How to: Water Glass Eggs for Long-Term Storage

When your backyard chickens are over-producing during the warmer months and you can’t keep up, water glassing your eggs makes them shelf-stable for 12-18 months with very minimal effort.

We are currently getting only 3-5 eggs per day from our small flock, but as we don’t eat eggs every day, these do add up quickly.

What to do with excess eggs

When you have an over-abundance of eggs you can use them in many ways such as Homemade Sourdough Pasta, Quiche or you can freeze them in ice cubes for later use.

Fresh, unwashed eggs can be stored in a cool, dark space for up to 6 months with no issue, but adding in the extra step of water glassing them can help them keep for twice or three-times as long.

What is water glassing?

Well before refrigeration was an option, water glassing was how eggs were kept long-term.

The addition of pickling lime, also known as Calcium Hydroxide, helps seal the pores of the eggshell to create a barrier against bacteria.

Other than the fact you will have fresh eggs on hand at any given time, the greatest part of this process is that it takes very little time. Literally less than 5 minutes from start to finish.

Top tips for water glassing eggs

Even though this is a fairly straight-forward process, below are a few tips that can help you produce the best eggs.

• Fresh is best! Use only fresh, unwashed, unrefrigerated eggs. Eggs are laid with a film on them called the Bloom. This is a protective layer that helps keep bacteria from penetrating through the porous eggshells and into the egg inside.
• Bigger is better! Use the largest jar you have on hand. You want to make sure that all of the eggs are below the surface of the water/lime solution to ensure their preservation. It is also easier to store fewer large jars than it is more small jars.
• Sooner rather than later! If possible, utilise eggs that are fresh that day. The longer the eggs are left before water glassing, the lower quality they will be when you go to use them. The egg’s bloom isn’t as intact, which can lead to the yolks breaking when you go to use them, which can make separating the yolk & white impossible if needed in your recipe.
• Storage is key! Where you store the jars is important. Go with a dark, cool corner in your pantry, but not hidden away so they are forgotten. If the eggs are exposed to sunlight, they can heat & crack in the jar… Eww!

Step by step water glassing

Step 1: Use only fresh eggs

Eggs that are still fresh (only a few days old) will yield the best results when water glassing. They need to be unwashed & unrefrigerated to ensure that the bloom is still intact and the pickling lime will seal the pores in the jar.

Check each egg for cracks to ensure there will be no issues inside the jar. As one broken egg can ruin an entire jar of eggs.

If your eggs are dirty, think mud, straw and chicken poop, DO NOT WASH them. Simply rub them with a dry cloth to remove as much of the muck as you can.

Carefully stack the eggs into your jar, ensuring not to drop any to avoid cracking.

Step 2: Make the pickling lime solution

The amount of pickling lime solution you will require will depend on the number of eggs and size of jars you are preserving.

Just remember to use the ratio of 1 litre of filtered water to 1 tablespoon of pickling lime. Size up or down this ratio to ensure you have enough solution to completely submerge all eggs. Note: ensure that your water is chlorine-free, to avoid adding any other things in to the solution which may affect the end result.

Add the pickling lime solution to each jar to ensure that each egg is fully submerged. If the solution doesn’t quite reach the top, it is ok to top it off with a little more unfiltered water, but don’t overdo it as this will change the ratio.

Step 3: Storing the jars

Add lids to the jars, clear some space in your pantry & place the jars in a cool, dark corner.

Make sure you date the jars & store for 12-18 months.

Using water glassed eggs

Once you are ready to use your water glassed eggs, remove as many as you need from the jar (I use a slotted spoon or tongs to get them out) & give the shell a good rinse under some fresh, running water.

I tend to crack each egg individually into a small bowl, just in case there is an issue & to ensure they look & smell as they should.

You can use water glassed eggs in exactly the same way you would fresh eggs.

• fried eggs for breakfast
• beaten and turned into quiche
• added to cake batter & baked
• fresh homemade pasta

The only difference you may notice between a fresh egg & a water glassed egg, is that at times, a water glassed egg can come out a little watery. There is nothing wrong with them, this can just happen if your eggs you use are more than 1-2 days old, as the water can penetrate the shell before the lime hardens it.

Commonly asked questions

Can I use any eggs?

No, you can only use FRESH eggs (less than a week old) to ensure that the bloom is still intact & they preserve correctly.

Why water glass eggs?

Long-term shelf life! Preserving eggs using the water glassing method ensures that when you have an over-abundance of eggs coming in from your chickens, they don’t go to waste. They can keep for 12-18 months and give you access to fresh eggs during the cooler months when your chickens either slow down or completely stop laying.

Is pickling lime safe?

Yes, pickling lime is safe for use in water glassing eggs. There are safety precautions that need to be taken when mixing the lime with the water, which is ensuring you are in a well-ventilated space, keeping it away from sources of heat & not breathing in the mist/vapours while mixing.

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