Testing Eggs

[Miniv]

We had dozens of eggs in cartons and I finally spent the time to test ALL and threw out even the "marginal" ones.

I threw out over SIX DOZEN and still have FOUR DOZEN that tested perfect.....It was an OMG moment. Yes, I've sold some and I also give some to friends and family....But STILL.

My question is.......Has anyone water tested STORE BOUGHT eggs??? If so, how did they test out? I would really like to know.

I refuse to buy a dozen store bought eggs right now to find out.

Fortunately, the family is having a "send off" party this Saturday for our nephew who is joining the Navy and I'm providing DEVILED EGGS. HA!

(What's a pain is peeling hard boiled farm fresh eggs.)

 

[Magic Marker Minis]

1) Peel under cold running water

2) Put in a jar. Shake the jar, so that the egg rotates around. Usually easy to peel after that.

The first one is the best. We have fresh eggs and that's how we peel them.

 

[Miniv]

Will try the jar technique......I've always peeled under cold running water, but it doesn't always work.

 

[amysue]

Eggs have to be really old to actually be bad (rotten). The flotation test just tells you how big the air pocket inside the egg is, which indicates it's age. I wash my eggs daily and refrigerate them (they do keep longer un washed but in order to sell them I have to wash them) then I date the carton, if I have any unsold eggs more than 3 weeks old, I hard boil them, those are easy to peel. I have not bought eggs from the store in years! With birds constantly laying, it is easy to set some aside with the intention of hard boiling later since fresh eggs are so hard to peel.

 

[Marsha Cassada]

Have never tests store bought eggs, but I understand they are at least 2 weeks old before they ever go to the grocery store. I haven't bought eggs in a long time.

My method of boiling fresh eggs: Put in a COVERED pan. Bring to rolling boil and turn off heat. In about 20 minutes, drain the water and peel the eggs. They are kind of hot to touch, but the shell usually peels right off.

I have an antique egg weigher. Actually used it recently with an old recipe that called for an extra large egg.

 

[Miniv]

Yes, this is an older thread, but thought I'd give you my update. I experimented with two different suggestions made on a Chicken Forum.

One was to put vinegar in the boiling water and the other was to put baking soda in the water...Both worked better than my regular method

and the best result was with the baking soda.

 

[Debby - LB]

I've tested store bought eggs yes. I've probably thrown away a few good eggs, but I can't help it since I found out how long it takes before they are on the grocery shelf. I put them in water and if they are vertical and bob up and down or float they go in the trash. If they lift a little bit on one end they're OK but if straight up and down nope trash. I will say I have not had to throw many store eggs away.

As far as peeling goes, like Marsha said it's easier if you do it quickly after cooking. Miniv I've heard the baking soda does the trick! If they've cooled or have been refrigerated I've found you can run some hot water over them and they'll be pretty easy to peel then.

Myself? I cut them in half with a knife and scoop the egg out of the shell with a spoon, it's way quicker than peeling.

 

[Ryan Johnson]

I've tested store bought eggs yes. I've probably thrown away a few good eggs, but I can't help it since I found out how long it takes before they are on the grocery shelf. I put them in water and if they are vertical and bob up and down or float they go in the trash. If they lift a little bit on one end they're OK but it straight up and down nope trash. I will say I have not had to throw many store eggs away.

As far as peeling goes, like Marsha said it's easier if you do it quickly after cooking. Miniv I've heard the baking soda does the trick! If they've cooled or have been refrigerated I've found you can run some hot water over them and they'll be pretty easy to peel then.

Myself? I cut them in half with a knife and scoop the egg out of the shell with a spoon, it's way quicker than peeling.

Ive made an effort of late to wait until i hit the big food market here as I know the eggs are super fresh.

Debby how long is it before they hit the supermarket shelf?

 

[Debby - LB]

Well after I saw a 20/20 episode saying by law, an egg can be sold for up to 30 days after the date it was put in the carton. 'put in the carton', not laid or collected, but packaged. ...then you have to figure out how long before that it was actually laid. According to them sometimes at certain times of the year the eggs can be a couple months old or more. Cold storage eggs are much older. Since we gather some fresh eggs of our own, the difference in fresh eggs and commercial is obvious. It's kind of gross to boil a store bought egg that the shell simply slides off of. Eggs really can last a pretty long time but still I like to know how old they are..... so a person can candle them, or put them in some water to see how old they are.

This is a good instruction

Fill a clear glass with warm water and gently drop the egg in.


Freshly laid eggs will lie flat on the bottom of the glass.

As the egg ages and air seeps through the pores in the eggshell, the air sac inside the egg enlarges as the inside of the egg start to dry out. That causes one end of the egg to rise. By the time it's two to three weeks old, an egg will begin to lift up off the bottom of the glass. The egg is also losing valuable nutrients as it ages.

By the time the egg is a month or two old, it will be visibly angled in the glass, but still perfectly good to eat, and by three months the egg will most likely be standing straight up. However, as long as one end of the egg is still touching the bottom of the glass, the egg is fine; and while it won't taste as fresh, it will peel far better if you hard-boil it.

Floating eggs are very old and have most likely gone bad and should be thrown out.

 

[Ryan Johnson]

Thankyou