A lot of the Egg Substitutes out there are good for baking, but what about when you have the urge to stick them between your toes, or feel the need to egg someone’s house? The egg substitutes just aren’t the same (believe me, I’ve tried :) So if you want to make sure you are never without eggs, don’t worry, you can preserve eggs with mineral oil!
Preserve Eggs with Mineral Oil:
1- Get Your Supplies:
- EGGS – You want clean eggs, and the fresher the better!
- MINERAL OIL – Usually found in the drugstore next to Pepto Bismal.
- GLOVES – You want to be careful not to get this stuff on you!
- Mineral oil can cause Estrogen issues in women so be extra cautious.
2- Oil Eggs
- Warm 1/8 cup oil in the microwave for about 10 seconds.
- This much will be able to do about 2 dozen eggs.
- Dry eggs and carton.
- Put your gloves on!
- Rub a little oil in your hands and then grab an egg.
- Coat entire egg with oil, doesn’t matter how thick or thin.
- Make sure not to leave any exposed areas, cover completely with the oil!
(The egg, not you!)
3- Place Egg in Dry Carton!
- Once the egg is all lathered in oil, make sure to place it in the egg carton SMALL END DOWN! Not sure why, just do it!
4- Store
- Short-Term Storage (up to 3 months): Store at regular temperature.
- Long-Term Storage (about 6-9 months): Store them in a cool, dark area – Ideally between 65-68 degrees & 75% humidity
- Extra-Long Storage (9-12 months): Store in Fridge
5- Flip Weekly or Monthly!
- Once a Week, Month, or whenever you remember make sure to flip the entire egg carton GENTLY upside down to help maintain the egg yolk.
How do I know if the eggs go BAD?
- Use your nose! You will pass out!
- Play the Sink or Float game!
- Sink = GOOD
- Float = BAD
Does the idea of putting eggs on your counter or leaving them in the fridge for nearly a year still freak you out? Chances are, you are American Made, and anything that is not refrigerated is unfathomable! When my husband lived in Guatemala for a couple of years, fridges were out of the question, and everything from butter, cheese & yes, even eggs, were left on the counter. The refrigerator is great, but we often forget that life used to exist without it!
When a chicken lays an egg it has a protective layer on it called the bloom that helps keep the oxygen from penetrating the shell. If you have backyard chickens that lay eggs you can skip putting mineral oil on since they already have the protective layer they need. By putting mineral oil on your eggs, it’s like reapplying the bloom layer, so the fresher the eggs the better! Because of regulations and making sure no one gets sue happy, companies wash the protective layering off since it has some germs, and they mark eggs with a shelf-life that is MUCH shorter than necessary.
Ok, enough of the pretending to be smart talk!
USING THEM:
- WASH – Make sure you wash off the mineral oil or bloom before eating them! It’s a good idea to crack the egg in a separate bowl too, and then transfer them to whatever you’re making.
- COOK THEM – For you raw-egg junkies, these are not ideal to practice being an Iron Man with :)
- GREAT FOR – Eggs Over Easy, Poached Eggs, Deviled Eggs, & Much More…
- About the only thing you can’t do with these bad boys is whip them up into stiff egg whites.
- As they age, the colors may be a little off, but as long as they smell good and sink they should be just fine!
BENEFITS:
Besides the benefits I mentioned earlier, here are some other great reasons you should know how to preserve your own eggs:
- SALES – When eggs go on sale you can score big!
- SPACE – Sometimes you just need some extra fridge space, and by kicking the eggs to the counter it will free some up!
- EMERGENCIES – If you’re power goes out, you don’t have to worry about turning Vegan!
- THE FUN NEVER ENDS! – When you have 40 year olds that need to be entertained, you’re always ready for a competitive Egg Rolling Contest!
INGREDIENTS:
- EGGS - You want clean eggs, and the fresher the better!
- MINERAL OIL - Usually found in the drugstore next to Pepto Bismal.
- GLOVES - You want to be careful not to get this stuff on you!
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Warm 1/8 cup oil in the microwave for about 10 seconds. (This much will be able to do about 2 dozen eggs.)
- Dry eggs and carton.
- Put your gloves on!
- Rub a little oil in your hands and then grab an egg.
- Coat entire egg with oil, doesn't matter how thick or thin.
- Make sure not to leave any exposed areas, cover completely with the oil!
- Place it in the egg carton SMALL END DOWN!
- Once a Week or Month flip the entire egg carton GENTLY upside down to help maintain the egg yolk.
- Make sure you wash off the mineral oil or bloom before eating them!
