Best Way to Clean Fresh Chicken Eggs
Inside: Nothing beats a fresh, clean egg straight from the coop. Learn how to ensure your eggs are as safe and delicious as possible.
Washing fresh eggs is one of those hotly debated topics that most people seem to be either adamantly for or against. There are reasons to clean fresh chicken eggs so let's look at the best way to wash them.
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Best Way to Clean Fresh Chicken Eggs
Most chicken lovers can’t stand how beautiful their hens’ eggs are. We marvel at them, take pictures of them, and probably post them on Instagram. But there’s nothing worse than an egg that got kicked around in droppings, dirty water, or plain ole pooped on.
In any of these situations, you have to wash the egg. If you’d crack an egg open, and the contents came in contact with the outer shell, you could easily introduce bacteria to your food.
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First, it’s crucial never to wash your eggs in cold water…ever. Why?
When an egg is submerged in cold water, and the insides are warmer than the water, the pores open and pull bacteria in from the outside. So, now that the bloom is gone, the bacteria can easily pass into the portion of the egg you plan to consume.
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Cleaning Your Chicken Eggs
When your egg is full of poo, follow this method of cleaning it:
- In a bowl, add water that is warmer than the egg (not hot)
- Dip your egg into the water, and lightly wipe them clean
- Rinse the egg under running water
- Gently dry your egg
- Refrigerate or use immediately
This method does not use soaps or chemicals to clean the eggs; however, you can purchase egg-washing soaps online or from hatcheries. Some will also use vinegar to clean filthy eggs, but sometimes it is best to pass on extremely soiled eggs to be safe.
Always store your eggs in a clean container, and clean the container between uses. Washed eggs should be eaten much sooner than unwashed eggs, so date your cartons and discard old eggs.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cleaning Chicken Eggs
Should you wash freshly laid chicken eggs? The short answer is “No”. Eggs are laid with a natural coating on the shell called the “bloom”. This coating is the first line of defense in keeping air and bacteria out of the egg.
Can chicken eggs be cleaned before incubation? Keep only clean eggs for hatching. Do not wash dirty eggs or wipe eggs clean with a damp cloth. This removes the egg's protective coating and exposes it to entry of disease organisms.
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