YOU’VE probably not given much thought to where you store your eggs – you’re either a fridge or a countertop person, and that’s it.
But if you want them to stay fresher for longer, there is a right place to put them.
Eggs require a constant, regulated temperature so will always keep better if popped in the fridge.
Bosses at British Lion eggs say: “For optimum quality and safety, you want to make sure your eggs are kept at a steady temperature below 20’C
“Best practice is to store eggs in the fridge; that way the temperature is always at a constant and your eggs will be fresher.
“When you do get around to using them, try to leave the eggs out of the fridge for around 30 minutes to bring them up to room temperature, otherwise cooking times could change depending on how you’re using them.”
Where you keep eggs in your fridge can also make a difference.
The inner door is one of the warmer parts of the fridge, and it’s temperature is less consistent since it’s being opened and closed throughout the day.
So while many manufacturers will pop hand egg slots on a door shelf, you should always keep them on a main shelf within your fridge.
If you are determined to keep your eggs on your countertop or in a pantry, however, experts have urged people not to throw out the original cartons.
The pros at British Lion eggs explained: “It’s tempting to store eggs in something that’s either more practical or pleasing on the eye than a basic box.
“You may have a lovely looking spiral egg holder or handy egg shelf in but the truth is nothing can beat the original carton.
“Not only does the box protect the eggs, but it also shows the best before date which you can refer back to anytime you’re unsure.
“Perhaps the best reason to keep eggs in their carton is so they stay as fresh as can be. Why? Eggshells have tiny pores which bacteria from other foods and smells such as food odour and flavouring can seep through over time.”
And if you want your eggs to last a prolonged period of time, there’s nothing against freezing them.
British Lion eggs chiefs continued: “Freezing [eggs] is absolutely ok. Just make sure that you beat the egg together before freezing and definitely don’t try and freeze a shelled egg.”
They added: “Always store your eggs in a freezable container with the date clearly labelled and use within six months.
“If you’re short of containers then an ice tray works perfectly.
“The volume of the beaten egg will change when thawing so make sure you remember that three tablespoons of beaten egg is the equivalent of a whole egg.”
The food safety pros did warn that egg yolks can become “glutinous” once frozen.
But they have a very simple hack to help that costs just pennies.
They said: “A handy trick to prevent this is adding in half a teaspoon of salt or sugar (depending on whether your use is to be for sweet or savoury dishes) per mixed egg.”
