# Egg yolks/egg whites.. how do you store them?



## Maverick2272 (Feb 17, 2008)

I recently decided to expand back into trying my hand at what I consider more delicate recipes from cooking to baking.
So, I am reading about recipes that require a certain number of egg yolks or a certain number of egg whites or a mixture of both but not the same number. IE you are left with a couple of yolks only or some egg whites only after finishing the recipe.
What do you do with the leftovers? Do you store them and if so how and how long can you?
Or is there some creative way you use them up?


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## Katie H (Feb 17, 2008)

When I have a lot of egg whites left, I store them in tiny little Tupperware containers called Midgets.  They hold about 1 large egg white.  I then store them in the freezer for later use.  I use them for egg wash on my breads,  to make meringues, etc.  One thing you do have to do is to make sure the containers are completely free of oils because the whites won't whip up properly if there's even the tiniest bit of oil/fat in them.  To make sure my containers are oil-free, I wipe them out with a paper towel dipped in white vinegar.

For egg yolks, if I only have a few, I usually cover them with cold water and store them, covered, in the refrigerator to add to scrambled or in sauces.  If I have a lot left, I will put them in the freezer as I do the whites.  Frozen egg yolks have a different texture when they're frozen so I use them in baked goods.

Been doing this for years and years with no mishaps.


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## pacanis (Feb 17, 2008)

That's really interesting, Katie. I had no idea you could freeze either raw, or store the yolk in the fridge with water. Cool stuff.


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## ChefRuby (Feb 17, 2008)

Make either white or yellow omelet. I don't think yolk or white can be stored for long period after taken out of the shell.


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## buckytom (Feb 18, 2008)

sorry, can't help mav.
mine get mixed into the broken shells and are cooked and fed to my parrots. 
it seems cannabilistic, but the little feathered dinos love them, and i don't have to worry about waste.


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## Katie H (Feb 18, 2008)

pacanis said:


> That's really interesting, Katie. I had no idea you could freeze either raw, or store the yolk in the fridge with water. Cool stuff.



It's worked well for me for many years, pacanis.  When all 5 of our children were at home, Buck and I used to buy eggs by the 15-dozen case and freeze bunches.  It was the only way to fill the "hole" otherwise known as a stomach that our 4 boys had.

I'd gently mix (trying not to incorporate any air) about 3 whole eggs at a time and freeze them with plastic wrap placed directly on the surface and then stored in Tupperware containers.  Most of my cakes and baked goods used 3 eggs so that's what those were used for.

I would also do the same thing with 6 to 8 eggs for scrambled eggs for the children's breakfast.

It was a juggling game sometimes, but it worked for us.  Wow, those days seem so long ago.  Actually, I guess it was.  The children are now "big" people, some of whom are "looking" at 40.

Now it's just Buck and me and I'm still trying to scale back my cooking.  Thankfully I'm getting much better at that.


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## pacanis (Feb 18, 2008)

Sounds like you were running a regular cafeteria there


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## Maverick2272 (Feb 18, 2008)

I honestly didn't think anyone would say you could freeze them, I would have thought the texture would change too much to be useful after thawed... very cool to know that thanks!
But you are still saying if I choose to freeze them I should use them in baking and not add into scrambled eggs as it would be 'off'?
I like the idea of using them as egg wash, if I can get DW back into baking her breads LOL.
So how long can you store them in the fridge if you choose to do that? A couple of days? I am thinking maybe I will just plan it so if I have a couple of yolks left over, or whites, I will just mix them in with fresh eggs within a couple of days and make scrambled eggs or omelets?


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## Katie H (Feb 18, 2008)

Maverick2272 said:


> I honestly didn't think anyone would say you could freeze them, I would have thought the texture would change too much to be useful after thawed... very cool to know that thanks!
> But you are still saying if I choose to freeze them I should use them in baking and not add into scrambled eggs as it would be 'off'?
> I like the idea of using them as egg wash, if I can get DW back into baking her breads LOL.
> So how long can you store them in the fridge if you choose to do that? A couple of days? I am thinking maybe I will just plan it so if I have a couple of yolks left over, or whites, I will just mix them in with fresh eggs within a couple of days and make scrambled eggs or omelets?



Yes, Maverick, you can use them scrambled.  Look at my recent post about buying eggs in 15-dozen lots.  If you are hesitant to use all frozen in scrambled, use half frozen, half fresh.

I can't really give an estimate about how long whites, yolks, whole eggs will last in the refrigerator once cracked from their shell.  Most of the time, mine are used up within a few days.

For example, I'm going to bake baguettes tomorrow and will need an egg white for the egg wash.  I'll store the yolk and use it later in the week to add it to a quiche-like dish I have planned.  One more egg yolk will simply make the mixture richer.


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## Maverick2272 (Feb 18, 2008)

Ahh, sorry missed that. Thanks for the info, makes me feel better about trying this stuff out and not wasting eggs.
Thanks!


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## jennyema (Feb 19, 2008)

When freezing egg *yolks* you must add either some salt or sugar to them or they will be very gelatinous when thawed.


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