Egg shells

[VeraBlue]

Just a friendly reminder about that protective armour that an egg comes in....the shell.

It's filthy and crawling with germs. Please use care when you crack your eggs. Using one shell to catch the yolk as you separate it from the white isn't always the best way to do it. You'd be better served if you use your hand to catch the whole thing, and then let you fingers spread enough for the white part to slip out.

I was taught that the best way to get a shell out of a bowl of cracked eggs was to use a piece of shell. While it may be easire, it's the best way to add contaminants to your bowl. A bread crust works too. I realize not everyone has the obligatory crust of bread hanging around just in case you get a bit of shell in the bowl... :kiss:

The preceding was a public service announcement.

[Miniman]

I use a teaspoon to get that bit of shell out.

[chowhound]

I use my fingers.

[BamsBBQ]

i crack my eggs into another bowl first then put into my recipe... egg shell pieces stay at bottom of bowl when i pour into my mixing bowl

[PieSusan]

Just a friendly reminder about that protective armour that an egg comes in....the shell.

It's filthy and crawling with germs. Please use care when you crack your eggs. Using one shell to catch the yolk as you separate it from the white isn't always the best way to do it. You'd be better served if you use your hand to catch the whole thing, and then let you fingers spread enough for the white part to slip out.

I was taught that the best way to get a shell out of a bowl of cracked eggs was to use a piece of shell. While it may be easire, it's the best way to add contaminants to your bowl. A bread crust works too. I realize not everyone has the obligatory crust of bread hanging around just in case you get a bit of shell in the bowl... :kiss:

The preceding was a public service announcement.

I learned from pastry chefs to do that, too!

[lilylove]

I had never thought about it... THANKS!

[Maverick2272]

I have a little tool that separates the yolk from the whites if need be. It looks like a round spoon with wide slots on the bottom.
Fairly easy to use, too!

[BamsBBQ]

yup me too just never use it..lol

http://images.surlatable.com/surlatable/images/en_US/local/products/detail/373720.jpg

[FryBoy]

But the inside of the shell is clean and sterile -- and if it isn't you have bigger problems anyway -- so I don't see how using the shell to separate the white and yolk can cause any problem.

In any case, it's irrelevant if you adequately cook the egg or whatever you've put it in, which will kill any germs that may have been transferred from the outside of the shell.

[Maverick2272]

yup me too just never use it..lol

http://images.surlatable.com/surlatable/images/en_US/local/products/detail/373720.jpg

Yup that's the one! I never used it either until I got into making eggnog and eggnog bread, meringues, stuff like that which was all in the last years.

[VeraBlue]

But the inside of the shell is clean and sterile -- and if it isn't you have bigger problems anyway -- so I don't see how using the shell to separate the white and yolk can cause any problem.

In any case, it's irrelevant if you adequately cook the egg or whatever you've put it in, which will kill any germs that may have been transferred from the outside of the shell.


Lots of recipes call for undercooked or coddled eggs....and for myself, I don't like hard cooked eggs as much as I like soft eggs.

[PieSusan]

I dislike hard boiled eggs and still use raw egg on occasion when baking. I just make sure that I don't feed those desserts to those with weakened immune systems, the elderly and small children. I haven't felt the need to go to pasteurized eggs although I have heated whites to temperature and used the new techniques. If I were baking on a grand scale, I could understand not using raw eggs but just for me and my few friends, as long as they are aware (and I always tell people), then I am not too worried about it.

[FryBoy]

I dislike hard boiled eggs and still use raw egg on occasion when baking. I just make sure that I don't feed those desserts to those with weakened immune systems, the elderly and small children. I haven't felt the need to go to pasteurized eggs although I have heated whites to temperature and used the new techniques. If I were baking on a grand scale, I could understand not using raw eggs but just for me and my few friends, as long as they are aware (and I always tell people), then I am not too worried about it.I don't understand. If the item is baked, any bacteria that may have been in or on the egg will be killed. The only problem occurs from EATING the contaminated egg when it's raw, not from cooking with it.

[PieSusan]

FryBoy, there are icings that use raw egg yolk and white, and there are mousses that use raw egg that are not cooked.

Look for my recipe for Chocolate Chantilly Torte and you will see a prime example.

[Maverick2272]

Ya know, I used to love soft eggs and especially easy over so I could sop up the yolk with toast. But now, has to be cooked all the way or I get sick.
I still haven't been able to figure that out...

[PieSusan]

I don't like hard boiled eggs at all but like sunny side up, soft balled and shirred. So far, so good and that says a lot with my stomach. However, I have never gotten sick from eggs used in mousse or icing either. However, I don't eat raw cookie batter anymore. Go figure.

