Can you freeze eggs?

What freezing does to eggs

Freezing a whole egg in its shell makes the contents expand until the shell cracks, and the texture suffers badly. Beaten eggs freeze far better: the whites hold their structure well, while yolks thicken into a slightly gel-like consistency unless a pinch of salt or sugar is mixed in before freezing.

How to freeze it

1. Crack the eggs into a bowl -- never freeze them in the shell.
2. Beat until just blended, without whipping in extra air.
3. For yolk-heavy mixtures, stir in a pinch of salt (for savoury use) or sugar (for baking) to keep the yolks from gelling.
4. Pour into an airtight container or ice-cube tray, leaving a little headspace.
5. Label with the date and how many eggs the portion holds.

Thawing and using it

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and use promptly once thawed. Thawed eggs shine in dishes where they are blended and fully cooked -- scrambles, bakes, custards -- rather than fried or poached whole.

Depends on the form

• Eggs frozen in the shell crack and are ruined -- always crack and beat first.
• Hard-boiled eggs turn rubbery in the freezer and have their own page.
• Whites alone freeze better than yolks alone.
• Yolks frozen without salt or sugar become too gelled to blend smoothly.