What we will discuss today is: Can you eat 2-week-old hard-boiled eggs? Hard-boiled eggs can stay for about a week in a refrigerator.
After this time, the eggs might begin to spoil. Therefore, unless you are sure there are no signs of spoilage, it is not safe and advisable to eat 2-week-old hard-boiled eggs.
Raw eggs seem to last for a long time, whether you are keeping them in a fridge or not. The standard recommended storage time for raw eggs is two to five weeks.
However, the shelf life of your eggs will shorten once you boil them.
An eggshell has a fine coating of semi-permeable mineral oil that protects it from bacterial infection, air, and water.
Once you boil the egg, this protective barrier will be removed, leaving the shell defenseless against bacterial contamination and sensitive to air.
This article will discuss everything you need to know about hard-boiled eggs and how you can store them in your fridge. Keep reading to learn more.
Shelf Life Of Hard-Boiled Eggs
Hard-boiled eggs usually have a very short shelf life and can spoil easily if not properly stored.
Compared to raw eggs that are still inside the shells, their shelf lifespan is shorter. Here is what you need to know about the shelf life of hard-boiled eggs.
- The outer layer of an egg helps to keep it fresher for longer. Boiling an egg makes it more porous. Therefore, it is obvious that the shells are broken after boiling. This makes an egg more vulnerable to bacteria and air as the protective layer will be gone.
- Hard-boiled eggs with shells can last for about a week. Once you remove the shells, their shelf life will drop to three to five days.
- Hard-boiled eggs should be frozen as soon as they are boiled. This will ensure they are safe and eventually increase their shelf life.
- You should transfer your eggs from boiling water to a container with ice water. This will ensure your eggs cool down quickly before they begin to spoil. In addition, be sure to store your eggs in a fridge to keep them safe for future use.
Do Peeled And Unpeeled Hard-Boiled Eggs Have The Same Shelf Life?
Peeled and unpeeled hard-boiled eggs do not have the same shelf life and will go bad at different rates. Therefore, you can not handle them the same way.
According to the American Egg Board, peeled hard-boiled eggs should be consumed the same day for the best quality.
They also recommend unpeeled hard-boiled eggs to be consumed within a week if kept in the fridge. Some consumers have said that peeled hard-boiled eggs can stay edible for up to five days.
It is important to note that peeled eggs do not have additional protection from the shell.
Therefore, they can absorb different food odors, dry out quickly, and develop an unpleasant flavor and texture, even if they have not gone bad.
Storage Tips For Hard-Boiled Eggs
While it is possible to freeze your hard-boiled eggs, this method is not recommended for preserving whole hard-boiled eggs.
This is because the egg whites can become sticky and eventually change their texture.
However, you can freeze your hard-boiled eggs to make egg salads and other similar recipes with chopped-boiled eggs.
You should make sure the eggs are kept separate from other ingredients. You can freeze the eggs separately and add spices, mayonnaise, or other seasonings after you thaw them.
Here are a few tips for storing your hard-boiled eggs.
- Grate or cut your hard-boiled eggs into smaller pieces and freeze them in a bag or container. Hard-boiled eggs can last for several months.
- Pickling hard-boiled eggs can be done to preserve them for several days. Storing your eggs in vinegar will preserve them for several days without any refrigeration needed.
To pickle your hard-boiled eggs, you will require a glass jar and a pickling solution.
- You can make your pickling solution by mixing salt, water, and white vinegar.
- Boil the pickling solution for about four or five minutes and allow it to cool to room temperature.
- Place the peeled, hard-boiled eggs in the glass jar and pour the solution over them. You will need to ensure that the eggs are completely covered. Besides, you must ensure the eggs are cooled before placing them inside the glass jar.
- Cover the glass jar with a lid and store it in a cool place for about a month.
Pickling is one of the oldest ways of preserving food without refrigeration.
What Will Happen If You Eat An Old Boiled Egg?
There will be no bad consequences if you eat an old boiled egg within the recommended time and if there are no apparent signs of spoilage.
However, if you consume a hard-boiled egg that has been kept in the fridge or left out at room temperature for too long, you may get a food-borne illness with symptoms like diarrhea, cramps, and nausea.
Generally, eggs are considered perishable food items. Therefore, if you know your eggs are past their recommended storage time and you suspect they are showing signs of spoilage, you should play it safe and just throw them away.
Can You Leave Hard-Boiled Eggs Out Overnight?
Although you leave your hard-boiled eggs out overnight, it is not recommended as it can lead to various health issues when consumed.
According to most experts, hard-boiled eggs should be stored in the fridge within two hours after cooking.
The sooner you store your eggs in the fridge after cooking, the better your chances of reducing bacterial overgrowth. Your eggs will also last longer until you decide to use them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are answers to a few frequently asked questions to help you understand more about hard-boiled eggs.
Will Eating a Rotten Egg Make You Sick?
Cooking and eating a rotten egg will give you a terrible night or even worse. If you cook an egg that has collected Salmonella, you will not get rid of the bacteria.
You may not even notice you have consumed a bad hard-boiled egg until after a few hours.
The process may take time to get into your digestive system and process through your stomach. However, you will notice it straight away once it happens.
You will likely start getting strong stomach cramps. It can even get worse and lead to diarrhea.
Therefore, it is better not even to question whether an egg is good or bad. If you suspect an egg is bad, just save yourself the trouble and throw it away.
How Do You Boil Eggs For Shells to Come Off Easily?
There are two ways of getting easily peeled hard-boiled eggs. You will need to use boiling hot water or shock them in an ice bath.
Most people prefer dipping them in cold water and then bringing them to a boil. However, it actually makes the eggs easier to peel if you drop them in boiling water.
The other trick to getting easily peeled eggs is putting them in an ice bath as soon as they are done boiling. The eggs will be cooler to the touch, thus making them easier to peel.
Can You Tell If a Raw Egg Is Bad?
You can tell if your raw egg has gone bad. The quickest and easiest way to tell whether or not your raw eggs are bad is by putting them in water and seeing if they float or not.
You can tell how fresh an egg is by the way it lays in water. You will need a container of lukewarm water that is big enough for the egg to be submerged.
If you drop your egg in and it sinks to the bottom, then it is good. If the egg lays right on its side, then it is really fresh.
An egg that is still good but not that fresh will sink to the bottom and stand on its small part instead of lying on the side.
On the other hand, a raw egg that is bad will float in the water. This will happen because the shell is permeable and will let oxygen inside over time. Air pockets will be created, thus causing the egg to float.
Conclusion
You are now answered if you were asking yourself whether or not you can eat 2-weeks-old hard-boiled eggs.
It is not recommended to eat 2-week-old hard-boiled eggs even if they have been properly refrigerated or if there are no signs of spoilage.