OK, smack me when I am wrong. I have back yard chickens and they lay more than I can use. When I gather them they are ‘dirty’. I checked with a whiz kid and I was told to wash them, but not to try keeping for very long. Very long??
Going by what you say, I should wash them, oil them, then keep them in the basement? Pointy end down, then flip to pointy end down
I don’t have any chickens, but my friend does, so maybe I’ll go check hers out, but everything I’ve read said not to wash the egg or you will take off the protective layer around it called the bloom. You only need to oil if they have already been washed. I guess you could wash them and then coat it in mineral oil, it would just mean more work. I’ll update as I learn more!
And yes, you store them in the cool basement pointy end down, then flip entire carton so the pointy end is up – about once a week.
Yes, Janey, we have chickens and wash their eggs. What we have found works is to wash them quickly in clean water (dishwashing detergent is ok) then lay on a handtowel to completely dry, then refrigerate. When the bloom is washed off they should be refrigerated unless it is replaced with mineral oil or wax. Though as long as they are unwashed we leave them in a basket on the countertop.
Sorry about that. Flip to pointy end up.
This is awesome! I never knew you could do this, but it makes total sense. Thanks!
Sent from my iPhone
the pointy end down is because of the air sack, not sure why you flip them? i have hens, we eat a LOT of eggs, i give away a lot too, & feed them to the barn cats & yes even feed them back to the hens (cooked only). i have heard of this oil trick, will try it out, will be great for winter when production is down. hmmm… maybe the flip is to keep the yolk from settling over time? O i would suggest only doing this to non-poo’d on eggs.
Great suggestion! Don’t use eggs with poo :) Now I need some chickens!
I’m so glad I stumbled upon your website!! You are doing such a great job. What an inspiration! Where did you get the information about preserving the eggs? Do you know if there has been an actual scientific study done on this?….I would be intrigued to read it. Keep up the GREAT work!
Hi Tiara, I know this is an old post, but thought you might like to know, if you don’t know already….that Mother Earth News did a study on keeping eggs, in 1977, using various approaches….it was very interesting and you will find it most useful….hope this info isn’t too late…jp
When I was a little girl, my Pawpaw an Granny used to keep eggs in a covered crock, under the table, it was full of mineral oil! Each month, they started a new crock, for rotation. The oldest crock was eaten first. They almost always had plenty for the winter. Pawpaw took a tablespoon of mineral oil every day,..for regularity!…and usually had 3-4 eggs for breakfast every day. He lived to be 96, Granny never ever put eggs in the fridge..she lived to be 98. By the way, I am 65, my eggs are in a wide mouth, clear glass gallon jug on the counter, (found at any wallmart store)… full of mineral oil ! ..and it’s so pretty!
Thanks for the info! You just answered a couple questions I had! I may have to copy the glass gallon jug idea of yours! Thanks for sharing!
I am wondering if there is anyway to get a hold of the 65yr. old lady Bigboyd? I like to know if she buys her eggs from store before she puts into gallon size jar of mineral oil or are they fresh eggs. Also would like to know if she skips the step of a applying the oil then putting into carton pointed down or does she do that first before she puts into gallon of mineral oil? Also if you have anymore to add to this topic would be great! Thanks!
Since you replied to her comment, she should hopefully get an email and maybe reply back.
Great questions Jeanne, I know more were wondering the same thing.
Hey Jeanne Bragg, we always have our own chickens and ducks..so our eggs are fresh. We bring them in, wash them with WARM soapy dishwater, rinse well, dry and submerge into the crock. Some folks just apply the oil to the shell, it uses less oil, but we don’t think they last longer this way..unless you put them in fridge after oiling, but we liked to save the fridge space for the milk! Also, some folks used to bury eggs in damp sand, and store in the root cellar. Hope this helps you!
I need a little clarification on flipping the eggs. Do you leave them flipped until the next time or do you flip them and then return them back to the point down position?
Thank you.
Sorry about that – yes, you leave them flipped! You don’t need to worry about having them point-down each time, just when you first apply the mineral oil.
Good info here. My concern is buying refrigerated eggs, coating with mineral oil and then placed in a non refrigerated place. Is there a need for concern?
I initially had them on the counter, but quickly realized they would not survive with my boys ;) I’ve heard of people leaving them out, but haven’t done it yet. You’re supposed to be able to store then in a cool dark place for about seven to nine months I believe.
If you use the crock idea you wouldn’t be flipping them…. Can you reuse the mineral oil for the next batch if the crock is full??
I freeze my eggs and last forever in the freezer.. I crack about 2 or 3 eggs whip them and put then in a plastic container label and freeze ..
Can I use coconut oil instead of mineral oil?