The chickens are still laying like little machines so I’m getting quite a few eggs still. So many that despite being the supplier to my parents and well as the kids I’m getting fed up with eggs. Egg overload. There is now a little pile of eggs and more being added daily.
So I had a look at what I can do to preserve them for future use when things are not so good and came across the following technique which uses a dehydrator to powder the eggs. These can then be reconstituted. The first method given here does not cook them prior to powdering and thus can still contain salmonella. This lack of cooking however allows them to be reconstituted to make scrambled eggs which the second method will not, or not a very tasty version anyway.
Obviously powdered egg cannot be used to make boiled, fried or poached eggs, I do like a boiled egg but don’t have them fried or poached anyway. They are ideal for scrambled egg, which I love and for baking which is fine.
The method which allows tasty scrambled egg.
1) Beat six eggs to a fine paste in a bowl.
2) Lightly grease the fruit roll sheet in the dehydrator.
3) Pour the eggs onto the Fruit Rolls sheet.
4) Set the temperature to 145oF.
5) Set the timer for 16 hours.
6) Grind the dried chunks into a fine powder.
7) Label and store away in an air tight container.
8) Store in a cool dark place.
If you are concerned about the potential for salmonella. Perhaps you may be unable to fully cook your reconstituted eggs or you may use the egg powder as an additive, you can use this method which cooks the eggs first.
A method that fully cooks the eggs.
1) Beat six eggs to a fine paste in a bowl.
2) Cook in a pan to make scrambled eggs.
3) Place the scrambled egg onto the drying rack in your dehydrator.
4) Set the temperature to 145oF.
5) Set the timer for 4 hours. Check the chunks are brittle.
6) Grind the dried chunks into a fine powder.
7) Label and store away in an air tight container.
8) Store in a cool dark place.
For long term storage we should use both these methods to make powdered egg. Just make sure that they are correctly labelled. Think about how much scrambled egg you use compared to what you use for baking. I will be storing more from the second method in my prepping stores. I’m thinking at a ration of 9 to 1.
Using the powdered egg
Reconstituting the powder is simple. To make one average sized egg mix 1 heaping tablespoon of egg powder together with 2 tablespoons of water. Stir it up, let it sit for 5 min and then use as you would normally.
Considerations
You can buy powdered egg quite cheaply in the shops which would be of use for our prepping. This methods just means my eggs, free range, fresh, don’t go to waste. I doubt I could make powdered egg for what I can buy it for already packed and sealed. I look on it as a way to fully utilise my produce and I suspect all the arguments for having your own chickens for eggs goes for the powdered stuff as well.
I too had the problem of far too many eggs, weve only got 9 chickens but its surprising how fast they build up when you getting 8 or 9 eggs a day.
I also considered the dehydration method of storing and found its cheaper to buy dehydrated egg than it is to do it myself.
My solution was simlple, sell the extra eggs.
Its now at a stage where i dont have to try to sell them, i have to try to keep up with demand.
Thanks to the chooks, my food growing has become close to cost free. as the chickens are now paying for their own food, medicines. etc and even the other general gardening costs
Chickens have got to be the best thing ive ever bought.
im even considering buying another four layers before I venture into breeding and rearing meat birds, hopefully the extra eggs will cover those costs too 🙂
ps. thanks for the dehydration methods and great explanation of the benefits and reasons of both methods.
I did think about selling the egss. For about 0.5 seconds. I just don’t have enough spare capacity to take that step especially with the risks, albiet small, involved in doing that.