Water glassing eggs is a preservation method that involves submerging eggs in a solution of water and calcium hydroxide, also known as pickling lime. This forms a protective coating around the eggs, sealing the pores of the shell and preventing air and bacteria from entering. This technique was commonly used in the past before refrigeration to extend the shelf life of eggs.
Chickens have seasonal egg-laying patterns. During the winter, when days are shorter and natural light is reduced, chickens tend to lay fewer eggs or stop laying altogether. This poses a challenge for those who rely on a steady egg supply. Waterglassing provides a solution by allowing you to preserve surplus eggs from the productive seasons, ensuring a consistent source of nutrition even when chickens naturally reduce their egg output. By capturing the surplus eggs during the peak laying period, waterglassing enables you to enjoy fresh eggs even when chickens take a seasonal break from egg production.
To water glass eggs, mix 1 oz of pickling lime to 2 quarts of water, then gently place clean, uncracked eggs into the solution, ensuring they are fully submerged. Store the container in a cool, dark place, and the eggs can remain preserved for several months, even up to a year.
I store mine in half gallon mason jars. 12-14 eggs fit per jar which is a good amount at a time for my family. If you use more eggs at a time or have an over abundance you can store them in bigger glass jars or even food grade plastic buckets. Just make sure to keep the same ratio of pickling lime to water.
To use water glassed eggs carefully remove egg from solution. Wash egg really well before cracking. You don’t want to get any pickling lime in your eggs. Crack each egg individually in its own bowl, check for spoilage. Eggs can spoil if there were any cracks on them. I use two bowls. I crack into one and then dump into second larger bowl to hold all the good eggs.
I use Mrs. Wagners Pickling Lime. It comes in a 1 pound resealable bag so it works really well for me for a season.
If you are preserving a lot of eggs, you can get pickling lime in bulk from azure standard. They are great for specialty items and organics. I live in Amish country so I get better prices locally for most things but I use azure for all my einkorn products and raw milk cheeses.
I use half gallon mason jars to store my eggs in. You can sometimes find them at Walmart but they go out of stock really fast. I try and order all my jars and lids I’ll need for the next season in the winter but if you need them now you can find them here.
