Do you have an overabundance of farm fresh eggs? Good news! Preserving fresh eggs is possible with the water glassing technique. I’ll show you everything you need to know in this step-by-step guide to preserving your eggs for up to one whole year!
Ahhh … springtime. A time of more sunshine, greener grass, and so many … eggs.
Whether you have your own farm fresh eggs or you get them from a friend, there are usually enough to make three omelets a day and then some.
That is where water glassing eggs comes in.
Water glassing is the technique of preserving eggs in lime water. In other words, it’s kind of like canning eggs for long-term storage…but with no heat.
Umm, yes, please!
Storing your eggs in lime water can keep them good for about 8 to 12 months – the perfect amount of time to get you to the next winter!
I’ve used this technique in the past, and it works like a charm!
How to prepare your eggs for storage
The key to making this process work is having clean, unwashed eggs.
That’s right – you DO NOT want to wash your eggs before you store them in your water and lime solution.
Your farm eggs have what we call bloom on the outside. This coating protects the eggs from bacteria. Therefore, you definitely do not want to wash this off.
But, you also don’t want your eggs to have any extra dirt on them.
I have been pickier about this in the past. But this year, I am trying to water glass with slightly dirty eggs. I’ll let you know how that turns out next winter when I crack them open… stay tuned!
Pro tip: I have found that my blue eggs do not work well with this process. They usually turn out, well, weird. The white and brown eggs have worked great, though.
Once you have your unwashed, clean eggs, you are ready to get started!
Water Glassing Eggs Recipe
I keep my water glassing recipe in my handy dandy canning journal so I can easily reference it each year – the power of physical knowledge, my friend! I use the Homesteading Family’s recipe for reference.
Here is what you will need:
- 1 qt. water
- 1 oz. hydrated lime (I used this brand from Menards)
- Unwashed, clean eggs
- A half-gallon jar
- Food scale to measure your ingredients
With your eggs and supplies in hand, let’s get started!
Oh, and for the visual learners out there, you can watch each step on my Water Glassing Eggs Instagram highlight!
Step 1: Using a food scale, fill your half-gallon jar with one quart of water.
(PSA: You want to add the lime to the water. If you add water to the lime, it can burn you.)
Step 2: Add in 1 ounce of the hydrated lime.
Step 3: Start adding your unwashed, clean eggs to the solution. I ended up getting about 18-20 eggs in each jar!
Step 4: Put the lid on the jar and label it with the date (this way you can use the oldest first when it comes time). I’ve used a 5 gallon bucket in the past. The problem was that I would end up using all the oldest eggs last.
Step 5: Store your jars in a cool, dark place.
How long can you store eggs in lime water?
Water glassing eggs can keep your eggs good and safe to eat for 8 to 12 months.
When you are ready to take them out of storage and use them, I highly suggest cracking them individually into a bowl first just in case.
Now … you know me. I pushed the limits on the suggested timeframe.
The other day I cracked open an egg that had been in lime water for two years.
One egg had dissolved in the solution (a blue egg) and that should have been a warning sign of the state of the other eggs. But, I cracked one open anyway.
Let’s just say … it was disgusting.
So, I highly recommend using your eggs within 8 to 12 months to be safe.
Do Eggs Freeze?
If you are looking for other ways to keep your eggs or maybe you don’t have as many to store, I have found freezing eggs to work nicely as well.
Here’s how I do it:
Step 1: Crack 12 eggs into a large bowl and whisk thoroughly.
Step 2: Pour the mixture into a gallon ziplock bag and freeze flat.
Easy-peasy! These are great because they do not take up a ton of space in the freezer.
Now you are ready to preserve your farm fresh eggs, too!
Finding ways to preserve my farm eggs efficiently has been life-saving! I love having plenty of eggs in February when my chickens are not producing as much.
Have any additional tips or tricks? Let me know on Instagram!
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