Pilgrim Hen's Farm Egg Info
EGGS
Ah, farm eggs! There's nothing like 'em! If you have never had eggs
from a farm hen, you are missing a treat. Unlike store boughten eggs,
which are watery and have pale yolks, farm eggs have thick whites and
bright orange yolks (if the hens are allowed to browse and get greens
in their diet). Eggs from the store are usually quite old, about a month
away from the chickens that laid them.
There is no need to wash farm eggs, unless they have a lot of dirt or
poop stuck to them. Once an egg departs its hen, it has something called
“bloom” which is an invisible thin layer, like a wrapping over the shell,
that helps keep it fresh. If you wash them, you wash off the bloom and they
won't keep as long. With the bloom, they can be kept at room temperature
(yes, really) for up to three weeks. Of course in the refrigerator, a farm egg will keep much longer.
How to Test for Freshness
To test to see if an egg is fresh, put it in a bowl of water. If the eggs
tips noticeably upward, or even floats, it is stale. A fresh egg will lie on
its side. Or if you are going to crack it anyway, crack it into a separate empty
bowl (not into your butter and sugar or whatever) . The white and yolk will cling
together and the yolk will be nice and round. An egg with a watery, runny white
and flat yolk is not in its prime. If the yolk breaks apart, it is definitely not
good. Give it a sniff-- there should be no odor.
It is true that very fresh eggs should not be used for boiled eggs. If you boil
fresh eggs, they will be very difficult to peel and pieces of egg will be torn off
with the shell. Not very pretty if you are making stuffed eggs for company! Another
tip for stuffed eggs is to put your eggs (before they are boiled) into an egg carton
and lay the carton on one side for a day or two, then the other side for a day or two.
That way you will have nice centered yolks when you boil them.
The Color of the Shell
Brown eggs and white eggs are both just eggs. Like people, the color on the outside
is no indication of what's inside. A brown egg and a white egg taste the same and if
farm eggs, will both be lovely and nutritious. In case you are wondering, brown eggs
come from brown egg laying chickens, and white eggs come from white egg laying chickens.
It is according to the breed of the bird. Most old time breeds and Asian breeds are “heavy”
chickens and lay brown eggs (of varying shades), and the “light” Mediterranean breeds lay
white eggs. And then there are green eggs that the South American breed Auracana hens lay.
Some call these Ameraucana-- I am not sure why.
What do I have? Brown egg layers. The heavy breeds are more calm and docile, the lighter
breeds (like Leghorns) are flighty and nervous. So it is personality I go for. We also have
a few green egg layers. Auracanas are very nice birds that come in an array of colors. We have
hatched chicks here at home from a cross of Auracanas and brown egg breeds and the resulting
hens lay pretty olive colored eggs!
How Big is “Large”?
Back to the good part... eating eggs. Most recipes call for “large” eggs. Large in reference
to an egg is a standard government measure. A large egg weighs 2 ounces. To give you an idea
of how other sizes compare, a cup of eggs is 6 “medium”, 5 “large”, or 4 “extra large”.
Leftovers
If you need only whites, you can keep yolks in the refrigerator for 3 days if you pour a thin
layer of water over the top and cover with plastic wrap (to keep them from drying out and forming
a thick skin. Left over whites can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for several days. You
can also freeze leftover UNbeaten egg whites. To freeze yolks, you need to add 1 teaspoon of sugar
per 6 yolks OR 1/2 teaspoon of salt per 6 yolks.
Have an over abundance of eggs? Here are my favorite recipes that call for lots of eggs...
RECIPES COMING SOON!
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