Post by Paddy by Grace on May 7, 2009 19:02:42 GMT -7
CELLAR EGGS KEEP 6 MONTHS
My mom sells eggs to friends. They last at least 6 months. Mom tells her customers not to wash them. There is a coating on the eggs that will keep them fresh. Then keep them in the basement, which is a dark cool dry cellar. She said that was the way they did it growing up.
EGG STORAGE
The incredible, edible egg can be stored in the basement or fridge. The eggs need to be turned once a week. Just keep them in a carton and turn them over once a week. Mother Earth News did a test years ago and I believe they kept eggs for 6 months in a cellar just that way. To check and make sure the eggs are good put in water. Good eggs lie on the bottom, they do not float. I store eggs with Sodium Silicate. It's the same stuff you get at the auto parts store or pharmacy. I found mine by the quart jar (much cheaper this way) for about $6 at the local pharmacy. We bought it to seal the engine of an old truck....and by the way...it worked great. The couple that we gave the truck too are still driving it a year after we did that seal thing with the sodium silicate. They've had no problems! P.S. I have a friend that got the WalMart pharmacy to special order her some...also they special ordered her citric acid for cheese making and it was much cheaper than anywhere we could find it!
STORE EGGS WITH WATERGLASS - #1
Waterglass (liquid sodium silicate) has several uses, one of them is for storing fresh eggs for extended periods of time. Here is a quote from Lehman's ad: "Preserve eggs for months with Waterglass. Mix one part Waterglass with ten parts cooled, boiled water and pour into a large, stone crock. Wipe off fresh eggs with a flannel cloth and place in solution (eggs should be covered with 2"). Cover crock and store in a cool, dry place. (From "The Boston Cooking School Cook Book" by Fannie Farmer, c. 1886) Waterglass (liquid sodium silicate) - One gallon bucket will preserve 50 dozen eggs. Non hazardous; fumeless. $21.95"
STORE EGGS WITH WATERGLASS - #2
We are the stewards of a flock of approximately 50 muscovy ducks. 35 are just chicks but we know we have 4 drakes and 11 hens of the mature ducks. They lay between 100 and 120 eggs a year per hen, if we end up with 20 hens that we keep that means about 2,000 delicious eggs.
Naturally I am concerned about storing eggs. So here is some of my egg research. Lehman sells waterglass, enough to preserve 40 dozen, that means by my recipe they are selling about a 1/2 pint for approximately $21. I bought 1pt 14 oz (almost 2 pints) for $8.19 at the pharmacy. I simply asked for Sodium Silicate Solution. They can order it if they don't have it. This brand is made by HUMCO out of Texarkana TX and will expire on Feb of 2003.
1 gallon of the solution (1 pint of sodium silicate solution to 9 or 10 pints of water yielding a little more than a gallon) should preserve 75 to 100 dozen eggs (900 - 1200 eggs) according to Carla Emery's an Encyclopedia of Country Living Old Fashioned Recipe Book (Page 346).
Here are the details of the method referred to as the Water-glass method. Pack them between 24 hours and 4 day old eggs. Older eggs don't keep as well. Eggs with no roosters or drakes around will keep longer than fertile eggs, but of course you then have to cope with unhappy roosters or drakes. 20 years ago when she wrote the book it was about $1.05 a pint now its $4.10 a pint still a bargain. Again, check the pharmacy first and I was told that many car parts dealers also have it. It is a 1:9 ratio if you want smaller quantities just keep the ratio intact. 1 cup to 9 cups or in my case 1 pint to 9 pints of water.
Have your crock scaled clean to start with she used deep plastic cans. I used plastic for the few eggs I had. Boil the water and let it cool before you add the waterglass. Then pour the mixed solution into the crock. Remember not to fill the crock or container too full of the solution because you will be adding eggs so no more than a third full.
Add the eggs. Make certain there is an extra 2 inches covering them. In hot weather it evaporates pretty fast so watch it carefully. Earthenware, enamel, glass or plastic all work fine.
Cover the container as tightly as you can. Don't let it freeze but store it in a cool dark place. It starts out clear liquid but gradually turns cloudy into a milk color sort of jelly. The book says it isn't harmful but the container had all these "be carefuls" on the labels so I asked the pharmacist and he said in a 1:9 ration it has no harmful effects.
It won't hurt you if you get it on your hands after it is mixed but I wore gloves to mix it. Make up enough solution as you go to handle any new eggs you put in. So if you are putting ten eggs make enough to cover them leaving 2 inches over the eggs. If it gets low due to evaporation add some more solution that is mixed 1:9.
