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How To Store Boiled Eggs In Refrigerator
Before storing the boiled eggs in the refrigerator, you should keep them at room temperature for about 2 hours. Then pack them in an airtight container or a freezer bag to avoid contamination. You should place them on the inside shelf of the refrigerator to avoid any fluctuations in temperature.
If you are wondering whether or not eating eggs left outside at room temperature is safe, you should know that a hard-boiled egg that is left out in the cold does not last longer than two hours, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). If you happen to have left eggs at room temperature for two hours or longer, to prevent food poisoning, throw them out immediately. If eggs cracked while coloring, or were left outside of a cooler for more than two hours, toss out your eggs because they are unsafe to consume.
Before you boil them, discard any eggs with cracked shells or imperfections, advises FDA. Open the carton, make sure that the eggs are clean, and that there are no cracks in the shell. If you have already hulled your eggs, store them in a cold storage container soaking in cold water.
| Egg | Source | Time | Temperature |
| Hard-boiled egg | According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) | Two hours | At room temperature |
| Hard-cooked eggs | According to the Food and Drug Administration | Up to 1 week | In the fridge |
Raw eggs that have been removed from the shells should be stored refrigerated in a tightly covered container. Store eggs without their shells in cardboard containers, or if you can, in boxes sealed tightly, positioned on a refrigerator shelf rather than the doors. It is best to also store cooked eggs in cardboard boxes or airtight containers.
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Unpeeled, cooked eggs may be stored, uncovered, in the bowl or in the airtight container. The best way to store peeled eggs is in a plastic zipper bag or in an airtight container. Another option for storage is in a sealed container with a wet paper towel covering the peeled eggs, which will help to keep the eggs moist. Peeled, hard-boiled eggs can be stored in a cooler with a cold water bath for cover for about 1 week (change water daily)–or inside a sealed container with no water (cover eggs with a damp paper towel) for about as long.
Whether hard-boiled eggs are peeled or still in their shells, eggs that have been stored correctly in the fridge should be consumed within a week after they are cooked. If you are not eating your soft-boiled eggs immediately after they are cooked, you are fine with keeping them in the shell and refrigerating for up to two days. Use hard-boiled eggs (inshells or trimmed) up to 1 week after cooking. You can store hard-cooked eggs in the fridge up to seven days after they are cooked, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
Avoid keeping cooked eggs at room temperature for too long, and refrigerate within 2 hours after cooking (4). Keep them on the interior shelf instead of the door, because the frequent openings and closings of your refrigerator can make temperatures in that location vary (4, 5). Always take eggs to room temperature before baking, because the chances of breaking are lower with warm water. If they are left out at room temperature for a long time, like on buffets or at picnics, throw out eggs instead of returning them to the fridge.
This is so that you do not drop your eggs unshelled too low each time you open your cooler. To ensure that your fresh eggs are safe, keep them stored at a temperature of 40 degrees or cooler at all times. If you do not expect to eat the eggs once they are prepped, go ahead and store them in the refrigerator.
Instead, place the eggs post-boiled into a bowl of ice water, then move your eggs into the refrigerator to preserve their long shelf life. If you are planning on coloring eggs later, immediately store cooled eggs in a refrigerator. However, cooling the hard-boiled eggs quickly by placing them into a bowl of cold water right after they are cooked, will help keep eggs from getting too cooked.
To stop the cooking process, place eggs into a bowl with ice and cold water. Once the eggs are cold and dry, put them into a plastic Tupperware container and keep them in the refrigerator, where they will last for up to one week, according to the FDA.
Simply boil the entire eggs the way you would normally (covered on a burner for about 12 minutes), allow them to cool, remove the yolks, and pack them into a sealed container to keep them frozen. Refrigerated yolks of whole eggs should be covered in water to keep from drying out; discard before using. After baking, allow the yolks alone to cool in cold water for about ten minutes, drain thoroughly, and seal them in a sealed container. Leftovers from both whites and the raw yolks should be placed into an airtight container and stored immediately in the fridge.
Boil only the number of eggs that are needed, and immediately store unconsumed surpluses in a refrigerator. Serve eggs and prepared foods with eggs right after they are cooked, or store them in the refrigerator for three or four days. Always refrigerate eggs immediately upon returning home from the grocery store.
Bacteria can quickly grow in warmer temperatures and cause food poisoning, so if you are not ready to serve or eat the eggs, do not remove them from the fridge. To maximize your eggs safe, shelf-stable storage, store your hard-boiled eggs in shallow, sealed containers or resealable plastic bags, or tightly wrapped with heavy-duty foil or plastic wrap. If you really do want to keep the eggs skinned, a standard method is to refrigerate them in a bowl of water (changed daily).
If you purchase your eggs peeled already, you do not have to wait an entire week to use them. Store eggs in the cartons they came in, and use within 3 weeks to keep the quality going. According to the U.S. Egg Board, eggs that have been boiled but are still in the shells will keep delicious for about one week if stored correctly (meaning in a refrigerator not warmer than 40F), but peeled eggs should be eaten on the day they are prepared. While it is completely safe to put fresh-boiled eggs into your refrigerator when they are still hot, you might want to let them cool slightly to lessen any shock to your refrigerators internal temperature.
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Remove your egg tray from heat once water begins boiling, cover, and let the larger eggs simmer for 19 minutes. Inspect all cooked eggs for cracked shells, discarding cracked eggs or setting aside cracked eggs for other purposes, never coloring cracked ones.
What is the best way to store boiled eggs in the refrigerator?
If at all possible, keep the shells on while storing hard-boiled eggs in the refrigerator. The eggs’ shell helps keep them fresher for longer and keeps them from absorbing refrigerator odors. In a container or resealable plastic bag, store the eggs in the refrigerator if they have already been peeled.
Can I put boiled eggs in the fridge while hot?
Freshly boiled eggs can be put in the refrigerator while they are still hot, but you may want to let them cool slightly beforehand to lessen the impact on the refrigerator’s interior temperature. After cooking eggs, make sure to put them in the refrigerator as soon as possible.
How do you pack hard-boiled eggs for lunch?
To avoid shell shattering during packaging, try to avoid rattling or shaking as much as possible. For added protection, try wrapping it in a cloth napkin or paper towel. You can also keep it in the tiniest compartment of your lunchbox or any tiny, container.