If you’re a chicken farmer and are over-run with eggs, this post is for you. Well, even if you’re not a chicken farmer, this post is for you. This past fall, our chickens were laying so many eggs, we could hardly use them fast enough. So I thought I would try water glassing them and see if we like them.
Shortly after I preserved about 5 dozen, our chickens slowed down majorly and I had to start using them from the jars. It didn’t take long for us to use them up. So, now that our chickens have picked back up and we are getting 20 eggs a day, I need to preserve some more for the future!
Here’s what you will need:
- Clean Jars or Food Grade Buckets
- Pickling Lime or Calcium Hydroxide
- Non Chlorinated Water
- Fresh Eggs (unwashed and cannot be store bought)
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
Things to know
Before you get started, make sure your jars are clean. Also, do not wash the eggs. Washing the eggs will remove its protective coating called the “bloom”. The bloom is what helps the eggs last for weeks on the counter. Try not to use the real dirty eggs that might have poop, straw or dirt on them.
I have found that using 2 quart jars, you can get around 12-15 eggs in a jar. We used these up fairly quickly. So I would probably try and use a bigger jar or bucket to take up less space in the pantry. I kept my jars in the pantry in a cool, dark place. And it was very convenient to grab a couple eggs when I needed them. You will notice that the eggs shell will feel brittle after they have been in the solution, this does not affect the taste of the eggs, but they will break very easily.
I’ve read other opinions on the taste and texture of the egg after they’ve been stored for a while. In my opinion, the taste is the same and I haven’t noticed much of a difference. However, the yolks of the eggs are often broken and the whites of the eggs or often runny. If you’re hoping to use them for fried, dippy eggs, you may not get many, if any eggs, with the yolk still intact. But they are perfect for scrambled eggs, baking and boiling.
How To Water Glass Eggs
Ingredients
- 2 quart jar (washed)
- 2 oz. Pickling Lime
- Non Chlorinated Water
- 12-15 fresh eggs (unwashed)
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
Directions
- In a 2 quart (empty) jar, measure 2 ounces of pickling lime. Fill jar halfway with water, stir until we’ll incorporated.
- Carefully add your eggs to jar, be careful not to drop them in and crack the eggs.
- Use an air tight lid and store in a cool dark place.
- Be careful not to jostle the eggs while in the jar, they may crack.
- You can use them one at a time, even after opening the jar.
- Enjoy!
Let me know what you think or if you’ve tried this before! I’d love to hear from you!
This Farmhouse Wife