Freezing Eggs

Q. Can fresh eggs be frozen for later use (out of the shell, of course)? The best buys in eggs are in a package of 18. For two people, it’s a long time to keep them in the refrigerator.

A. You can. However yolks don’t take to freezing very well. They become very gelatinous and you usually mix separated yolks with a bit or salt or sugar before you freeze them to keep them from turning to rubber (and you label them well so you don’t have to guess if you mixed them with salt or with sugar). Raw egg whites do not suffer from freezing (cooked egg whites are very rubbery).

If you’re going to freeze whole eggs, remove them from the shells, and mix them well before freezing. They can be kept frozen for a year, and should be thawed in the refrigerator the day before you intend to use them. You might try freezing a few eggs and see if the results are acceptable to you.

If you receive a windfall of eggs far beyond your capacity to use within a few weeks, they can be frozen—not in the shell, of course. Freeze only clean, fresh eggs.

Whites
Break and separate the eggs, one at a time, making sure that no yolk gets in the whites. Pour them into freezer containers, seal tightly, label with the number of egg whites and the date, and freeze. For faster thawing and easier measuring, first freeze each white in an ice cube tray and then transfer to a freezer container.

Yolks
Egg yolks require special treatment. The gelation property of yolk causes it to thicken or gel when frozen. If frozen as is, egg yolk will eventually become so gelatinous it will be almost impossible to use in a recipe. To help retard this gelation, beat in either 1/8 teaspoon salt or 1½ teaspoons sugar or corn syrup per ¼ cup egg yolks (4 yolks). Label the container with the number or yolks, the date, and whether you've added salt (for main dishes) or sweetener (for baking or desserts).

Whole eggs
Beat just until blended, pour into freezer containers, seal tightly, label with the number of eggs and the date, and freeze.

Hard cooked
Hard-cooked yolks can be frozen to use later for toppings or garnishes. Carefully place the yolks in a single layer in a saucepan and add enough water to come at least 1 inch above the yolks. Cover and quickly bring just to boiling. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, in the hot water about 15 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain well and package for freezing.

Hard-cooked whole eggs and whites become tough and watery when frozen, so don't freeze them.

To use frozen eggs
Thaw frozen eggs overnight in the refrigerator or under running cold water. Use yolks or whole eggs as soon as they're thawed. Once thawed, whites will beat to better volume if allowed to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Substitute 2 tablespoons thawed egg white for 1 Large fresh white.

Substitute 1 tablespoon thawed egg yolk for 1 Large fresh egg yolk.

Substitute 3 tablespoons thawed whole egg for 1 Large fresh egg.

Use thawed frozen eggs only in dishes that are thoroughly cooked.