Can You Refrigerate Cooked Eggs?
You can absolutely refrigerate cooked eggs without worrying about any adverse effects. However, make sure to reheat them thoroughly to at least 165 degree Fahrenheit before serving them. Also, it should be kept in mind to never leave uncooked eggs out of the refrigerator for more than one hour in order to prevent them from spoiling.
Scrambled eggs, or eggs cooked to form an egg salad or quiche, should be refrigerated and eaten within 3 or 4 days. Scrambled eggs last for up to four days in the refrigerator, and must also be completely cooked before being wrapped and stored. Refrigerated scrambled eggs are safe to eat up to four days after being cooked, but you will want to throw it away after that. Raw scrambled eggs will last for 2-3 days in the refrigerator, and can last for up to one year when frozen.
Cover any leftover cooked scrambled eggs, or store in a sealed container in the fridge, to help keep moisture in the eggs. Leftover raw egg whites and yolks should be placed into an airtight container and stored in the fridge right away. If you cracked and separated eggs for making cookies or ice cream with the creme fraiche, you may store the remaining yolks or whites in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
| Cooked eggs | In the refrigerator (32-34°F) | Freezer (0°F) |
| Scrambled eggs | 3-4 days | 4-6 months |
| Raw scrambled eggs | 2-3 days | 1 year |
| Hard-boiled eggs | 1 week | 1 year |
If you are keeping cooked eggs in large batches, then separate them into a few shallow containers to chill them right away before placing in the refrigerator. Once eggs are thoroughly cooked, they should be placed into shallow containers that will allow them to cool quickly and evenly, and then stored in a freezer at 40degF (4degC) or lower. If cooked frozen eggs are still in their shells, then the cooked eggs may simply be placed back into the carton they came in and stored.
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Peeling the hard-boiled eggs before placing them in the refrigerator shortens their shelf life to four to five days. To keep hard-boiled eggs fresh up to seven days, you will want to chill them quickly and store them in the refrigerator. However, cooling your hard-boiled eggs quickly–by placing them into a bowl of cold water right after you cook them–will help keep your eggs from getting too cooked. Eggs can get overcooked, dry, and rubbery when exposed to heat for too long.
While it is completely safe to put fresh cooked eggs into your refrigerator when they are still warm, you might want to let them cool slightly to lessen any shock to your refrigerators internal temperature. If you do not intend on eating the eggs once you have prepared them, go ahead and put them in the refrigerator. If you are eggs were sitting around at temps above 90F, reduce your timing to an hour before you put them in the fridge. To ensure that fresh eggs are kept safely, keep them stored at a temperature of 40 degrees or cooler at all times.
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Make sure that the refrigerator temperature is set at 40 degrees F. or lower when you store eggs. If you are serving a buffet of scrambled eggs, you may want to keep them warmed in a casserole dish or double oven at temperatures higher than 145 degrees F., so you do not allow bacteria that could cause harm in the dishes to grow. Bacteria can quickly grow at warmer temperatures and cause food poisoning, so if you are not about to serve or consume the eggs, do not remove them from the fridge.
When you actually take eggs out of the fridge, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, you should never leave them outside at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Uncooked eggs may last for up to five weeks from purchase date, particularly if you store them refrigerated because of cold temperatures. Serve eggs and foods made with eggs right after they are cooked, or refrigerate them and use within three or four days. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) recommends refrigerating any remaining cooked egg dishes, such as omelets, and using any remaining cooked egg dishes within three to four days.
As for safety, if egg dishes are stored appropriately and then heated to a recommended temperature, they are generally considered safe for eating. Because of thawing, it is very possible that your eggs are better off eaten fresh or stored in a freezer, where they will retain good quality for an additional 3-6 months. Because of this, it is crucial to try to preserve eggs as much as possible by placing them in a refrigerator or freezer, however, even there are limits on how long eggs can stay in those places. You may choose to store your eggs in a frozen state for up to one year, although they might not have as much flavor as they did when you cooked them for the first time.
To use your frozen eggs to make meals or baked goods, just defrost them overnight in your fridge or in running cold water. Once you remove the shells, put your peeled eggs into a bowl and add just enough cold water to completely cover. When the mixture begins cooking, gently flip cooked eggs and push the uncooked eggs into the bottom of the pan with a rubber spatula. Pour the whisked egg mixture into a hot skillet, and begin quickly stirring with either a wooden spoon or silicone spatula.
When your scrambled eggs are cooked through, but still retain some of their liquid texture, it is time to shut down the flames and allow the eggs to finish cooking with leftover heat. Heating the scrambled eggs for too long only results in the scrambled eggs cooking longer, and eggs will often become dryer the second time they are cooked. Instead, dump your eggs after boiling into a bowl of ice water, then move your eggs into the refrigerator to keep them longer.
Once the eggs are cold and dry, put them into a plastic Tupperware container and keep in the refrigerator, where they will last for up to one week, according to the FDA. According to the U.S. Egg Board, eggs that are still in the hard-boiled shells will stay delicious for about a week if stored correctly (meaning in a refrigerator not warmer than 40 degrees Fahrenheit), but peeled eggs should be eaten the same day. Peeled hard-boiled eggs can be stored in a cooler in a bowl with cool water that is covered for about 1 week (change water daily) — or in a sealed container with no water (cover eggs with damp paper towels) for about as long.
Why should you not keep eggs in the fridge?
According to experts, eggs are best kept at room temperature. Eggs can become inedible if kept in the refrigerator or at a temperature that is too low. Eggs in the fridge develop bacteria on the shells, spreading within the egg and rendering it inedible.
Can you freeze eggs after they are cooked?
Cooked eggs can not only be frozen, but they also taste superior when reheated as compared to cooked eggs kept in the refrigerator. You can prepare breakfast items like egg sandwiches or breakfast burritos over the weekend and store them in the freezer. After that, defrost them overnight in the refrigerator for a quick breakfast on the run.
Can you make scrambled eggs and freeze them?
The shelf life of frozen scrambled eggs is very high. In the freezer, they can be stored for at least four months. However, try to utilize them within the first 2 months for the greatest quality. In the freezer, uncooked eggs can keep for up to a year.