To use the egg you will have to wash them so the goop doesn't fall into the food or if you hard boil them you should prick the small end so they don't pop. The sodium silicate works by sealing the eggs and should keep them for up to a year. Here is a neat tidbit - don't wash the egg before preserving it because the egg is actually covered by a natural sealer and without it it is more susceptible to bacteria and evaporation. Any particularly dirty eggs wash and use right away. Don't use cracked eggs.
Carla says that eggs harvested between March and May keep better she is guessing that its because of the milder temperature.
To freeze eggs you should separate any that will need to added to recipes separated or only needs egg whites. When we do this we put the extra yolks in the egg mixture we make. The freezer life is 8 months (even enough for Minnesota winters). Wash the eggs thoroughly, use very well cleaned utensils (not just something out of a drawer).
You will have to use them within 12 hours of thawing them, so keep your frozen packages small to avoid waste unless you are a family of 10, that should mean no more than 6 eggs at a pop. She uses baby food jars. Simply break the egg into a jar and label it as whole egg. If you do whites only for meringues or other recipes then be very careful that not even a speck of yolk gets in with them. Don't add anything to the whites. To do the yolks as 1 tsp. of honey per 1/2 cup of yolks or 1/4 tsp. salt per 1/2 cup of yolks be certain to label what you have done to the yolks.
1 1/2 TBSP. of thawed yolk equals 1 egg yolk 2 TBSP. of thawed egg white equals 1 egg white 3 TBSP. of whole egg equals 1 egg more or less. One recipe also allowed for lightly mixed eggs as if you were going to make scrambled eggs with just a dash of salt.
GOOD RECIPE
Ice cream mush (call it sorbet and people will think it's suppose to be that way)- It is nutritious but hard to gauge the hardness exactly. 1 cup of whipping cream, 6 eggs, 1 cup of crushed pineapple, 1 mashed banana, and diced section of orange. Whip cream and eggs separately. Add 1/4 tsp. vanilla. Fold the mixed fruit into the egg, then into the whipped cream. Put it in the freezer occasionally lifting it to keep the fruit from staying at the bottom. If you use blueberries or raspberries add a little honey to sweeten it. We used apples and added some honey and it was so goooood.
Crepes and French toast and fried egg sandwiches can all be made when the eggs are plentiful and be frozen. As long as we have electricity I plan on freezing things and in MN the winter will take care of it. I am not going to worry about fat/cholesterol when my work level is increased and my stress level is increased.
The feed for 50 ducks costs about $6.50 a month. I love the muscovy ducks we have they are friendly, polite, the hens are pretty and they like the snow and don't need a pond. The don't quack and they are wonderful mothers!
My mom sells eggs to friends. They last at least 6 months. Mom tells her customers not to wash them. There is a coating on the eggs that will keep them fresh. Then keep them in the basement, which is a dark cool dry cellar. She said that was the way they did it growing up.
EGG STORAGE
The incredible, edible egg can be stored in the basement or fridge. The eggs need to be turned once a week. Just keep them in a carton and turn them over once a week. Mother Earth News did a test years ago and I believe they kept eggs for 6 months in a cellar just that way. To check and make sure the eggs are good put in water. Good eggs lie on the bottom, they do not float. I store eggs with Sodium Silicate. It's the same stuff you get at the auto parts store or pharmacy. I found mine by the quart jar (much cheaper this way) for about $6 at the local pharmacy. We bought it to seal the engine of an old truck....and by the way...it worked great. The couple that we gave the truck too are still driving it a year after we did that seal thing with the sodium silicate. They've had no problems! P.S. I have a friend that got the WalMart pharmacy to special order her some...also they special ordered her citric acid for cheese making and it was much cheaper than anywhere we could find it!
STORE EGGS WITH WATERGLASS - #1
Waterglass (liquid sodium silicate) has several uses, one of them is for storing fresh eggs for extended periods of time. Here is a quote from Lehman's ad: "Preserve eggs for months with Waterglass. Mix one part Waterglass with ten parts cooled, boiled water and pour into a large, stone crock. Wipe off fresh eggs with a flannel cloth and place in solution (eggs should be covered with 2"). Cover crock and store in a cool, dry place. (From "The Boston Cooking School Cook Book" by Fannie Farmer, c. 1886) Waterglass (liquid sodium silicate) - One gallon bucket will preserve 50 dozen eggs. Non hazardous; fumeless. $21.95"
STORE EGGS WITH WATERGLASS - #2
We are the stewards of a flock of approximately 50 muscovy ducks. 35 are just chicks but we know we have 4 drakes and 11 hens of the mature ducks. They lay between 100 and 120 eggs a year per hen, if we end up with 20 hens that we keep that means about 2,000 delicious eggs.
Naturally I am concerned about storing eggs. So here is some of my egg research. Lehman sells waterglass, enough to preserve 40 dozen, that means by my recipe they are selling about a 1/2 pint for approximately $21. I bought 1pt 14 oz (almost 2 pints) for $8.19 at the pharmacy. I simply asked for Sodium Silicate Solution. They can order it if they don't have it. This brand is made by HUMCO out of Texarkana TX and will expire on Feb of 2003.
