How Fresh Are Your Eggs? The Float Test

Our girls start laying more once the shorter days of Winter are behind us and we enter Spring. It’s natures signal to renew and I just love the symbolism in it all. We usually find ourselves with an abundance of eggs which make their way to our counter until we use them. I know this isn’t the best method for making sure we eat the ‘oldest’ eggs first but I’ve tried different storage racks and can’t seem to find one that works for us.

So the eggs get stored in an old bowl on our counter. The newer eggs will often end up mixed in or even on top of the older eggs.  Not ideal. To be be sure I don’t end up using an old egg, I ALWAYS use the float test before cooking.

It’s very simple and always puts my mind at ease.

What You’ll Need:

  • Clear glass jar (deep enough to fill halfway with water and cover an egg without overflowing)
  • Water
  • Your eggs

Method:

  • Fill your glass container with enough water to completely cover an egg
  • Gently rest one egg at the bottom of your container to see if it sinks or floats (see images below)
    • Repeat for all eggs; discarding those that float (not fresh)

An egg that sinks and remains laying on the bottom of jar is as fresh as it gets. As in the above image.

As the egg looses its freshness it will begin to float. In the above image, the egg is still touching the bottom of the glass jar at its base but the other end of the egg is beginning to rise/float. I would still use this egg but you may choose not to.

 

The egg in the above image is completely floating. It is no-good and I would not use this egg. It is important to note, that not all eggs that float are bad due to age. I have a hen that lays eggs with very thin shells (due to her age) and they always float. Therefore we never use.

The float test is an easy way to ensure you never accidentally cook with a spoiled egg.

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