[FryBoy]

FryBoy, there are icings that use raw egg yolk and white, and there are mousses that use raw egg that are not cooked.

Look for my recipe for Chocolate Chantilly Torte and you will see a prime example.
As I said, IF it's COOKED, there's no problem. Raw is something else, and I would suggest not eating it no matter how you manage to separate the whites from the oak.

[PieSusan]

^That is your choice but most of the problems with eggs has to do with commercial use and not home cooking. Further, you have to be concerned how the eggs are stored and whether they are kept refrigerated.

[Keltin]

How would you prep this egg???? :yum:

http://www.honoluluzoo.org/images/ostrich_egg.jpg

[FryBoy]

How would you prep this egg???? :yum:

http://www.honoluluzoo.org/images/ostrich_egg.jpgMicrowave 30 minutes on high.

[AllenOK]

A power drill (drillbit cleaned and sanitized), a large bowl, a whisk, large nonstick pan with some butter, and about 4 friends!

[Maverick2272]

Microwave 30 minutes on high.

:yum::yum::yum::yum:

[BamsBBQ]

FryBoy, there are icings that use raw egg yolk and white, and there are mousses that use raw egg that are not cooked.

Look for my recipe for Chocolate Chantilly Torte and you will see a prime example.

i also make my caesar salad dressing and no i still dont cook my yolks.. am i taking a risk...of course...does it taste good? hell yah..lol

and if i dont separate my eggs in a bowl, i use my hands...perfect separaters...lol

[FryBoy]

^That is your choice but most of the problems with eggs has to do with commercial use and not home cooking. Further, you have to be concerned how the eggs are stored and whether they are kept refrigerated.
You're probably right -- but I've had food poisoning 3 times in my life (or is it 4?). I was violently ill each time. Consequently, I've learned not to take chances, and I especially don't expose my family to any such dangers. Better safe than sorry, IMHO, and eating raw eggs just ain't worth the risk, no matter how small that risk may be.

[Maverick2272]

:yum::yum::yum::yum:

I just had to add, the reason I found this so funny is that my FIL actually did that once! They were cleaning egg and de-fuming sulfur smell for weeks after!!

[Keltin]

A power drill (drillbit cleaned and sanitized), a large bowl, a whisk, large nonstick pan with some butter, and about 4 friends!

Power tools and cooking! Now that is a dream come true! :yum:

[Keltin]

I just had to add, the reason I found this so funny is that my FIL actually did that once! They were cleaning egg and de-fuming sulfur smell for weeks after!!

When we got our first microwave way back when, the first thing I did was put a whole egg in it just because the instructions said NOT to. I had to see why.

BOOM! Man, what a mess. Mom had me on kitchen detail for a week! :yum:

[PieSusan]

You're probably right -- but I've had food poisoning 3 times in my life (or is it 4?). I was violently ill each time. Consequently, I've learned not to take chances, and I especially don't expose my family to any such dangers. Better safe than sorry, IMHO, and eating raw eggs just ain't worth the risk, no matter how small that risk may be.

I understand. I have had food poisoning, too. Nick Malgieri reassured me that for the home cook that one really needn't worry about eggs if they were stored properly at the store and by you. However, I am careful not serve certain things to those with compromised immune systems, the very old and the very young. Last time I had food poisoning, I prayed to G-d to die, I was so sick. So, I really do understand.

[VeraBlue]

As I said, IF it's COOKED, there's no problem. Raw is something else, and I would suggest not eating it no matter how you manage to separate the whites from the oak.
Heat does not kill all pathogens.
It's better to know and understand what your're dealing with with regards to bacteria, viruses and toxins than simply saying 'cook everything to xxx temperature'.
Eggs from a reputable poulterer can safely be eaten raw by most people providing you use caution with the shell.

[VeraBlue]

i also make my caesar salad dressing and no i still dont cook my yolks.. am i taking a risk...of course...does it taste good? hell yah..lol

and if i dont separate my eggs in a bowl, i use my hands...perfect separaters...lol

I think we're related. I use raw egg in my salad dressing, too.

[FryBoy]

Heat does not kill all pathogens.
It's better to know and understand what your're dealing with with regards to bacteria, viruses and toxins than simply saying 'cook everything to xxx temperature'.
Eggs from a reputable poulterer can safely be eaten raw by most people providing you use caution with the shell.True, but heat does kill most bacteria, including the major threat in eggs, which is salmonella (and which I thought was the subject of this thread).

