How long do hardboiled eggs last?
Do you know how long you can keep a peeled egg? This article is for all the kitchen experts. If you are in a hurry and have kept the hard-boiled eggs saved, how would you determine that those eggs are still edible?
It is an intelligent decision to keep the eggs boiled saved for a long time. It is a time-saving solution for your kitchen. Hard-boiled eggs are rich in protein which makes them highly nutritious. You need to include them in your daily diet plan to stay healthy and active. Since they are a part of a balanced meal, you need to know how to preserve them for a longer duration.
Let us walk you through some basic steps to identify the proper ways to save your eggs. Likewise, we will guide you on how to keep them fresh and lasting. Lastly, we will tell you about the signs which help determine whether they are edible and healthy to eat or not.
What Are the Proper Ways to Preserve Eggs?
When you start boiling the eggs, you might have observed that the shells get more rough than smooth. The reason is that the protective layer over the eggshells is removed once boiled. Like our skin, this coating helps protect the eggs from any bacteria or pathogens entering them. This coating allows the eggs to stay safe from air and microorganisms.
When you extract the perfectly boiled eggs from the boiling water, you need to keep them at room temperature to cool down. As soon as they are cooled off, refrigerate them at your earliest.
This step will prevent the eggs from soiling. The low temperatures in the refrigerator stop the growth of the bacteria. Bacteria require the optimum temperature to grow, and putting the eggs in the fridge will slow down the process.
Preferably, let the eggs sit after pulling them out of hot water. But put them into the refrigerator within 2 hours of boiling. Room temperature will initiate bacterial growth, which can spoil the eggs.
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How Should I Keep Them in The Refrigerator?
Ideally, it would help if you kept them saved in an airtight glass jar on the refrigerator shelf. It is not advisable to keep them on the eggshell rotten in the refrigerator door because you will open and close the refrigerator now and then. This may hinder the appropriate preservation mechanism.
Can I Peel the Eggs and Then Preserve Them?
Soft boiled eggs or peeled eggs are more prone to get soiled. We would always recommend waiting before peeling the eggs till you are ready to eat the eggs or use them. Once you have peeled them, it is essential to keep them in the refrigerator.
Similar to the unpeeled eggs, you need to keep them in an airtight jar. Alongside, keep a paper towel wrapped around the eggs to prevent them from losing their moisture.
Can You Eat the Hard-Boiled Eggs After Ten Days?
The answer to this question depends on if you have preserved the boiled eggs rightly or not. If you have kept them saved using the parameters we have laid out, it will be safe to binge on them. However, if you see any signs of rotten eggs, we recommend you discard the eggs.
- As per the United States Department of Agriculture research, you can save hard-boiled eggs for up to seven days in the refrigerator. They stay fresh, safe, and edible during this time frame.
- If you are unsure how long it has been since you have stored the eggs, check the eggshells in several cases. If they appear slimy or chalky, this might indicate that they have been spoiled already. Discard the eggs at your earliest.
How Can You Tell A Boiled Egg Is Bad?
Many signs can help you identify if the egg is spoiled or not. These include:
- The eggshell appears slimy or chalky
- Foul odor from the eggs
- Distinctive color changes
- Fungus on the outer shell
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How Long Do Hard-Boiled Eggs Last?
Peeled or unpeeled, both the hard-boiled eggs last for about a week in the refrigerator. However, if you have kept them outside at room temperature, they will get spoiled within a few hours. You can keep them at room temperature for about an hour or two.
FAQs
Why my refrigerator smells as I put the eggs? Are the eggs spoiled already?
When you begin cooking eggs, a compound is released named hydrogen sulfide. This gives rise to a mild odor when you refrigerate the boiled eggs. You don’t need to worry if the eggs have spoiled or anything that has gone wrong.
The smell will subside within a few hours. And meanwhile, you can use these eggs too. This is harmless and purely natural.
Is it okay to freeze the hard-boiled eggs so that I can preserve them for a longer duration?
We would not recommend freezing the eggs. This affects the taste of the egg. The shallow temperatures prevent the growth of microorganisms, but at the same time, it hardens the egg white and yolk. As they both get more rigid, it makes the yolk waterier, which hinders the taste of the egg.
My egg yolk has turned green within the first two days of refrigerating the egg. Is it safe to eat that?
The color change is not the only parameter that defines if the egg has been spoiled or not. When you keep the eggs to boil, they release hydrogen sulfide. When you overcook the egg, this hydrogen sulfide reacts with the iron in the yolk and gives a grey or greenish color.
The color of the egg yolk varies on the cooking time. If you have boiled it for 15 minutes, they will appear paler. But as time passes, the egg yolk can turn green.
There is no need to panic. You can still enjoy the eggs if they are not showing any signs of rot.
How would I determine the duration of the storage? Is there any way to detect that?
You may indeed forget the date when you kept the eggs inside the refrigerator. In such cases, you can check for the signs of spoiled eggs or assess them. If they show any of the signs mentioned above, discard the eggs.
Other than that, we suggest you correctly label the date when you have kept the boiled eggs in the fridge. Often, due to extreme hurry, we miss on that part and end up getting sick. Sticky notes will work too!
What will happen if I ate spoiled boiled eggs?
If you have ingested rotten boiled eggs either mistakenly or due to some other reason, you may develop the signs of foodborne disease. The classic symptoms include abdominal pain and discomfort, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and secondary infections.
Here is what you can do to keep track of it:
- Label the container with the proper date and time.
- If you check for spoiled eggs, make sure that you assess them by the signs and symptoms rather than check them by tasting them.
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Tips and Tweaks:
Can I use the stored hard-boiled eggs to make different dishes?
Yes, obviously. Once stored, you can make easy-to-cook and delicious dishes with hard-boiled eggs, including deviled eggs or egg salad.
Is there any easier way to peel off the boiled eggs?
Once boiled, you can take ice water and dip those eggs into it. Let them sit in the ice bath for 10 to 12 minutes. The eggs have gone through extreme temperatures of high heat and flame. The water will absorb the heat, and then the eggs will get easier to peel.
Takeaway
We discussed how long you could keep the boiled eggs fresh in your refrigerator. We discussed the proper methods to preserve the hard-boiled eggs, both unpeeled or peeled ones. If you follow the guidelines correctly, you can use the boiled eggs for a more extended period. Happy eating!
