well, but I wanted to try both and do a side-by-side comparison of preserving eggs for our family – and for you all.

The most important thing to remember here is that you do what feels right for your family!

READ THIS if you’re thinking about starting your own flock.

Here’s our ‘Eggsperience’…

Preserving Eggs by Water Glassing

Water glassing is a process where you essentially overload the eggshell with pickling lime to nearly completely stop the exchange of air between outside and inside the egg. You’re trying to plug the microscopic air holes that allow a baby chick to breath, in order to keep the egg in ‘suspended animation’. Old school homesteaders did this as a way to hold eggs without the need for refrigeration. This method is used to get homesteaders through the lean egg time- over the winter when hens slow down laying because of the decrease in sunlight.

For preserving eggs this way they need to be PERFECTLY clean, with a full bloom still intact. Getting some poop into the lime water solution will allow any contaminants to enter the eggshell before it is sealed up.

Water Glassing Recipe:
1 ounce pickling lime
1 quart water

• Measure 1 ounce of pickling lime, add the lime to a sterilized half gallon jar (or ½ the recipe for a quart-size jar).
  Mix lime powder into water well; it doesn’t really dissolve.
• SLOWLY add eggs, trying to get pointy side down
• Add airtight lid
• Store in a cool dark place for up to a year
• Can add more eggs and water as you get them.

 Pros –

• Shelf stable (in a cool, dark location)
• Can last over a year
• Simple Process- mix pickling lime + filtered water, set eggs inside

Cons –

• If there is any chicken poop or dirt, it can enter the egg via the shell and you can get sick (salmonella not death)
• The eggs become more watery the longer they sit
• Your kids can easily crack an eggshell and the rest of the batch is ruined (ask me how I know 😉

Preserving Eggs by Freezing

This method for storing eggs is as simple as it sounds. It is also more familiar to most of us as a way to preserve, but that doesn’t automatically make it better.

The only trick is that you crack and scramble the eggs before freezing, and have to use a freezer-safe container.

The eggs thicken after thawing, so I use two to three times as much water and/or milk to thin them out before making into an omelet or scramble. They work great for baking as is or thinned out a little too. They do take up space, but my 2 cup square freezer containers hold roughly eight eggs, perfect for my family of four. The containers measure 4”x4”x2” – about the same size as a single large muffin. You can also use large silicone ice cube trays and freeze in smaller portions. The typical ratio is 1 scrambled egg = ¼ cup.

Pros –

• Comfortable process and pretty foolproof as long as your freezer stays frozen
• Easy to use, almost end up with more egg ‘mass’ after freezing

Cons –

• Take freezer space and energy to preserve
• It’s best to take time to defrost them. DO NOT microwave these to defrost; you will be disappointed. Set in a water bath or take out the night before and place in the fridge to thaw.

Storing Fresh Eggs

You can store eggs fresh, unwashed from your backyard (or farmer) on your counter for two weeks. We have a rotating rack that helps us keep fresh eggs on the top and easily accessible.

You can store eggs in the refrigerator for up to six months, but the quality diminishes after a month or so- which is why we preserve them in other ways.

• Refrigerate: Store eggs in the coldest part of the refrigerator, away from the door and pungent foods, at a temperature of 40°F or slightly below. The temperature on an inside shelf is more consistent than the door, which is opened and closed frequently. Eggs can last about three months or more in the refrigerator, but unwashed eggs can last about two weeks unrefrigerated.
• Hard-boiled eggs: Hard-boiled eggs can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week.

My Preserving Eggs ‘Take Aways’

I will hopefully always have enough extras to be preserving eggs. But we’ll likely only water glass a few eggs, as we run out of plastic freezer containers. It was pretty heartbreaking (and stinky) to throw away 16 or so eggs in the middle of winter when I realized that something was wrong…

Also, if you want to try this- use more and smaller containers- because, even though I should know better, I put too many eggs in one 2 gallon mason jar…

You can also dehydrate scrambled eggs and freeze dry them if you have the right tools and patience. I might try and dehydrate some this summer as well… but freezing has worked best for us so far.

Also, there’s lots of ways to use those eggs during the summer! We hard-boil about a dozen a week, and even make lemon curd (recipe is in our book, Small-Scale Homesteading.)

Would you try water glassing to preserve your eggs?

Have you frozen eggs before?

Dig In,
Michelle