Fermentation to powdering: Ways you can preserve eggs at home
With these six methods, the humble egg's shelf life can go upto a week and even to a year! Try them at your own risk.
Food preservation and recycling is quite the trend these days. People are constantly looking for ways and methods to make their food last longer than usual and make maximum use out of them.
Although economies are slowly whirring into motion and the supply chain is being restored to normal, there is still a great demand for increasing the longevity of food products.
Miso Egg - Lasts: 1 week: The Miso Egg makes for a great addition to bowls of ramen and can even be had as a snack by itself. Simply Boil the eggs in water, and cover them up with Miso paste. Then put them in a fridge and recover them one day later. The longer you leave them in the paste, the saltier they get.
Cured Egg Yolk - Lasts:1 month: Salted egg yolk is used in Asian cooking, for instance, it forms the innermost core of Chinese mooncakes. The recipe involves coating the eggs in a dish with salt, sugar and herbs to taste. Refrigerate them for about a week, and leave it to dry in a muslin cloth. The resulting egg yolk is grateable and acts almost like a hard cheese.
Fermented Egg - Lasts: 1-2 months: Fermentation is a popular form of food preservation done since times immemorial. To preserve eggs through this process, kimchi salad can be coupled with hard boiled eggs. They can be fermented for a week, and can last a month or two depending on usage. The resulting taste of the eggs, however, is an acquired taste.
Pickled Egg - Lasts: 6 months: This recipe is probably the easiest on the list. Simply boil the eggs and use pickling vinegar to make them last. You can add some cloves or cardamoms for extra taste. They can last up to six months and are spicy, tangy and absolutely great as a pairing with your meal.
Century Egg - Lasts:1 year: Chinese century eggs have been around for about 600 years. True to its name, the century egg can literally last for upto a year. They look quite unappealing and the process of making them can be quite tedious. Add Sodium Hydroxide, salt and tea and preserve the eggs for ten days. This method, however, is not recommended due to its complexity and perils of trying at home.
Powdered Egg - Lasts:5 years: One of the easiest processes, powdering is a quick way of preserving things for more than their shelf life. This method requires you to use a dehydrator and then grind the crystallised eggs into a fine powder. Though the investment involved in this method is relatively higher, the results can last for a whopping five years.