Egg storage - how long, how cold?

[Janet H]

I am going camping in a week with 50 of my best friends and each year, I volunteer to cook breakfast on Sunday morning. I will need to pack 12 dozen eggs (maybe more, if there are lots of kids) and this year will have pack these eggs in coolers beginning on a Thursday. They take up a lot of space!

Questions:
How cold do I need to keep eggs prior to cooking?
Can I use dry ice in my coolers to cut down on ice replenishment issues? (will gas go though shells)

menu:
eggs cooked to order (will have lots of piquant bits for eggs)
corn tortillas
sliced ham
fruit
fresh hot cinnamon rolls

The menu is designed for easy, fast cooking in saute pans. Several folks have propane ovens in their campers, they have offered to bake pre-frozen cinnamon rolls after they have thawed and risen overnight.

 

[Andy M.]

I'd be concerned that dry ice could freeze some of the eggs.

Eggs are often stored at room temperature but age much faster than if refrigerated. The National Egg Board site tells you eggs last 7 times longer if refrigerated.

If you chill them in a fridge then pack them into a cold cooler with ice they will stay cold for a couple of days, especially if you don't open the cooler.

Then if they sit in a slowly warming cooler for a day or two they should be fine.

 

[BreezyCooking]

I've taken fresh eggs (& fresh meats) on 4-day camping trips packed in Coleman coolers with the usual complement of regular bagged ice & they've stayed cold just fine.

 

[Alix]

Janet, can you crack a couple dozen into tupperware for the omelette crowd and just have a few dozen for the boiled and fried ones? Its much easier to keep a small container cold than all those eggs. It will also free up some space for you.

 

[Janet H]

Janet, can you crack a couple dozen into tupperware for the omelette crowd and just have a few dozen for the boiled and fried ones? Its much easier to keep a small container cold than all those eggs. It will also free up some space for you.

Do you think it's OK to have cracked eggs in questionable temps for that long? it would save some space tho....

 

[BreezyCooking]

Sorry Alix, but I agree that to have the eggs as wholesome as possible, it's best to leave them in the shell. Once you crack them, you put yourself in the situation of having to keep them in the exact same temp as raw meat.

LEAVE THEM IN THE SHELL!!!!

 

[Alix]

Do you think it's OK to have cracked eggs in questionable temps for that long? it would save some space tho....

I think you are likely going to be able to keep a small container much colder, much longer than you would eggs in the shell. Can you take along a thermometer?

 

[BreezyCooking]

But the fact remains that eggs in the shell can still remain safe in warmer temps. Once you've taken them out of the shell, that safety shield is broken. There is a lot of evidence to prove this.

I strongly do NOT advise you break up your eggs beforehand. Do some research on your own to find out why I feel this way.

 

[Alix]

I'm not arguing that at all Breezy. In fact, I agree. However, it is only logical to think that a smaller container can be kept at a lower temperature for longer in the conditions described by Janet.

 

[stikinecook]

Instead of using bags of ice, try Ice packs. Make sure they have been frozen solid for a few nights. They work great for camping! They last alot longer than bagged ice- and you can reuse them!

I have taken eggs on camping trips, for over a week at a time. Keep the container that the eggs are in, in a shady cool place if its sunny/warm out. If there is a creek nearby, you can put the container in that(a rubbermaid tote works good), and put a few rocks on top to keep it down. Depends on the creek, etc. But all I have ever use are ice packs.

 

[BreezyCooking]

That's right! I have a big sack of those in my freezer & use them in all sorts of applications where I need to keep something cold but don't want to worry about it getting wet.

 

[recipedirect]

On Ascension at our church a Russian women tried to serve eggs left over from Easter. I told her they were probably not safe, her reply was "they were blessed, they are good for a year" I don't think anyone took her up on the eggs!
Sorry, not exactly related.

 

[Janet H]

Some good suggestions here! Especially the creek idea. This had not occurred to me. There is a creek and it's cold.

 

[stikinecook]

and obviously you just have to make sure it doesn't attract bears, etc...!!

 

[Bakerlady2011]

I know this is over-kill but here is the scoop from the FDA.
Safe Handling Instructions: To prevent illness from bacteria: keep eggs refrigerated, cook eggs until yolks are firm, and cook foods containing eggs thoroughly.

Chill Properly

• Cooked eggs, including hard-boiled eggs, and egg-containing foods should not sit out for more than 2 hours. Within 2 hours either reheat or refrigerate.
• Use hard-cooked eggs (in the shell or peeled) within 1 week after cooking
• Use frozen eggs within one year. Eggs should not be frozen in their shells. To freeze whole eggs, beat yolks and whites together. Egg whites can also be frozen by themselves.
• Refrigerate leftover cooked egg dishes and use within 3-4 days. When refrigerating a large amount of a hot egg-containing leftover, divide it into several shallow containers so it will cool quickly.

On the Road

• Cooked eggs for a picnic should be packed in an insulated cooler with enough ice or frozen gel packs to keep them cold.
• Don't put the cooler in the trunk—carry it in the air-conditioned passenger compartment of the car.
• If taking cooked eggs to work or school, pack them with a small frozen gel pack or a frozen juice box.

Or just call 1-888-SAFEFOOD and they can tell you the best way to transport!

Hope this helps!

p.s. I taught a home food processing course for a Lifelong Learning Adult Ed. program for years...

 

[Wyogal]

That talks about cooked eggs, or freezing.
Just dedicate a cooler for the eggs, in their shells, using ice packs. Don't open the cooler until you are ready to use the eggs. They should be fine.
Yes, keep them in their shells. The concern isn't so much about space and a small container should be easier to keep cool... it's about keeping the integrity of the egg as long as possible; cracking the eggs, then storing them, creates a more dangerous environment. It outweighs the "smaller container" stance.
If the eggs are on ice, (or ice packs, or ice in sealed plastic bags), and covered in ice, and the cooler is not in full sun, from a Thursday to a Sunday, they should be just fine.

 

[Wyogal]

Interesting: eggs in the shell, refrigerated, will last MUCH longer than eggs out of the shell, refrigerated. weeks compared to days...
Questions and Answers - Storing Raw Eggs, Sell Date of Eggs

 

[BreezyCooking]

I COMPLETELY AGREE!!! Husband & I used to be big-time tent campers, & so long as we had access to fresh ice (which you can find in even the smallest hamlet), we always had fresh eggs at hand.

This is really not rocket science. All you need do is keep them cold (& in the shell) - just as you would/will with your meat products, etc. And with enough ice in your cooler, they'll probably be colder than they would be in your home fridge.

 

[Janet H]

Just an update... I packed 12 dozen cold, cold eggs in one big cooler (still in shells) and added a fridge thermometer. Them I put the cooler in the creek with a big rock on top to keep it from floating away. The creek water temp was 41 degrees and the cooler stayed pretty constant at 44 degrees. The eggs were fine - no one got sick but I got very wet getting the cooler out of the creek for sunday am breakfast.

I found this cool page that was very useful. Lots of good egg tips. All About Eggs

 

[buckytom]

i think i saw it on a mayan calendar recently, but i have to agree with breezy on this one.

actually, i've found on many camping trips that eggs (still in the shell) just have to be kept relatively cool, not necessarily packed with ice or even at refrigerator temps.

the creek or stream idea is a great one. if you've ever swum down to the bottom of a lake, you know how cold the water gets very quickly away from the surface. it works well with things like beer and watermelon on really hot summer camping trips.