Test Kitchen Tips to Determine If Your Eggs Are Bad
Whether you're eating them sunny-side-up, hard-boiled, or in a quiche, eggs are the ultimate breakfast menu item. Of course, eggs are also an essential ingredient for baking sweet and savory recipes including bread, cookies, cakes, noodles, and more. But when you don't go through a dozen before the expiration date is up, how do you tell if the eggs are bad? While the two dates on the carton can be confusing, you might be able to prevent food waste and use those eggs after all. Before you toss them in the trash, find out how long eggs actually last and use our Test Kitchen's go-to method for checking the freshness of eggs.
Michela Buttignol
Testing Eggs for Freshness
There are a few ways to test eggs to see if they're still usable for your morning scramble or cookie recipe. The easiest way to tell if your eggs are bad is the sink or float test (pictured above), but we'll go over all the methods so you can ensure those eggs are fresh.
The Egg Float Test
Scientifically speaking, the older the eggs are, the more porous the shells become, creating an air sac that separates the membrane (not good). To easily test eggs for freshness, start with a bowl of water cool water and gently drop in the eggs in question. If the egg immediately sinks and lays flat on its side, they are fresh. Eggs that sink with the tip slanted or pointing upward are still good, but you'll want to use them soon. Toss any eggs that float.
Smell Test
You've probably heard the phrase "smells like a rotten egg." This sentiment holds true here in that if you catch a whiff of a rotten, sulfurous smell upon cracking, it means the eggs have gone bad.
Check the Egg Whites
Remember the air sacs mentioned in the float test? The air that's coming into those porous shells can cause the egg whites to change appearance. Fresh egg whites should appear thick and slightly opaque. Bad eggs will have whites that are watery and clear. The egg yolks on bad eggs will also appear flat and not in a dome shape.
Related: Are Cracked Eggs Safe to Use or Freeze?
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How Long Do Eggs Last?
While the date on the carton is a good place to start when it comes to storing fresh eggs, you can gauge how long they'll last by how they're stored (in or out of the shell). Here's a general timeline to follow for how long eggs last.
The Best Way to Store Eggs
According to the American Egg Board (AEB), it's important to store eggs in the refrigerator at a temperature of 40ºF or less. There are some egg storage containers out there, but the AEB recommends keeping them in their original carton, away from pungent foods, and not on the door of the fridge.
Freezing Eggs
Eggs in the "eat soon" phase? Freeze them to avoid having to toss them. Place slightly beaten whole eggs (or separate the egg yolks and whites) in an airtight container for up to 1 year. Don't forget to label the containers with a date. Allow the eggs to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before use. Since egg yolks thicken when frozen, the AEB says to beat in either ⅛ teaspoon salt or 1½ teaspoon sugar or corn syrup per ¼ cup yolks (4 Large). Oh, and it's not recommended to freeze whole eggs in their shells or hard-boiled eggs.
Related: Egg Substitutes That Go Beyond Refrigerated Egg Product
If you're looking for ways to use up almost-bad eggs, our Test Kitchen loves turning them into hard-boiled eggs, as slightly older eggs are easier to peel. Complete your menu with an egg casserole for brunch or a breakfast-for-dinner recipe.
