Vacume Packing Eggs in Mason Jars

[wetaline]

I had always packed my eggs in the vac bags and over a year ago was given lots of my mothers wide mouth jars... So I began to seal my eggs in the jars - which i've been thrilled with .. .however I've noticed that many of these have accumulated frost inside of the jar. I'm guessing this is just moisture that was on the eggs that once frozen has accumulated on the inside of the jars as the exterior moisture is drawn away.... The seals are solid...

Will this light layer of frozen crystals damage the eggs? If so what can be done? Any way to prevent in the future if it is a problem?

[fishing is life]

good one Wetaline. i have had the same exact hting happening to me. i figure the top half might get burnt. so i will save those for when the pogys are biting.

[big n bright]

wetaline

I just started vacuum packing my eggs in jars last year and I also noticed the frost but no burn, I used some that I had in the freezer for about a year and used them this fall, they did as well as freshly cured ones so I think you'll be OK

BnB

[brshooter]

I had this problem as well. In fact, I did get some freezer burn on the top. My solution was to save some of the liquid from when my eggs are juicing up in the cure and pour it on the top of the eggs after they are packed in the jar. This gives a protective layer to the eggs on top. They have turned out just fine. No burn at all and I am not re-introducing enough moisture to make the eggs sloppy. This was suggested by Scott Amerman. I think he knows a thing or two about eggs.

[Uglygreen]

Sometimes the top 1/2 inch of mine burn, preventable by freezing eggs as normal, open jar, put 1/4 inch water on top of the frozen eggs, reseal the jar and but back in freezer. No Freezer burn, but a pain, I useally get lazy and just throw away the top few eggs, when using a fresh jar if they are burned.

UG

[wetaline]

Has anyone tried freezing the eggs in the jars w/ out sealing them (as i've found the lids are useless for resealing after using them once)... and then pouring a layer of borax or something over the top... then sealing it? ... just something to keep the crystals off the eggs?

[Silver Hilton]

I don't think the borax will stop the process. What is happening is the moisture in the eggs is evaporating (I believe the precise term is sublimating) even though they are freezing. The moisture is then Condensing as snow crystals on the top.

To stop the process, you have to eliminate the air contact to the eggs. That's why either the water or juice on top of the eggs works. A layer of parafin (sp?), like you use on jelly, would probably work as well.

[WildHawg]

For a really great seal that helps eliminate problems like above, take a small wadded up piece of wax paper, put in jar, and light. Close top quickly, and paper will use up all the O2. Doesn't seem to affect the way the eggs fish at all.

[wetaline]

Wild Hog- So even when using the vacume attachment for Wide Mouth Jars, your using the wax paper trick? the vacume itself is supposedly removing all the CO2 ... and from what I can tell does a great job - those lids are sealed very tight.

Just looking for clarification ...

wet

[RIPPLE]

Poor mans vacuum pack: My father-in-law used to take a mason jar of eggs, light a small piece of paper, toss it in and then screw the lid on quickly. The burning piece of paper would suck any air right out of the jar. Did the burning piece of paper damage the eggs or impart the wrong scent? I don't know... they were still deadly little fish slayers!
:grin: RIPPLE :grin:
OOPs- just noticed that WildHawg is a faster typer than me..........

[ 12-20-2002, 10:11 AM: Message edited by: RIPPLE ]

[letsfish]

I jsut took some eggs out the other day and they look okay(Feb 2002 Steelhead eggs). I don't like hauling a glass jar around. So when I packed them last Febuary I double packed them. First in pint size bags,since I don't have a sealer I used regular zip-lock type bags,tried to get as much air out as possible.Then put bag in jar, dropped in a burning piece of paper, and screwed tight(this wasn't a Mason,just mayo jar).A couple of pint bags should fit in jar. Reseal jar if you think it will take a while to use that second bag.No more broken glass stream side. :wink:

[wetaline]

Alright you guys... this topic has been going left when I was hoping to see an answer on the right....

*This was intended for those using Vacume Sealers on Mason Jars... and how to illiminate the formation of crystals after the sealing process.....

- However I do appreciate everyones input, in regards to those alternative approaches to not using Vacume Sealers.. its just not what the original post was put forth to discover :smile:

[brshooter]

Wetaline,
The method I listed is with a vacuum sealer attachment on my foodsaver. It is the only method I have found to avoid freezer burning the eggs exposed on the top.

[Uglygreen]

Same Here...

UG

[SteelieSteve]

I've always used the burnt paper to seal jars of eggs for freezing. No freezer burn as long as the jars seal. No moisture seeping in. Just my .02.

[wetaline]

BR & Ugly - I knew you guys were thinking along my lines... but was getting a lot of match lighting ideas, and was pretty sure they were alternatives to the vac pac idea... thanks for your input.

[Amerman]

As brshooter said. Except he didn't say You do need to freeze the eggs before adding the liquid. Just freeze the eggs in the jar first then add a layer of egg juice over the top of the frozen eggs to liquid seal the eggs. No freezer burn or ice ever. You can vacuum pack them if you want but no need. They are sealed forever, I have kept eggs for 5 years this way.

[Jerry Dove]

I guess I am just a bad dude, because I still use the old fashion method. three two one, vac.in jars and put out in my shed. Last for ye

ars. No freezing, so no freezer burn.