Best before end?

[Anonymous]

Hello

I've asked one daft question, hopefully this is slightly more sensible.

My hens eggs tend not to come with best before end dates stamped on them. All the eggs I've had so far have been really nice but I always seem to have this worry that I'll crack open a rotten one.

How long do eggs tend to last before they go off?

Regards

Osric

 

[Anonymous]

They keep for ages in the fridge, but I've only used old eggs for baking etc. What I do is scrawl the date in pencil on the top of the egg and then I know which is what!

 

[podstable]

Osric-I misread your post at first and I thoughtyou said your hens eggs came out date stamped!!! I am pretty sure eggs can be sold marked fresh eggs up to 21 days after laying-so as long as you pick them up daily you should be fine! Osric you are great , you make me smile! Ros

 

[Lucylou]

Hi Osric, yes they last a long time. I do the same as Jani & pencil date mine too (when I get them!!)

If you're very unsure you can always do the old housewives thing of dropping an egg in water. If it floats to the top it means there's more air in the sac so its older, the more it sinks the fresher it is.

If you're cooking with several eggs the other safeguard is to break each egg into a little dish/bowl before adding it, just in case but the trick above works!

You always know when you've broken a rotten egg :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

You've had all the right answers Osric,sometimes an older egg is better than a fresher one depending on what you wish to use it for.
Personally,I would never break a suspect egg into a bowl,the smell will make you vomit.An egg in a glass of water is the best test,as LucyLou has already mentioned.
Once an egg is laid,because they are porous the air sac will expand.A Fresh egg will sink,one that isn't completely floating,but sort of vertical is fine to use for baking,when they float,this will be an old egg that isn't fresh so will float at the top of the water.So don't use it :lol: .
The reason eggs are refrigerated,is to stop other strong odours tainting the flavour.I never refrigerate eggs, never have,and I've had eggs stay usable for months,I've never had a rotten egg.

 

[Anonymous]

Eggs are at their best, flavour wise, between three and ten days old, or so I read recently, can't for the life of me remember where though :roll:

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the replies everyone, I can now crack away in confidence!

A convenient thing happened this morning, the council arrived to replace some broken flagstones on the front pavement. I asked them if I could have the broken ones and could they drop them off at my yard. I made them a cup of tea and gave them half a dozen eggs and they even lifted them down for me as well.

How cool is that? Nice trade, I scored for a load of flags, hardly lifted a finger and the hens paid for them for me. Excellent :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Anonymous]

Osric-I misread your post at first and I thoughtyou said your hens eggs came out date stamped!!! I am pretty sure eggs can be sold marked fresh eggs up to 21 days after laying-so as long as you pick them up daily you should be fine! Osric you are great , you make me smile! Ros

Aww shucks, I'm embarrassed now...

Osric