One of the most frequent questions that I get
about eggs,
besides safety issues, is "How long can I keep eggs past the date
on the carton?"
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) requires
that any egg carton date be no more than 30 days after the eggs
were packed. However, as long as the 30-day limit is observed,
states may set other rules and, in some cases, even individual
retail stores may set their own standards. To learn exactly how
many days a "sell-by" or "expiration" date allows after packing,
it's best to ask the retailer.
You may, though, be able to tell how old your eggs are by
checking a three-number code on the small side of the carton.
It's a Julian date, with "001" representing January 1 and "365"
standing for December 31. This is the day the eggs were packed.
They'll keep in your refrigerator at least 4 to 5 weeks after
this date. If you can't find a Julian date, using your eggs
within about 3 weeks or so of purchase allows for the possibility
that your eggs may have been temporarily stored by the retailer
before you bought them.
The best way to judge freshness is to use the Julian date.
But, the major differences in older eggs relate merely to
appearance. As an egg ages, it takes in air and loses moisture
and carbon dioxide. This causes the white to thin out and
spread, the yolk to flatten, and the yolk membrane to weaken,
making it more likely the yolk may break. Older eggs may spread
more in the pan when fried and more wisps of "angel hairs" in the
water may be visible when they are poached. It's actually
beneficial, though, to use slightly older eggs--refrigerated for
a week to 10 days--for hard-cooking. As the egg takes in air,
the air cell between the shell and shell membranes grows, making
it easier to peel.
Egg safety is not strongly related to age. With modern
candling and quality-control methods, "rotten" eggs are a thing
of the past. In today's frost-free refrigerators, eggs are more
likely to dry up than to "spoil". Refrigeration will not affect
whether or not Salmonella, or any, bacteria are present. If they
are, they will not grow under refrigeration, but may at room
temperature. That's one reason why eggs should always be
refrigerated. Another is that refrigeration hinders the aging
process. In one day at room temperature, an egg can age as much
as it would in a week in the refrigerator!
As for today's recipes, traditionally the first week of May
is "Egg Salad Week". So enjoy these egg salad recipes this week,
or any time!
MOLDED DEVILED EGG SALAD
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
1/4 cup catsup
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 (3 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon grated onion
3 drops hot sauce
6 hard-cooked eggs, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped green pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
2 tablespoons finely chopped pimento
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
Leaf lettuce
Soften gelatin in water in a saucepan; let stand 1 minute.
Place over medium heat; stir until dissolved. Remove from heat;
stir in catsup and vinegar.
Combine cream cheese and mayonnaise; beat until smooth.
Add gelatin mixture, onion, and hot sauce; stir well, and chill
until consistency of unbeaten egg white. Fold in next 5
ingredients; spoon into lightly oiled 1/2-cup molds. Cover and
chill until firm. Unmold on a lettuce-lined plate. Yield: 5
servings.
BACON-HORSERADISH EGG SALAD
6 large hard-cooked eggs, chopped
1 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped green onions
7 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1 1/2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; set aside.
Combine mayonnaise and next 4 ingredients; fold into egg
mixture. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve as a salad or sandwich
filling. Yield: 3 cups.
