Having a hard-boiled egg as a snack is very nutritious. You could also use it as part of your meal for a balanced diet. Either way, knowing if your hard-boiled egg will go bad any time soon is essential. Will it last a week? A month? Or days? Do hard boiled eggs go bad? This post explains if you could refrigerate them, how to store your eggs and how to know if it's gone bad.
Do your hard-boiled eggs need to be refrigerated?
You should know that refrigeration is the best way to keep your hard-boiled eggs intact. It helps to keep them from going bad within two hours of cooking. Unless your egg is peeled, you should store them in the refrigerator. Please keep them in the inner part of the fridge and not on the door.
How long do hard-boiled eggs last refrigerated?
The shelf life of your hard-boiled eggs varies as they depend on if the shell is peeled or unpeeled. It also depends on when they are stored and how you store them.
- Peeled: Your peeled hard-boiled egg would last for five days after its past boiled days when stored in the refrigerator under constant cold temperature.
- Unpeeled: It could last for at least seven days past its boiled date if adequately stored in the fridge.
How long do hard-boiled eggs last unrefrigerated?
Hard-boiled eggs stored at room temperature (Unrefrigerated) will last about 2 hours, after which it should be tossed or chilled again. If the room temperature where they are stored is over 90°, they should be discarded after one-hour maximum.
How can you tell if a hard-boiled egg is bad?
There are several means to adopt in determining if your hard-boiled egg is bad or fit for consumption.
- Odor: It's the most valid way to tell if your hard-boiled egg is bad. If your egg smells rotten or unpleasant, you should toss it immediately.
- Texture: If your egg looks anything different or part of the yolk becomes Slimy or chalky instead of creamy, dispose of it immediately.
- Colour: Lots of persons assume the egg is bad once it's green or gray. If you find dark brown spots, black or green coloration around your egg, it's bad and shouldn't be consumed. However, if there are greenish ring-like colorations around the yolk, you could consume it, which means you overcooked the egg.
How to store hard-boiled eggs
Knowing where to store your hard-boiled egg is very important and relatively easy. The safest place to store it is in the fridge. While storing in the fridge, make sure you store it in the inner portion of the fridge and not the door.
- Unpeeled: Make sure they are stored in an airtight container under constant cool temperature. It's not advisable to freeze the hard-boiled egg as they tend to lose their quality the longer they spend in the freezer.
- Peeled: Cooking, peeling, and allowing it cool before storing it in the fridge is the easiest way to store your peeled hard-boiled egg. Keep the peeled, boiled egg submerged in water, and endeavor to change the water daily in other to keep the quality intact.
