Checking the shell's life: How long do hard-boiled eggs keep?
You already know how to prepare the perfect boiled eggs, but how long do they last? The answer isn't as simple as you might think, so read on!
When you have few boiled eggs left over after breakfast or a nest full of brightly colored eggs at Easter, you might find yourself wondering how long boiled eggs are edible and where they are best stored.
The shelf life of an egg depends on the ambient room temperature. For home use, storage in the fridge is the best option, but the freezer is not recommended for fresh or boiled eggs.
Hard-boiled and soft-boiled eggs keep for varying lenghts of time, but the shell is crucial for all of them. If it is damaged, germs can get in and the egg will go bad faster.
What many people don't realize is that force cooling or "shocking" boiled eggs under running water actually damages the shell, so if you want the cooked egg to last longer, let it air cool.
How long do hard boiled eggs stay good in the fridge or at room temperature?
Hard-boiled/hard-boiled dyed eggs
not shocked
- in the refrigerator: 2 - 4 weeks
- at room temperature: 1 week
shocked
- in the refrigerator: 2 weeks
- at room temperature: 2 - 3 days
Peeled eggs will not keep at room temperature, but Seran wrap will help them keep for two to three days in the refrigerator.
Soft-boiled eggs
The shelf life is the same as that of hard-boiled eggs, but soft-boiled eggs lose their flavor after two to three days.
Fresh eggs
- if store bought, in the refrigerator (only): 4 - 6 weeks
- if farm fresh and unwashed: at room temp for 2 - 3 weeks
It may come as a surprise to some, but even fresh eggs are still edible up to two weeks after the best-before date. However, they shouldn't be used as raw ingredients and need to be well-heated or cooked first.
How to tell if the egg is still fresh
If you have any doubts about an egg's shelf life, then this can be tested with a few simple tricks. The eggshell gives the first indication of its condition. If it is damaged or sticky, that's the sign of a bad egg.
There are three ways to check if the raw egg is still fresh.
1. Place the egg in a container of cold water. Fresh eggs sink to the bottom. Older ones lie at an angle in the water and can still be eaten when well heated. Spoiled eggs straighten up or float on the surface due to gases inside.
2. To test the shelf life, crack the egg into a bowl. If the yolk is flat and the white is watery, then it is an older egg. With fresh eggs, the yolk is curved and lies in the middle of the tougher egg white mass.
3. Crack the egg for the smell test. If the egg smells sulfurous or sour, then it has gone bad. Fresh eggs have no smell.
You should cut open a boiled egg lengthwise to determine its shelf life. If no air pockets are visible and the yolk is in the center, the egg is still fresh. A slightly bluish color or a green ring around the yolk is only due to a reaction during cooking and is not harmful to your health.
If you're just not sure whether an egg is still edible, it's better not to eat it. Be equally cautious with dishes containing raw eggs, which should be consumed within a day.
Cover photo: unsplash/Louis Hansel