1 gallon of the solution (1 pint of sodium silicate solution to 9 or 10 pints of water yielding a little more than a gallon) should preserve 75 to 100 dozen eggs (900 - 1200 eggs) according to Carla Emery's an Encyclopedia of Country Living Old Fashioned Recipe Book (Page 346).
Here are the details of the method referred to as the Water-glass method. Pack them between 24 hours and 4 day old eggs. Older eggs don't keep as well. Eggs with no roosters or drakes around will keep longer than fertile eggs, but of course you then have to cope with unhappy roosters or drakes. 20 years ago when she wrote the book it was about $1.05 a pint now its $4.10 a pint still a bargain. Again, check the pharmacy first and I was told that many car parts dealers also have it. It is a 1:9 ratio if you want smaller quantities just keep the ratio intact. 1 cup to 9 cups or in my case 1 pint to 9 pints of water.
Have your crock scaled clean to start with she used deep plastic cans. I used plastic for the few eggs I had. Boil the water and let it cool before you add the waterglass. Then pour the mixed solution into the crock. Remember not to fill the crock or container too full of the solution because you will be adding eggs so no more than a third full.
Add the eggs. Make certain there is an extra 2 inches covering them. In hot weather it evaporates pretty fast so watch it carefully. Earthenware, enamel, glass or plastic all work fine.
Cover the container as tightly as you can. Don't let it freeze but store it in a cool dark place. It starts out clear liquid but gradually turns cloudy into a milk color sort of jelly. The book says it isn't harmful but the container had all these "be carefuls" on the labels so I asked the pharmacist and he said in a 1:9 ration it has no harmful effects.
It won't hurt you if you get it on your hands after it is mixed but I wore gloves to mix it. Make up enough solution as you go to handle any new eggs you put in. So if you are putting ten eggs make enough to cover them leaving 2 inches over the eggs. If it gets low due to evaporation add some more solution that is mixed 1:9.
To use the egg you will have to wash them so the goop doesn't fall into the food or if you hard boil them you should prick the small end so they don't pop. The sodium silicate works by sealing the eggs and should keep them for up to a year. Here is a neat tidbit - don't wash the egg before preserving it because the egg is actually covered by a natural sealer and without it it is more susceptible to bacteria and evaporation. Any particularly dirty eggs wash and use right away. Don't use cracked eggs.
Carla says that eggs harvested between March and May keep better she is guessing that its because of the milder temperature.
To freeze eggs you should separate any that will need to added to recipes separated or only needs egg whites. When we do this we put the extra yolks in the egg mixture we make. The freezer life is 8 months (even enough for Minnesota winters). Wash the eggs thoroughly, use very well cleaned utensils (not just something out of a drawer).
You will have to use them within 12 hours of thawing them, so keep your frozen packages small to avoid waste unless you are a family of 10, that should mean no more than 6 eggs at a pop. She uses baby food jars. Simply break the egg into a jar and label it as whole egg. If you do whites only for meringues or other recipes then be very careful that not even a speck of yolk gets in with them. Don't add anything to the whites. To do the yolks as 1 tsp. of honey per 1/2 cup of yolks or 1/4 tsp. salt per 1/2 cup of yolks be certain to label what you have done to the yolks.
1 1/2 TBSP. of thawed yolk equals 1 egg yolk 2 TBSP. of thawed egg white equals 1 egg white 3 TBSP. of whole egg equals 1 egg more or less. One recipe also allowed for lightly mixed eggs as if you were going to make scrambled eggs with just a dash of salt.
GOOD RECIPE
Ice cream mush (call it sorbet and people will think it's suppose to be that way)- It is nutritious but hard to gauge the hardness exactly. 1 cup of whipping cream, 6 eggs, 1 cup of crushed pineapple, 1 mashed banana, and diced section of orange. Whip cream and eggs separately. Add 1/4 tsp. vanilla. Fold the mixed fruit into the egg, then into the whipped cream. Put it in the freezer occasionally lifting it to keep the fruit from staying at the bottom. If you use blueberries or raspberries add a little honey to sweeten it. We used apples and added some honey and it was so goooood.
Crepes and French toast and fried egg sandwiches can all be made when the eggs are plentiful and be frozen. As long as we have electricity I plan on freezing things and in MN the winter will take care of it. I am not going to worry about fat/cholesterol when my work level is increased and my stress level is increased.
The feed for 50 ducks costs about $6.50 a month. I love the muscovy ducks we have they are friendly, polite, the hens are pretty and they like the snow and don't need a pond. The don't quack and they are wonderful mothers!