? about eggs and expiration date

[mln1968]

I have a dozen of eggs that are marked with an expiration date of 6/13 - 2 days from now. I'm wondering if I hard-boil them, do I still need to use them by 6/13 or will they last a bit longer after being cooked??

Thanks!

[Sherri]

A good kitchen truc to know: put the raw eggs - still in their shells - in a bowl of water. Any egg that floats is bad and ought to be tossed. Those that stay under water are fine. Really fresh eggs will lie on the bottom, those with a bit of age on them may stand up but remain under water. The floaters are the ones to avoid.

[JRCann]

good point, Sherri ... but with less than 100 gal of water for two -- to drink,to wash -- to do the dishes and to cook in a month, that would be a luxury. BTW All eggs float in seawater!

[Sherri]

I didn't notice the OP was aboard a boat, but he/she could certainly re-use the water if they're rationing. They could even float the eggs one-by-one in a glass if they're really water constrained.

[MaryDC]

Just a word of caution - I have had eggs go bad and when they go, you do not want to be in the vicinity when they are cracked open. It is a smell you will never, ever forget. The farm where I buy them says you have a good six weeks to consume them.

[Nyleve]

Eggs can last for months - MONTHS - past the "expiry" date on the carton. With time, the quality will slowly deteriorate - and by that I mean the white will thin and the air space will enlarge. Unless you notice that the egg smells noticeably rotten, it will still be perfectly edible and safe for ages and ages. I keep chickens and you can imagine that there are times when I simply can't keep up with the number of eggs but, refrigerated, they keep for a very long time.

[mln1968]

Thanks to all -- I didn't realize eggs kept that long, so that's good to know.

[JRCann]

Nyleve is spot on.

I lived on board a small sailboat for many years spending time cruising in third world countries. We regularly stored our eggs for up to a month or more (we probably ate them before they got much older). These were kept without refrigeration, eggs were just stored in a cool spot in the bilge (in the tropics mind you -- with seawater temp outside around 80F). If you can buy true fresh farm eggs (or at a typical 3rd world market) that have never been washed, they have a natural coating that acts as a preservative. If you have been around chickens you can tell by sight. Prewashed eggs, we would coat with veg oil (coconut) for the same reasons. Eggs should be turned over in their cartons at least once a week. When using the eggs always crack them one by one into a small cup first so as not to ruin an entire recipe if one should be bad. YOU WILL KNOW WHEN THAT HAPPENS!

[JRCann]

BTW, all my cruising friends would be in agreement that the hard boiled egg from the same batch will spoil within days, while its "sister" raw egg is still fine for weeks! I am sure the food police would have put us in jail and thrown the keys overboard... but we are none the worse for wear.

[mcel215]

I never even look at the expiration date and have never had a bad egg.

[hotoynoodle]

that's a sell-by date. eggs will last a very long time, even uncooked. don't stress.