Q. I have a recipe that calls for a dozen egg whites, but not the yolks. I don’t want to throw away a whole carton-full of egg yolks, but I don’t know how to keep them from spoiling. I’ve never tried freezing eggs before, so I’m not sure if freezing the yolks will ruin them. I don’t want them to turn out rubbery and gross. Can you freeze egg yolks?
A. Not to worry, you can freeze egg yolks! The process for freezing egg yolks without the whites involves a bit more work, but nothing too complicated. Freezing yolks is a great way to have just the right amount of eggs at your disposal whenever you need them. The important thing to remember is that when freezing raw egg yolks they can get too thick and gel-like once thawed. Raw yolks need to have something added to them to allow them to keep their thinner consistency after being frozen and then thawed.
How to freeze egg yolks?
What you choose to add to the yolks will depend on what you plan to use them in later. If you plan to use the yolks later in savory dishes such as omelets, frittatas or quiches, you need to add salt to the yolks. Add about ⅛ of a teaspoon of salt to a mixture of 4 yolks, then stir to combine. The salt keeps the yolks thin. For yolks that will be used in sweet dishes such as baked goods or custards, you need to add sugar. Add about 1 ¼ teaspoons of sugar or corn syrup per 4 yolks, then stir to combine.
To freeze the yolks, place the mixture in airtight freezer safe containers or freezer bags. Label the container with the date and number of yolks for later reference. For simple portion control, pour the egg yolk mixture into ice cube trays and freeze. Pop the cubes out when frozen and freeze in freezer bags or freezer safe containers. One cube is equal to roughly one yolk, so it’s simple to know how much to thaw when using egg yolks in a recipe.
How to defrost egg yolks?
To thaw frozen yolks, remove from the freezer and thaw in the refrigerator until thawed completely. Use as directed in recipes. Egg yolks can be frozen for up to a year, but should be used within 2-3 days of thawing. Never refreeze thawed egg yolks.
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