That's one reason the FDA specifically recommends (http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/ANSWERS/ANS00106.html) that consumers "Avoid eating raw eggs and products made with raw eggs such as Caesar salad, homemade egg nog, homemade mayonnaise, Hollandaise sauce, homemade ice cream, and other products containing raw or lightly cooked eggs."

[PieSusan]

FryBoy, you are right in your desire to be absolutely safe to the best of your ability. The FDA recommends exactly what you posted. They also recommend to cook the crap out of chicken and turkey and not to eat rare meat.
However, I agree with VeraBlue. I don't do it often but there are occasions when I want a real caesar salad or a proper chocolate mousse. It is why I am very careful where I shop. I have to trust my food purveyors and since I live in a nice area I am very lucky. I like my hamburgers rare to medium rare, the same as my steaks. I hate it when I go to a restaurant and they cook things to death.

Further the FDA changes its mind from time to time. At one time, people were taught to wash/rinse their meat or chicken before cooking. Now they tell you not to because it is possible that you can be spreading pathogens like salmonella in your kitchen by doing so if they are present.

After 60 minutes did their expose on chicken years ago, I couldn't eat it. It took a very long time before I became comfortable with it again. After the scare with ground meat, I was very careful where I purchased it. I didn't want to eat it anymore either but I do have to eat.

Further, I learned with my father when he was incredibly sick that there are sometimes quality of life considerations. He was willing to take certain risks that made me uncomfortable because I was fearful, loved him and understood what could happen but as a competent adult he was free to take those risks.

[FryBoy]

My only point is that there are genuine risks involved. Whether one chooses to take those risks is a personal matter, but it bugs me that some people are willing to make those choices for others. As VeraBlue said, you need to know what you're dealing with and act responsibly.

That said, IMHO only unrepentant communists recommend cooking beef beyond medium-rare.

[waybomb]

See the food sickness thread. Once you have to collect your own stool twice a week for the health department will you only understand why you cook everything to lethality. It is not worth the risk. You CAN DIE!

[VeraBlue]

That said, IMHO only unrepentant communists recommend cooking beef beyond medium-rare.

:clap::clap:

Personally, I prefer to walk the cow past the grill and then start eating.

[VeraBlue]

See the food sickness thread. Once you have to collect your own stool twice a week for the health department will you only understand why you cook everything to lethality. It is not worth the risk. You CAN DIE!

I appreciate your point...but I'm not willing to cede the point. With responsibility and caution and proper techniques and procedures there are ways to eat potentially hazardous foods safely.

Regarding your poops....I'm the one who posted that a powder should be invented for the elimination of poops...:wink:

[Maverick2272]

FDA be dammed! Ain't no one gonna take away my Hollindaise sauce!!!!:boxing::horsepoop-1::bangin:

[Maverick2272]

I just read the rest of that, no they can't have my homemade ice cream or homemade eggnog either!!

[waybomb]

With responsibility and caution and proper techniques and procedures there are ways to eat potentially hazardous foods safely.

I have to respectfully disagree when it comes to eating raw food. There are really only a few ways to guarantee wholesomeness - cooking to lethality, or iradiation. You can also use high pressure pasteuization on some foods. Even performing pathogen testing does not indicate that the piece you will eat is free of pathogens - the test only indicates on the piece you tested.

You can reduce risk by using techniques and procedures, but you can not eliminate the risk of consuming pathogens by using techniques and procedures.

If an egg is positive for salmonella, there is no way you can see the bacteria. I don't care how you handle it if the pathogen is there - unless you carry the salmonella to lethality, it is there, and it will be in you when you consume it.

I do believe you can buy high pressure pasteuized seperated eggs though. Then you use the techniques and procedures to avoid letting the eggs coming into contact with foreign pathogens.

ps - fwiw, I do make my Christmas eggnog with regular untreated eggs. I sometimes break my own rules.

[joec]

You could also not worry about it and eventually build up an immunity to much of this stuff. Now that could mean some though times however.

[FryBoy]

You could also not worry about it and eventually build up an immunity to much of this stuff. Now that could mean some though times however.
I don't believe humans are able to develop immunity to things like Salmonella, Listeria, E.coli O157, Campylobacter, or Clostridium Perfringens. If they could, there would be little risk of subsequent infections.

Again, it's one this to delude yourself into taking unnecessary risks, but quite another to decide to expose your friends, family kids, or customers to such risks.

Russian roulette is survived 5 out of 6 times, but the fact that you survive 5 times doesn't mean the 6th time is safe.

[waybomb]

^^^ A pathogen is a pathogen. If it gets in your body, you will get sick.

You just don't know what it is like until you've experienced it. This is not simply like a stomach flu.