Freeze Eggs

Eggs can usually be stored for a few weeks if covered in the refrigerator. However, sometimes you just have too many eggs to use before they go bad, or you have used the egg whites in a recipe but don't want to eat the egg yolk right away. Follow the instructions below to freeze these eggs safely without them losing their taste or texture.

Steps

Freezing Whole Raw Eggs

1. Crack the eggs into a bowl. Always begin by cracking open the eggs into a large bowl or other container. Raw egg, just like any material that contains significant amounts of water, will expand when frozen. If the eggs are frozen in the shell, this expansion could crack open the egg. Besides mixing shell fragments into the edible part of the egg, this could introduce harmful bacteria from the outside of the shell.
   • If the eggs are near or past their expiration date, crack each one into a "test bowl" before transferring to the larger container. Discard eggs with obvious discoloration or a strong, unpleasant smell, then wash the test bowl before cracking the next egg.
2. Beat the eggs together gently. Mix at least enough to break the egg yolks, or create a more uniform substance by beating them together until blended. However, try not to beat too much air into the eggs.
3. Add another ingredient to prevent graininess (recommended). Raw egg yolks tend to become gelatinous when frozen. When mixed with egg white, this can cause a grainy texture in the frozen egg mixture. There are two main ways to prevent this, depending on your intended use for the eggs. If you are using them alone or in savory dishes, stir in 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) of salt for each cup (240 mL) of raw egg. If you are using them in sweet dishes, instead stir in 1 – 1.5 tbsp (15 – 22 mL) of sugar, honey, or corn syrup.
4. Strain to improve uniformity (optional). If you want to make the mixture more consistent, strain it through a sieve or colander over a clean bowl. This will also remove most shell fragments if any were mixed into the egg while cracking them.
5. Freeze in freezer-safe containers. Pour the mixture into freezer-safe containers, leaving 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) of space between the egg and the lid to allow for expansion. Tightly seal the containers.
   • Alternatively, freeze the egg mixtures in a clean ice cube tray first, then pop the cubes out into a larger, freezer-safe container. This may make it easier to thaw the amount of egg you need.
6. Label the container with three important facts. The eggs typically remain high quality for several months to a year, so it's a good idea to label them rather than relying on your memory. Remember to include:
   • The date you froze them.
   • The number of eggs you froze.
   • The additional ingredient you mixed in (if applicable). This helps you avoid the unpleasant surprise of using sugary eggs in a savory dish.

Freezing Separate Raw Egg Yolks and Whites

1. Separate the eggs. Break the eggshell carefully in half, without dropping any egg. Transfer the raw egg back and forth between the two halves, letting the white drip bit by bit into a bowl until only the yolk remains in the shell. There are several other methods you may use instead.
2. Mix yolks with other ingredients to prevent gelling. Raw egg yolk will become gelatinous when frozen, making them unusable in most recipes and unpleasant for most people to eat. Prevent this process by mixing it with another ingredient. Use 1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) of salt for each cup (240 mL) of raw egg if you plan to use the eggs in savory dishes If using them for sweet dishes such as baked desserts, skip the salt and instead stir in 1 – 1.5 tbsp (15 – 22 mL) of sugar, honey, or corn syrup.
3. Freeze the yolks. Store the mixed yolk mixture in freezer safe containers, leaving 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) of space to allow for expansion. Seal the containers tightly before freezing, and label with the number of eggs used, the date frozen, and the type of mixture (savory or sweet).
   • Use the egg yolks within several months for best quality.
4. Gently stir the egg whites. Mix the egg whites together to create a more uniform mixture, without introducing too many air bubbles into the mixture. Unlike the egg yolks, raw egg white does not require any additional ingredients to maintain a high quality in the freezer for several months.
   • If the mixture is still too chunky or uneven for your preferences, strain it through a sieve over a clean bowl.
5. Freeze the egg whites. As with the yolks, these should be stored in specialized freezer-safe, rigid plastic or glass containers. Leave 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) of space to allow for expansion. Seal tightly and label with number of eggs and date frozen.
   • Any type of raw egg can be poured into a clean ice cube tray first, then transferred to a sealed container in the freezer. This makes it easier to remove only the amount of egg you need for a given recipe.

Freezing Hard Boiled Eggs

1. Separate out the yolk. The hard boiled yolk can be frozen with the appropriate preparation. The boiled egg white, however, will turn rubbery, tough, and damp when frozen, making it unpleasant to eat. Pull apart the egg whites and eat or discard them, leaving only unbroken hard boiled egg yolks.
2. Place the egg yolks underwater in a saucepan. Carefully place the egg yolks at the bottom of the pan in a single layer. Cover with enough water to fill the pan at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) above the top of the eggs.
3. Bring to a boil. Bring the water to a boil quickly. Cover the pan to speed up this process.
4. Remove from heat and wait. Remove the pan from the heat and let stand 10–15 minutes.
5. Drain before freezing. Remove the yolks with a slotted spoon if you have one, or use a ladle to carefully place them on a colander or sieve for draining. Package in freezer-safe containers and seal tightly.

Using Frozen Eggs

1. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Whether raw or cooked, frozen eggs are best thawed overnight in a cold place like the refrigerator, to avoid being exposed to bacteria. Any temperature above 39ºF (4ºC) carries significant risk of bacterial contamination for thawing food.
   • You may speed up the thawing process safely by placing the container under cold running water.
   • Never attempt to cook frozen eggs directly on a frying pan or in a dish. Do not leave frozen eggs to thaw at room temperature.
2. Only use thawed eggs in well-cooked dishes. Insufficiently cooking thawed eggs can carry risk of bacteria. The internal temperature of the thawed egg or the food it is mixed into should reach at least 160ºF (71ºC). Cook thoroughly at prolonged high temperatures if you do not have a food thermometer to check the exact temperature.
3. Get ideas for how to use separated yolks or whites. If you have extra egg yolks, consider making a Make-Custard, ice cream, or scrambled eggs. Use up egg whites to make Make-Homemade-Vanilla-Frosting, meringue, or white cake batter. Finally, hard boiled yolks can be crumbled on top of salads or used whole as a garnish.
4. Learn how much egg to use. Use 3 tbsp (44 mL) thawed raw egg for each egg the recipe calls for. If the eggs were frozen separated, use 2 tbsp (30 mL) thawed raw egg white instead of the white of one egg, and 1 tbsp (15 mL) thawed raw egg yolk instead of one egg yolk.
   • Egg sizes can vary greatly, so don't worry too much about the exact amount. If baking, you can adjust to a dry or wet dough by adding more wet or dry ingredients, respectively, to balance it out.

Tips

• If you are using "egg ice cubes" in a recipe but aren't sure how much egg each cube contains, measure the ice tray compartments. Do this by filling one compartment of the ice tray with water from a teaspoon (or mL) measurement until it is full.

Warnings

• Freeze fresh eggs only. If in doubt, see How to Tell if an Egg is Bad.
• Wash hands and all utensils thoroughly after contact with raw eggs. Don't forget to wash the ice trays before reusing them to make ice.

Related Articles

• Break an Egg
• Tell if an Egg is Bad

Sources and Citations

See also

• Thaw Frozen Fish
• Freeze Cauliflower And/or Broccoli
• Freeze Hot or Sweet Peppers
• Freeze Butternut Squash
• Freeze Celery
• Freeze Broccoli
• Freeze Dry
• Freeze Strawberries
• Freeze Cauliflower
• Freeze Cabbage

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