Fried eggs are a delicious addition to breakfast or brunch. Instead of poached eggs, add them to eggs florentine or eggs benedict. Serve them on toast with melted cheese on top, or enjoy fried eggs with ham and chips for lunch.
Fried eggs are an excellent source of protein as well as vitamins and minerals and will give you an energy boost. So, what if you want to make a lot of fried eggs for a brunch party and you don’t think you’ll have time with all the other food to prepare? Can you freeze fried eggs so that you can get them out quickly?
The simple answer is yes but don’t expect the eggs to be as delicious as if you cooked them fresh. They could end up being slightly rubbery but if you have a lot of food to prepare freezing can be the answer. In this article, we will tell you how to freeze fried eggs and how to defrost them.
How To Freeze Fried Eggs
1. Cook and cool down your fried eggs.
Put the eggs on a plate and cover them with a paper towel. Leave them to cool down. This should only take around half an hour.
2. Put the eggs in an airtight container.
Line the container with greaseproof paper and put the eggs on top of this. Make sure that they’re not touching so that they don’t stick together. In this way, you can remove just as many eggs as you need for one day and so avoid waste. The eggs will need to be eaten on the same day that they are taken out of the freezer and if you don’t eat them all, they will have to be thrown away. If you have a lot of eggs, you can put a sheet of greaseproof paper on top of the first layer of eggs and then put the extra eggs on top of this. Put a label on the container with the date and the contents so that you don’t keep the eggs in the freezer for too long.
3. Put the container in the freezer.
Tips For Freezing Fried Eggs
- Make sure that the container storing the eggs is airtight so that freezer burn doesn’t occur. This will ruin the taste and texture of your fried eggs and strip them of their nutrients.
- It is best to freeze fried eggs only if you have to. Perhaps you have cooked too many. Maybe you are holding a big brunch party and want to save time. Otherwise, cook the fresh as they will taste better, and it does only take a few minutes to fry an egg.
- Freeze scrambled eggs instead. If you slightly undercook them, they will turn out almost as good as if you cooked them fresh. Add milk and salt when cooking for the best results. Boiled eggs can be frozen but they can end up quite rubbery, so it is better not to bother. You can, after all, boil a lot of eggs in one pot.
- Cook the fried eggs from frozen. Either put them in a frying pan or a hot oven. They will take minutes to heat up.
For How Long Can You Freeze Fried Eggs?
Fried eggs can be frozen for up to two months. After this time, they will start to lose their taste and texture, not to mention nutrients. You can keep fried eggs in the fridge for a few days but after this time you will have to throw them away. If you want to freeze fried eggs, it’s best to put them straight in the freezer rather than in the fridge for a couple of days as bacteria can form easily on eggs. Still, it’s better to eat fried eggs fresh.
How Do You Defrost Fried Eggs?
The good news is that you don’t have to defrost fried eggs. All you have to do is take them out of the freezer and put them in a frying pan or the oven. You can thaw them out if you want in the fridge but there’s no reason to. Don’t defrost fried eggs at room temperature as this can encourage bacteria to form. Also, don’t defrost fried eggs in the microwave as they will become rubbery.
Can You Refreeze Fried Eggs?
We only recommend freezing fried eggs once. The taste and texture will change, and they definitely won’t be as tasty. In addition, you run the risk of them spoiling and you could get food poisoning. You don’t want to leave them out at room temperature for too long as it causes harmful bacteria to form. It is important that you only take out as many eggs as you need for a meal. If you have any leftovers, throw them away to be safe.
Is It A Good Idea To Freeze Fried Eggs?
Fried eggs freeze reasonably well but you will notice some changes in texture. At worst, they could become rubbery so don’t overcook them. Also, don’t leave them in the freezer for longer than two months as they will deteriorate rapidly after this time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hopefully, you now know all there is to know about freezing fried eggs but in case you want to know more about freezing eggs in general, we have answered a few questions here.
Yes, you can freeze boiled eggs but only the yolk freezes well. The white can become rubbery especially the longer you leave it in the freezer. Boiled eggs will keep in the fridge for a few days so this is a better option as they should retain most of their original texture. If you do freeze them, don’t keep them in the freezer for longer than three months.
It is better to freeze uncooked eggs as this saves the whites from becoming rubbery.
The best way to freeze uncooked eggs is to whisk them together and freeze them in a muffin tin. Put the tin in the freezer and then freeze solid. When they are frozen, put the eggs in a freezer bag, squeezing out all the air to ensure that freezer burn doesn’t occur. You can then take out as many egg pieces as you need. Of course, using this method means that you can only use them in certain dishes, such as baking and making scrambled eggs.