Washing eggs question

[RaesChicks]

I gathered these eggs in the last 3-5 days and have had them in my counter. I forgot to wipe some of them off before storing. Should I toss the dirty ones? Wash them all? Do I need to sanitize my counter or the eggs? All the videos and posts I’ve read say wipe them off before storing wash before use, but I’m not sure what to do if I failed to follow those steps. Any advise?

 

[tripletfeb]

I personally wouldn't wash any of those. Just make sure you don't get dirt in anything when you crack them. If it makes you feel better, wash them right before you use them. No need to sanitize, eggs have a bloom on them, that keeps dirt and germs out. And don't worry about your counter, just wipe it like normal

 

[tripletfeb]

Oh, and one more tip. Put those bad boys in the carton with the pointy end down, they store longer that way

 

[K0k0shka]

I've never heard of wiping in addition to washing. What does that achieve? If they are dirty from poop, wiping dry without water won't do much, and wiping with water you might as well wash at that point and it will remove the bloom, so you'd need to refrigerate. I don't think you need to do anything to these eggs. They are fine on the counter for up to 3 weeks. If you think you won't eat them in that time, then put them in the fridge. No need to sanitize eggs, just wash them right before cooking, to avoid particles of dirt/poop falling into the bowl. I sanitize the counters (and by that I mean, wash with soap and water) only if they've been touched by the shells of unwashed eggs, or raw egg has dripped on the counter.

 

[rosemarythyme]

My eggs go straight in the fridge as-is (I have a hard time getting through eggs, so counter storage is out of the question). If you wipe or wash, then they should be refrigerated because you're damaging or removing the protective bloom that naturally keeps bacteria out.

I don't wash eggs 95% of the time, even if there is some soiling on it... I only wash them if I'm boiling them because I don't like things floating around in the cooking water.

If an egg is really soiled, I'll fry it up for the dogs. Same with any eggs from my oldest hens, as the quality of the yolks and whites are poor.

 

[tripletfeb]

I have wondered about this myself. I lucked out BIG TIME, and all 14 lay in the laying boxes with me as Mama hen. The boxes are always clean (yay)! They make cute little nests from the straw, and it gets changed twice a week. I rarely have anything other than a bit of straw or a tiny feather on my eggs. We're safe to not wash, sterilize, and bleach them before cracking? Are the brown organic $9 a dozen grocery store eggs washed (I am presuming so). Darling Hubby the Farmboy wants to know why they cost so much, then?

I would just pick off the straw and random feather. There is no reason whatsoever to bleach or sterilize an egg before cracking it open. The bloom on the egg(before it's washed) is nature's way of keeping the inside contents clean. Think about it, the egg inside could become a chick if it were fertilized and brooded. And not every broody hen lays clean eggs so the contents inside stay clean from the bloom. If you want to wash the egg before cracking it, that's fine. Just wash with plain water and either store the egg in the fridge or use it right away. I've washed eggs before but they have to be pretty dirty for me to wash them. Poopy or muddy. And I will wash eggs before I hard boil them. Organic or regular eggs from the store have been washed already. And organic costs more because, ideally, the chickens are fed an organic diet. Does it matter for eggs? That's up to you. If I buy eggs at the store, I do not buy organic personally. I buy Eggland's Best. But I much prefer my fresh farm eggs

 

[tripletfeb]

And keep in mind, once an egg is refridgerated(sp) it needs to stay cold. Unless you have it sitting out to bake with, some recipes need room temp eggs. But once cold, they need to stay cold

 

[tripletfeb]

And please don't toss the dirty eggs. That's a huge waste. Eggs get dirty, it happens

 

[BonnieBlue]

I do what my father did. I use a soft brush to gently brush away any excess dirt/sand, then store them on the counter. I only wash right before using. Just a quick wash with tepid water.

 

[ArizonaSky]

I personally wouldn't wash any of those. Just make sure you don't get dirt in anything when you crack them. If it makes you feel better, wash them right before you use them. No need to sanitize, eggs have a bloom on them, that keeps dirt and germs out. And don't worry about your counter, just wipe it like normal

I have wondered about this myself. I lucked out BIG TIME, and all 14 lay in the laying boxes with me as Mama hen. The boxes are always clean (yay)! They make cute little nests from the straw, and it gets changed twice a week. I rarely have anything other than a bit of straw or a tiny feather on my eggs. We're safe to not wash, sterilize, and bleach them before cracking? Are the brown organic $9 a dozen grocery store eggs washed (I am presuming so). Darling Hubby the Farmboy wants to know why they cost so much, then?