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| What is water glassing? Water glassing eggs involves submerging clean, unwashed, eggs in a pickling lime and water solution to seal off the shell and preserve them for up to 2 years. The result is perfectly fresh, unspoiled eggs, just like they were the day the hen laid them. Haley Oliver, from Fertile Crescent Farms, walks us through the step-by-step procedure so that we can preserve our eggs for personal use, barter, or donation. |
| A great way to preserve farm fresh eggs so that you can continue to enjoy them throughout the winter is to water glass them. Water-glassing is an old process that dates back to the late 1800s. It is a simple, old-fashioned way to preserve eggs for long term storage. It involves mixing food-grade pickling lime in water and submerging eggs in the mixture. It is the same lime that you use to make homemade crunchy pickles. This additive works to preserve eggs by sealing the pores in the egg shells and preventing bacteria or air from passing through resulting in a longer lasting preserved egg. To do this yourself, you just need to follow a few simple steps: 1. Get some eggs. They must be fresh, unwashed (but clean), less than a week old eggs. You cannot water glass store bought eggs. 2. Get some containers. We prefer 1/2 gallon mason jars but you can use almost anything. Some people use buckets with lids and some use just bigger jars. |
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| 3. Make your water and lime solution. Mix 1 weighted ounce of pickling lime for every quart of water. Our 1/2 gallon jars took exactly 1 quart of solution and it took us 3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon of lime to equal one weighted ounce on the scale. |
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| 4. Place eggs carefully into the containers. Try to keep the eggs either flat or big side up. (1 1/2 dozen eggs fit in each half gallon jar.) 5. Pour solution over the eggs. Make sure all eggs are completely under the solution. |
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| 6. Put on the lid and you’re all done! You do not have to can them, just screw on the lid finger tight. Water glassed eggs can last for 1-2 years on the counter or in the pantry. |
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| Enjoy your eggs! Be sure to pass along this food preservation process to other people you know. Invite them to join Shaome Cooperative by signing up for our free newsletter. |