Many absurd things can happen throughout our lifetime; some are unimaginable, but imagine, for instance, your kids played a prank; they decided to put the eggs in the freezer.
Children being children, they are curious and experimental but have you ever wondered what happens to eggs when they get frozen? And most of all, are frozen eggs safe to eat?
What Happens to Eggs When They Get Frozen?
Like any other soft object, we can expect that the eggs, once frozen, they will get hard. Yes, they would, but would they get hard, let’s say, like an ice cube?
What will happen, as experience and science would dictate, is this: The liquid inside, the egg white and the yolk, will expand, and once it does, it will most likely break the shells of the eggs.
Is a cracked egg a big deal? Well. It should be: A cracked egg increases the risk of spoilage, which means that if you have cracked eggs, you also increase the risk of infection or food poisoning.
Having cracked eggs is a bad idea, either talking literally or figuratively. But we may ask, those cracked eggs are frozen anyway and still inside the fridge; why can’t we eat them?
Related: Want to know the health benefits of eating eggs?
Are Frozen Eggs Safe to Eat?
We should turn to those who know best: no less than the USDA, the leading authority on agricultural products, like poultry products such as eggs, suggests that not only we do not eat them. We should discard them right away in case the eggs crack.
The rationale is that a cracked egg, frozen or not, is susceptible to bacteria, increasing the risk of infection for those who consume it. That should have settled the case.
But wait, what if the egg is not cracked?
The suggestion from USDA is that if it is not cracked, we should keep it frozen until it is needed, then thaw them if we are going to use them. In short, we can eat a frozen egg, provided there is no crack in it, though most of the time, it will indeed have a crack on it; that is just nature.
But miracles do happen. So how will we deal with the frozen eggs put by the kids in the freezer, which miraculously did not suffer the fate of Humpty Dumpty?
Our government agency suggests that we thaw it until it is time we need it, but we then ask, will it be the same as our fresh eggs? Are they as good as other eggs in the fridge which are never frozen?
USDA says you can cook it, but it will be different from unfrozen ones; the egg yolk will become thick and syrup-like and will not blend with the egg white well, not with other ingredients.
Our dear government agency says that if your kids put those eggs in the freezer, good luck. It is not as delicious as other eggs; maybe we can try other eggs, the unfrozen ones.
So, What Are We Going to Do With Frozen Eggs?
The situation is not as bad as we suggested, for in truth, you can do something about the frozen eggs, and you can still have excellent uses for them. But you have to do some things first.
Ensure first that they are not cracked. Cracked eggs are prone to salmonella infestation, and you risk it if you have broken ones.
After checking the frozen chicken eggs for cracks, wash them, put them in an airtight container, then put them back in the freezer until you are ready to cook them.
If you are going to use them, defrost and thaw them. Let them stay in the fridge, preferably the warmest part, and let them stay there overnight, then break them once you are ready to use them.
If they are thawed, the egg will fall entirely once broken; if not, get the egg yolk using a fork. Whatever the case, the important thing is that you can still have some use for it.
But if the egg has a foul smell or has been defrosted but never used for cooking and lays there for some time, you better discard it. A foul odor is a sign that it is no longer fit for consumption, a result of a chemical reaction involving iron and sulfur in the egg.
It does not matter whether the egg is cracked or not or whether you follow everything; a bad smell is a sure sign that eggs are no longer edible.
Using The Defrosted Eggs
The eggs you have now are not the same as the fresh ones but never worry; they are still edible and handy as food ingredients.
It is a good idea to make scrambled eggs using those thawed frozen eggs. They are ideal for snacks, so if you want to be economical, you can make some for your kids.
You can have a hard-boiled egg and boil them all if there are too many. Hard-boiled eggs are ideal for making egg sandwiches; all you have to do is mix them with mayonnaise and add some onions and spices.
You can have a perfect snack for everybody, all the while making use of those miraculously uncracked frozen eggs from the fridge.
But one of the best uses for those eggs is as recipes in some desserts and snacks. It is not unusual for others to freeze eggs, especially if they are going to separate the egg white from the egg yolk, as this would make the activity easier.
Egg whites and egg yolks are commonly used as ingredients in some foods, such as buttercream. Some use them for cakes, especially for icings.
Others still use frozen eggs to make cupcakes, while some can make omelets or make it a part of other dishes, like some rolls and other sandwiches.
Final Thoughts
In truth, you can avoid all the trouble if no one ever puts eggs in a freezer and freezes them. Again, the USDA advises that freezing eggs intentionally is never a good idea; the good thing is that you can do something if someone ever pulls that prank.
But kidding aside, you must carefully and diligently follow the steps in thawing frozen eggs to keep them edible. They are no longer the same as fresh, but they can still be delicious, and there are various options for cooking and consuming thawed eggs.
But your health is your primary consideration. Always remember that you must discard cracked eggs, and uncracked ones with a foul smell are no longer edible.
There is no use risking your health because of frozen eggs. If you are unsure and want them fresh, you can always buy eggs.
