Island Fresh Eggs

The 411 On Eggs: Good Tips

Handling, storage, and other neat facts:

Refrigerate eggs promptly after buying, never leave at room temperature. Eggs will age more in one day at room temperature than in one week in the refrigerator.
Wash eggs only immediately before using them, since the shells are porous and you want to protect your eggs from unnecessary exposure to bacteria.
Keeping the eggs in the carton it came in insures a sterile and protected environment for your eggs while in your refrigerator. The carton protects them from collisions, falls, and absorbing odors from nearby food.
Blood spots in eggs are natural and are often caused by a small rupture in the hen's blood vessel during laying. This is common, but most eggs with blood spots are caught by the processors before they reach the market. It is harmless and can be removed with the tip of a knife.
The average weight of a hen's egg is 2 oz. The egg white is 58%, the yolk is 30%, and the shell is 12%.
The color of eggs are determined by the breed of the chicken. Breeds with brown/red/black feather and ear lobes lay brown eggs. Breeds with white feathers and ear lobes lay white eggs. Aracaunas, a rare heritage breeds, lays light blue green eggs.

Cooking tips:

The fresher the eggs, the more the eggs will hold their shape when poached or fried.
It is best to cook eggs slowly over a gentle heat, to ensure even heat penetration and cooking.
To prevent egg shells from cracking, just add a pinch of salt to the water before boiling.
Hard boiled eggs that are a least a week old are easier to peel.
Cooling hard boiled eggs in cold water makes them easier to peel.
Using an egg separator when separating yolk from white is believed to be safer than using the half shell method.
By buying white eggs and brown egg alternately, you will always know which eggs in the refrigerator are the oldest.
To get more volume with beaten egg whites, let the eggs sit at room temperature for a half hour before beating.

Measures:

4 jumbo eggs = 1 cup
6 jumbo eggs whites = 1 cup
12 jumbo egg yolks = 1 cup
4 extra large eggs = 1 cup
6 extra large egg whites = 1 cup
12 extra large egg yolks = 1 cup
5 large eggs = 1 cup
7 large egg whites = 1 cup
14 large egg yolks = 1 cup

Recognizing freshness:

The egg shell is clean, smooth, unbroken, with no rough spots.
Once cracked open, a fresh egg will still hold its shape and bounce, it doesn't spread thin.
The white of the egg is thick and cloudy, standing high.
The chalaza (twisted chordlike strands of egg white that anchors yolk in center of the egg) is prominent.
The yolk is high and firm.

How to spot a bad egg:

Eggs rarely go bad. If anything, the older an egg gets, it just loses its moisture and dries up.

If bacteria does get into an egg, you will see it and smell it. The egg will smell off, sour or fruity.
If you see any black spots or unusual discoloration in or on the shell, it might have picked up some bacteria along the way.
Discard any eggs that don't look or feel clean. A slimy feel might indicate bacterial growth.
Very rarely mold develops on egg shells that have been stored too long on a surface where mold spores already exist. You will see a fuzzy covering on the shell. Discard the egg.

Additional Information Sources

For additional information on eggs and food safety, call USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1 (888) 674-6874 or the egg nutrition media hotline at (312) 233-1211.

Visit the National Egg Board's website for in-depth information about Egg and Food Safe Handling: www.incredibleegg.org/egg_facts_safety6.html

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