How Long Can You Freeze Eggs?

Are you eggs-pecting to store your eggs this year? Here is everything you need to know about storing eggs.

Eggs are an essential food item used every day in different recipes. They are a rich source of proteins and vitamins. There is so much you can do with eggs, boil them, scramble them, fry them, or bake them to make some amazing breakfasts. Their use is not only limited to breakfasts there are so many desserts that have eggs in them. Due to the high demand, people prefer to store the eggs to use them later and save themselves from the fluctuations in the cost of eggs. Just like any other thing, eggs are stored by freezing them.

The two common questions usually raised are how can you freeze eggs and how long can you freeze them? Eggs can be stored for up to 1 year by freezing them. This article will guide you with the correct way of freezing eggs, their yolks, and whites.

How Can You Freeze Eggs?

Eggs should not be just thrown in the freezer to store them. There is a right way of freezing eggs. Follow these simple steps to freeze eggs correctly so they don’t go bad.

• Scramble your eggs by using a fork, so that the yolks and whites get blended well.
• Add some sugar or salt to your eggs. Egg yolks can get thick when frozen due to their gelatinous nature. Adding sugar or salt prevents the egg yolks from getting thick.
• Add 1 teaspoon of salt in one cup of eggs which are supposed to be used in savory items and 1 teaspoon of sugar in one cup of eggs which are to be used for making desserts.
• Freeze them in a muffin or ice-cube tray for 4 to 6 hours. Once completely frozen, you can transfer them to freezer-safe bags.
• Label the bags with the number of eggs and mention on them whether you used salt or sugar so you can remember how to use them.

How Long Can You Freeze Eggs?

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), eggs can be stored for up to a year in the freezer. However, if they are defrosted, it is advised to use them as soon as possible. It is suggested to use the frozen eggs in such recipes in which eggs will be fully incorporated such as in cookies or cakes. The longer you keep them frozen, their quality will be affected. So, if you are planning to use them in complex baking recipes and want them in perfect condition then it is advised to use eggs within 2 to 3 months of storing them.

How to Freeze Egg Whites?

To store egg whites, first break and separate the eggs one by one and make sure that no yolk gets in the whites. Then pour the whites into a container and label them before putting them in the freezer. If you want them to freeze faster then pour them in ice cube trays and freeze them in smaller quantities. Once they are frozen you can put them in larger containers in the freezer.

How to Freeze Egg Yolks?

As mentioned above yolks have a gelatinous nature, they can get thick or form a gel once frozen. To prevent this, egg yolks have to be frozen specially. This involves beating the yolks lightly and then adding 1/8 teaspoon or 1 ½ teaspoon of sugar or salt to ¼ cup of egg yolks. You can add salt to the yolks which are used in main dishes such as breakfasts and you can add sugar to the yolks which are to be used in desserts. Make sure that you label the containers in which you store the egg yolks mentioning whether you added salt or sugar to them.

Is It Possible to Freeze an Egg in the Shell?

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), it is not possible to freeze eggs in their shells as they can crack and break. Even if they do not crack or break, the egg white and yolk do not blend well after freezing them in the shell and cannot be used properly. The main purpose of storing eggs is to save your money not to waste it by freezing eggs in the shell and wasting them.

How to Freeze Raw Eggs?

As it is not possible to store eggs in their shell, the right way to keep raw eggs is by blending the eggs lightly. Make sure not to blend them so much that too much air gets trapped in them. Your eggs should not be foamy before freezing. After you have blended the yolks and whites, pour the eggs into an ice-cube tray and put them in the freezer for a few hours. Once completely frozen take them out of the tray and transfer them to a freezable plastic bag or container. Then put them in the freezer again. This method helps in the long-term storage of eggs.

Can You Freeze Cooked Eggs?

Freezing cooked eggs can be trickier than freezing raw eggs. The best method of freezing cooked eggs is to fold them into other ingredients that can stay good at cold temperatures. You can prepare make-ahead breakfasts, such as egg sandwiches or burritos. These can be stored for up to a month in the freezer. After preparing your egg dish, it is important to let it cool at room temperature then wrap it in a plastic wrap and put it in the freezer. Enjoy these ready-to-eat breakfasts for up to 1 month just by reheating them in the oven before eating.

Does Freezing Affect the Taste of the Eggs?

Freezing can affect the taste of the eggs. The taste of frozen eggs is slightly reduced than the taste of fresh eggs. This change in taste depends on how you are using your frozen eggs. If they are to be used in baking to provide the leavening quality, then their taste change is not noticeable. However, if the frozen eggs are used in savory dishes such as in frittatas or burritos where the flavor of the egg matters then the change in taste is noticeable.

How to Defrost Frozen Eggs?

If you are planning on using the frozen eggs then they need to be taken out of the freezer beforehand. Never use or cook the frozen eggs in their frozen state. They need to be thawed completely before cooking. For this make sure to take out the frozen eggs from the freezer and place them in the refrigerator overnight or for 24 hours. If you need to defrost them quickly then you can place the frozen eggs container under cold running water, this will thaw them in almost 20 to 30 minutes.

If you plan on beating the frozen egg whites then it is advised to thaw the egg whites at room temperature for about 30 minutes. This will help to achieve the maximum volume of the egg whites while beating.

Benefits of Freezing Eggs

Here are some great benefits of freezing eggs and storing them.

• You can have a good supply of eggs if you freeze them. In this way, you will never be short of eggs or will never have to run to the market if you get short on one or two eggs while baking a cake.
• Storing the raw eggs in the fridge can take up a lot of space. Freezing them in the freezer can free up the space in the fridge.
• You can save a lot of time by freezing the eggs in the prepared or cooked form. In this way, you can use them quickly to make any egg dish. You will not need to go through the blending process again.
• You can save money by storing eggs and freezing them. By buying eggs for sale, you can stock them and store them in your freezers to use them later when the prices of eggs are high.

The Final Takeaway

Eggs are a great source of macro and micronutrients, such as proteins, small amounts of copper, iron, magnesium, etc. They are used in many recipes whether they are desserts or snacks or breakfasts. There is a right way to store eggs in the freezer. They can be stored as a whole or the yolk and white can be stored separately. You just need salt or sugar to store them properly. They can be stored in the freezer for over 1 year but it is advised to use them in 2 to 3 months. It depends on the recipe you are planning to make with the frozen eggs. Enjoy your frozen eggs anytime, anywhere, in any dish.