Storing Eggs

[Beth]

Just curious whether anyone out there has heard the same thing my husband told me last night while we were putting away some eggs. He told me that putting them on their sides can cause them to spoil (faster, I guess). Has anyone else heard of that or know why. Something to do with the air bubble inside? Or is it just an old wives tale?

[lorilei]

Hmmm.
I can't say I've ever heard that one.

However, there is something to be said for keeping eggs in their cardboard (or styrofoam) containers... they retain more nutrients than if stored in the egg holders so common in refrigerators.

Trivia you can use http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Mandy]

When I went to Kenya I noticed that in the stores and in everyone's home, that none of the eggs where refridgerated. They say that if the eggs have never been in the fridge, that then they can be left out. But if they do get into the fridge, then they have to kept there. Strange.

[Mandy]

When I went to Kenya I noticed that in the stores and in everyone's home, that none of the eggs where refridgerated. They say that if the eggs have never been in the fridge, that then they can be left out. But if they do get into the fridge, then they have to kept there. Strange.

[Beth]

Gail, you're amazing! I think my husband was suprised to see that I posted this question. He can't remember where he heard that, but last night he said it as if it were absolute fact. Now he says he remembers that when he worked in the galley of a ship, they filled up a large bucket with eggs (from the refrigerator and left out until the bucket was empty -- never more than a couple or few days) and never paid any attention to the position they were in.

But the yolk centering info was interesting, especially for those Easter eggs and deviled eggs. For the majority of my eggs, though, doesn't look like it would matter a bit. I mostly crack 'em and smash 'em. Thanks for your curiosity and efforts.

[Gail]

I was intrigued by this question, so I did a little poking around. Interesting to note that while Epicurious also states eggs should be stored in the original carton, they also go on to specify a position--large end up-- which is a new one on me! Absolutely no explanation for this curious positioning is made. So, I then checked out the American Egg Board. Who better to know about the handling of eggs, right? All they say is to store the eggs in the original carton-- no position specified-- the reason being that the carton prevents the eggs from losing moisture and from absorbing refrigerator odors. The Canadian Egg Board basically said the same thing. The Egg Nutrition Center advocates storing eggs large end up for the following reason: "Eggs are placed in their cartons large end up to keep the air cell in place and the yolk centered." Whether that is essential to keeping eggs fresher remains to be seen.

[This message has been edited by Gail (edited 10-02-2000).]

[Ed]

Hi,

This post is interesting and it reminded me of something I learned eons ago as a Boy Scout about Eggs and Backpacking into what is now the BWCA (Boundry Waters Canoe Area).
Back then I'm not sure it had a name.

The Scout "Manual" Suggested using a slender Glass bottle, or jar, to store and transport Eggs in a back pack. Much like the slender bottles Olives used to come in back then. It needed to be a slender jar, and not in a bottle with a neck. Here's how it was done.

Put some olive oil in the bottom of the bottle, then crack an Egg being Careful not to break the yolk, and put it gently in the bottle so it will be suspended by the Olive Oil. Put in another small amount of olive oil, enough to separate the eggs about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of oil, crack another Egg and put that in the bottle, keep doing it until the bottle is full, about 6 eggs per bottle (jar), That way you didn't have to worry about broken eggs in the pack and when you wanted to fry an Egg or two you just opened the jar and poured out some of the olive oil and an egg into the pan.

You may smile but this worked. With each boy carrying one or two bottles like this, I always packed a third bottle, there was plenty of eggs to eat.

In camp we'd dig a hole agout 1 1/2 to 2 feet deep, put those Egg jars in there with whatever we wanted to keep cool, cover the hole with pine boughs and it would stay about 50 degrees or so in the hole.

Cool enough to keep worms, Minnows, and some food from going bad. Of course this was for tightly covered food otherwise the animals would be after it, especially the Raccoons, they were hard on food and minnows.

Haven't had Eggs like that in years, boy were they ever good.

Well this topic just got me to thinking and remembering.

Ed

[This message has been edited by Ed (edited 10-03-2000).]

[Kendra Anne]

I live in Germany and have noticed that the Germans do not refrigerate their eggs also. Since living here I've followed suit and the eggs are just fine.. actually, they are much better than eggs in the states. Strange, hmm?

[sneezles]

Having lived in the U.K. and in Singapore where fridge space is a premium, most don't store eggs in the fridge but then most countries don't shop the way Americans do. Also eggs taste different depending on what they are fed and what type of hen it is.

[Beth]

Ed, I can tell you didn't grow up camping in Texas summers. Last month, you could have dug out those eggs already cooked. I take it the worms and minnows were for fishing later, but perhaps you were in training for an appearance on Survivor? Seriously though, a clever idea.

[Ed]

Beth,

That's for sure, I grew up in Minnesota. As a kid many times I wished my folks would move to Texas, I thought any boy lucky enough to be there lived on a ranch and had his own horse and I thought that would be the life for me.

Now I do get to Texas once in a while though because my oldest daughter and her family live there, so I have 3 Texans for grand Children. My oldest Grand Daughter is a sophomore at the University of Texas at Austin.

I still think Texas is a fine place but I've given up on moving there.

After I grew up I did live on a farm and I had a couple of Horses, and while I did enjoy having and training them, I did also find out the 2 best days of a Horse owners life. The day he buys `em and the day he sells `em.

Since you live in Texas maybe you can help me out.

I have a big box of dried Red Peppers, can you tell me how they are supposed to be used in cooking. I also have a couple of bags of small dried Red Peppers, and a bag of powdered green chiles, all this came as a gift to me with no instructions on how to use them. You'll notice I didn't say what to do with them, I try never to ask that question.

Getting back to the hole in the ground, yup the worms and minnows were for fishing. There's Great fishing here in Minnesota and those Minnesota Minnows and Worms are gauranteed to catch fish, or die trying.

Ed

[JeanneL]

I think the reason it is suggested that eggs be stored in their container is that if stored on the door of the fridge they don't stay cold enough. In the past few years refrigerators have been made with a plastic egg keeper, not slots on the door. Happy scrambling!

[venus]

Ed,

You story about the boy scout eggs was great. Thanks for sharing it.
I may even have to try that the next time the next time the hubby takes me camping...