Here’s How to Freeze Eggs Safely for Breakfast, Baking and Beyond
Maybe you’ve been stockpiling kitchen staples or perhaps the chickens you own are laying more eggs than you can possibly eat—whatever the case may be, freeze the overstock and you need not leave a single egg behind. Yep, it’s totally OK to freeze this protein-packed ingredient, provided you follow two very important rules. Here’s how to freeze eggs so that you can make all of your baking and breakfast dreams come true for a full year.
Is It Safe to Freeze Eggs?
The thought of experimenting with a new storage method for eggs might turn your stomach, but don’t worry—it is actually totally safe to freeze eggs as long as you adhere to the following food safety guidelines from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Don’t freeze shelled eggs. Even if it happened by accident (say your eggs ended up in a mysteriously cold spot of the fridge) and the casing didn’t rupture, an egg that freezes in the shell is bad news.
Don’t freeze unshelled eggs with the yolk attached. The white and yolk of an egg should either be blended or separated prior to freezing.
Abide by those two critical rules and stick to the storage methods described below so you can safely freeze (and later enjoy) your egg surplus for up to 12 months.
How to Freeze Whole Eggs
Because the yolk must be broken (see our note above), you won’t be able to use your frozen eggs for a sunny side up brunch dish and because the egg must be cooked completely after thawing, we advise you to steer clear of carbonara too. That said, whole and unshelled eggs freeze quite nicely and can be used to make frittatas, cakes , breaded fried foods and more. Follow these steps from the experts at Hobby Farms and Chicken magazines, and your eggs will be there when you need ‘em.
1. Crack the egg. Crack and split open the shell of each egg you intend to freeze and empty the contents into a bowl.
2. Whisk the eggs. Use a whisk or fork to combine the whites and yolks of the eggs, just as you would when making a morning scramble. However, for optimal texture down the road, it’s best not to overmix—so whisk until combined but no more.
3. Freeze the mixture. Pour the blended eggs into a hard, airtight storage container or a plastic freezer bag and store in the back of the freezer. (If using a bag, make sure to remove as much excess air as possible before sealing.) Then just thaw the packages of frozen eggs under cold, running water when you’re ready to use them.
How to Freeze Egg Whites
Egg whites freeze beautifully and will still make stiff peaks once thawed, so you can whip them up for a meringue or scramble them for a healthy, low-cholesterol breakfast. And happily, freezing egg whites couldn’t be easier (“just throw them in the freezer and forget about it,” says America’s Test Kitchen). In fact, the only tricky part of the process is separating the whites from the yolk but with a little practice (or help from an egg separator), even that’s a breeze. Here’s how to do it.
1. Crack the egg. Position yourself over a large bowl and gently crack the shell of the egg. Aim for a clean crack that allows you to split the egg with ease so you don’t end up puncturing the yolk by accident.
2. Separate the whites. Open the egg and empty its contents into the palm of one hand, spreading your fingers slightly so the yolk remains in your hand while the whites drip through the cracks between your fingers and fall directly into the bowl. Discard the yolk in your hand or transfer it to a separate bowl to freeze (see below).
3. Freeze. Pour the separated egg whites into an ice cube tray and freeze completely before transferring the cubes to a storage container or airtight plastic bag and placing it in the back of the freezer. Egg whites frozen this way can be thawed for any recipe (we use one cube for one egg white) by placing the storage container under cold, running water.
How to Freeze Egg Yolks
While the USDA says that it is absolutely safe to freeze egg yolks, the result is often so gelatinous that they can’t be used for much. That said, both the USDA and the American Egg Board have an easy fix for the problem. If, like us, you hate to see a beautiful egg yolk go to waste, try this method on for size.
1. Separate the egg. Using the technique described above, separate the whites from the yolk.
2. Add a stabilizer. To help avoid a sticky situation (i.e., a goopy and unappetizing yolk), add either ⅛ teaspoon of salt or 1 ½ teaspoons of sugar for every 4 egg yolks. Both salt and sugar will help prevent gelation (yep, that’s a real word), so which one you choose really depends on whether your future cooking plans are savory or sweet in nature.
3. Whisk together. Once you have added the appropriate amount of sugar or salt to the yolks, whisk until the mixture has been thoroughly blended.
4. Freeze the mixture. Pour the egg yolks into a freezer-safe container or storage bag and seal. Label each container with the date and a note indicating whether you added sugar or salt. Store in the back of the freezer and thaw each portion under cold water prior to cooking.
