With the rising costs of eggs, many people are beginning to stock up on eggs or go as far as to purchase chickens to lay eggs for them. However, one thing about this is that the shelf life of eggs isn’t excessively long, but thankfully, there is a method that can help you through this time.
Experienced chicken keepers have been using this technique for ages, and it helps many of them make it through the egg-laying hibernation to not have to resort to purchasing eggs at the store. Towards the wintertime, chickens stop laying eggs. Not all of them do, but most of them do. With that being said, it’s during those times that this technique helps immensely.
What is Water Glassing?
Water Glassing is an old-fashioned technique that is used to preserve farm-fresh eggs. Calcium hydroxide is used (pickling lime) to make a solution. Pickling lime, for those that don’t know, was used once upon a time to make pickles. Because there are different types of lime, make sure you get the food-grade version, if you choose to do this. Water Glassing has been used since the 1800s and can be used to preserve eggs for up to 18 months.
Please be mindful that this tip is only useful to those who purchase or have farm-fresh eggs on hand.
How to Do It
Eggs should be freshly laid, with the bloom intact. While there shouldn’t be any debris on the eggs, they should also be unwashed. (According to all sources, unwashed is EXTREMELY important.)
Because eggs are porous, there is an outer coating that protects these pores known as they bloom. When washed, the bloom is destroyed, which allows the lime to enter the egg during the process. When unwashed, the bloom coating becomes sealed by the water/lime mixture, making the egg ready to be stored in a pantry.
Materials Necessary:
Jars
Pickling Lime (Calcium Hydroxide)
Water (Chlorine and Fluoride Free)
Eggs (Fresh, unwashed)
Mix water and pickling lime together, with a 1 quart to 1 once lime ratio. Add the solution to the jar and make sure there is enough to cover the eggs by 2 inches. Mix the solution until the lime is dissolved. Now, add the eggs, gently. Secure the lid and then store.
How to Use
You can use these eggs the same, unless you are going to boil them. Because the bloom has been sealed, if you boil them, you need to make a tiny hole in the shell, otherwise, they will explode. Once you remove the eggs from the jar, wash them.