Store-bought eggs have a pretty good refrigerated lifespan on their own at 3-6 weeks from the date of purchase. Our velociraptor ladies produce more eggs than we can use and we store them in our basement refrigerator. With the bloom intact (unwashed) we get a 4-6 month lifespan.
We give away and donate as many eggs as we can but like every prepper, we think to ourselves “can we store these long-term”? And so, here we have ways to preserve raw and even cooked eggs for later use!
Costs
The cost of freeze-drying eggs is much cheaper than purchasing pre-dried. With Avian Flu and large commercial operations euthanizing chickens, the prices of eggs at this time have increased about 400% over the levels in 2020.
Regardless of processing this yourself or purchasing we always suggest storing it in Mylar Bags with Oxygen Absorbers to extend its life for long-term storage. The only exception is if they come in #10 sealed cans as those can actually last longer than Mylar Bags.
Processing
Each tray for our Medium Harvest Right Freeze Dryer will hold a dozen eggs. With 4 trays we are able to process 4 dozen eggs at a time. The Large Freeze Dryer from Harvest Right will process 8 dozen eggs and the newer X-Large should easily handle 16+ dozen.
Raw Egg Processing
Handling liquids to freeze dry in large trays can be nearly impossible without spilling it everywhere. Through our trial and effort, we have found the following steps that help us not spill a drop and save money!
Freeze-Drying Raw Eggs
Equipment
- Mylar Bags - Optional
- Oxygen Absorbers - Optional
- Blender - Whisk and bowl may also be used
Materials
- 4 Dozen Eggs
Instructions
Freeze-Drying Raw Eggs
- Clean your trays and remove your silicon non-stick mats or dividers.
- Clear a section of your freezer for your trays and if you have purchased stackers for your trays it's the perfect time to use them.
- Using a standard blender, blend the eggs 1 dozen at a time. You can always whisk these in a bowl as if you are making an omelet.
- Pour a dozen blended eggs onto a tray and freeze overnight.
- Pre-freeze your freeze dryer to get its temperature down for about 30 minutes.
- Place the frozen trays into your freeze dryer and process normally for 16-24 hours. Ours allows us to skip the pre-freeze of 8 1/2 hours and go directly to drying.
- Let the pressure off and check for cold spots on your trays. If any are found you will need to either extend the processing time or run it again or the moisture content will cause spoilage.
- Remove the trays and using a spatula place the chunks into a blender. Blend until a fine powder to make reconstitution and storage easier.
- For short-term usage place it in a mason jar with a tightly sealed lid. For long-term storage place it in a mason jar or mylar bag with an oxygen absorber that will keep your eggs fresh for 5+ years.
Reconstituting Raw Eggs
- For 2 eggs combine 1/3 cup of egg powder and 1/3 cup of warm water.
- Let sit for 5-10 minutes to allow the powder to fully rehydrate.
- Cook your eggs just as you would normally and enjoy!
Notes
If you are limited on freezer space and relying on putting the liquid eggs directly into your freezer dryer, make sure that you level your freezer dryer and/or tray holder. The egg will be thicker in areas, spill, and otherwise cause a mess. Our method is to first level our freeze dryer and when working with solids we place a block of wood under the front legs. When working with liquids we remove the block until it is finished processing and replace this to ensure when it defrosts the removed water properly runs out of the machine.
Cooked Egg Processing
Cooked eggs can be processed in your freeze-dryer just as easily as raw. We prefer to scramble about a dozen eggs at a time. Each tray for our Medium Harvest Right Freeze Dryer will hold a dozen cooked eggs. With 4 trays we are able to process 4 dozen cooked eggs at a time. The Large Freeze Dryer from Harvest Right will process 8 dozen cooked eggs and the newer X-Large should easily handle 16+ dozen.
Freeze-Drying Scrambled Eggs
Equipment
- Large Skillet
- Mylar Bags - Optional
- Oxygen Absorber - Optional
Materials
- 4 Dozen Eggs
- 4 TBSP Salted Butter
- Salt
- Pepper
- Shredded Cheese - Optional
Instructions
Freeze-Drying Scrambled Eggs
- Fry your eggs normally. Use minimal butter/oil to extend shelf-life. Add Optional Cheese, salt, and pepper at this time.
- Clean your trays and add your silicon non-stick mats if you have them.
- Pre-Freezing the cooked eggs is not necessary but pre-freeze them at this point if you prefer.
- Pour about a dozen eggs onto a tray maximizing the space. You can go slightly above the rim in most cases but attempt to keep them at or below the lip.
- Place the frozen trays into your freeze dryer and process normally for 16-24 hours.
- Let the pressure off and check for cold spots on your eggs. If any are found you will need to either extend the processing time or run it again or the moisture content will cause spoilage.
- Remove the trays and using a spatula go directly to whatever method of storage you would like.
- For short-term usage place it in a mason jar with a tightly sealed lid. For long-term storage place it in a mason jar or mylar bag with an oxygen absorber that will keep your eggs fresh for 5+ years.
Reconstituting Scrambled Eggs
- For 2 eggs worth combine 1/4 cup of egg powder and 1/4 cup of warm water.
- Let sit for 5-10 minutes to allow them to fully rehydrate.
- Pour off any extra water or transfer them to a skillet and fry off any remaining liquid.
- Enjoy your eggs!