Cooking with raw eggs?

[Allisonfaye]

I know we have a couple of chefs on here so maybe they can help. I sometimes use a raw egg in frosting. I know they make pasteurized eggs but you have to drive very far to get them so that''s not an option. I try to buy the freshest eggs that I can but I still wonder. ONe recipe for icing calls for an egg white and vinegar or lemon juice. I suspect that is safe because the acid helps kill the bacteria. Is that right?

The other recipe for cupcake frosting calls for one egg yolk and no vinegar or lemon juice. Should I be worried? I haven''t had any problems but I sometimes wonder. I don''t refrigerate them or anything. They sit around a few days. Can anyone help?

 

[Octavia]

Allisonfaye, I occasionally make things with raw egg and I've never had a problem. That said, I do try to choose recipes where the egg is heated, if possible. The things I've always heard about making it safer to use raw eggs are: 1) use the freshest eggs possible; 2) don't let the yolk or white touch the outside of the shell, since that's where a lot of bacteria lives (this usually means using an egg separator instead of the "back and forth" method); and 3) young children, elderly folks, and immune-compromised people shouldn't eat stuff made with raw eggs.

I'm not sure whether it's a good idea to leave your eggs out, unrefrigerated. When I was studying in England, I was shocked that they didn't refrigerate the eggs, but nobody I knew ever got sick from one. My English flatmates thought I was terribly paranoid for refrigerating my eggs. But I'd still err on the side of caution and stick them in the fridge if you know you'll be using them raw. Just my $0.02

 

[Skippy123]

I guess there is a chance you can get salmonella that is why they say not to give raw egged icing on cookies to kids or pregnant people. Martha Stewart has a wonderful Royal Icing that she warns of this too and her recipe calls for egg whites and lemon juice.

 

[movie zombie]

eggs are the most practical packaging deviced by nature or wo/man. in trinidad i saw eggs cracked and open sitting a bowl waiting to be made into egg nog...the best i''ve ever had. she let those eggs sit there exposed to the open air for 24 hours as part of her recipe. if eggs are really fresh, they''ll last in a car for 30 days w/o refrigeration in the summer in utah and the badlands. we americans just worry too much. i will admit though that i buy my eggs at the farmers'' market and they have been laid the day before i buy them. buying from safeway etc does not net one fresh eggs.

movie zombie

ps i do think the vinger would act as an antibacterial agent. it kills mildew!

 

[aprilcait]

I''ve never really worried about raw eggs. I''ve eaten my share of leftover cookie dough, as well as brownie, cake, and muffin batter and I''ve never had a problem (at least none that I remember).

 

[Pandora II]

Date: 12/4/2008 11:46:17 AM
Author: Octavia
Allisonfaye, I occasionally make things with raw egg and I''ve never had a problem. That said, I do try to choose recipes where the egg is heated, if possible. The things I''ve always heard about making it safer to use raw eggs are: 1) use the freshest eggs possible; 2) don''t let the yolk or white touch the outside of the shell, since that''s where a lot of bacteria lives (this usually means using an egg separator instead of the ''back and forth'' method); and 3) young children, elderly folks, and immune-compromised people shouldn''t eat stuff made with raw eggs.

I''m not sure whether it''s a good idea to leave your eggs out, unrefrigerated. When I was studying in England, I was shocked that they didn''t refrigerate the eggs, but nobody I knew ever got sick from one. My English flatmates thought I was terribly paranoid for refrigerating my eggs. But I''d still err on the side of caution and stick them in the fridge if you know you''ll be using them raw. Just my $0.02

LOL, I have gone CRAZY at DH for putting eggs in the fridge - they are useless for cooking certain things if they are cold. Also they don''t need to be stored in the fridge - cool room temperature is fine. I keep mine in the larder.

In the UK they test for salmonella all the time so I''ve never worried. I do always buy free-range as I prefer happy chickens

.

 

[Octavia]

Date: 12/4/2008 1:46:53 PM
Author: Pandora II

Date: 12/4/2008 11:46:17 AM

Author: Octavia

Allisonfaye, I occasionally make things with raw egg and I''ve never had a problem. That said, I do try to choose recipes where the egg is heated, if possible. The things I''ve always heard about making it safer to use raw eggs are: 1) use the freshest eggs possible; 2) don''t let the yolk or white touch the outside of the shell, since that''s where a lot of bacteria lives (this usually means using an egg separator instead of the ''back and forth'' method); and 3) young children, elderly folks, and immune-compromised people shouldn''t eat stuff made with raw eggs.


I''m not sure whether it''s a good idea to leave your eggs out, unrefrigerated. When I was studying in England, I was shocked that they didn''t refrigerate the eggs, but nobody I knew ever got sick from one. My English flatmates thought I was terribly paranoid for refrigerating my eggs. But I''d still err on the side of caution and stick them in the fridge if you know you''ll be using them raw. Just my $0.02

LOL, I have gone CRAZY at DH for putting eggs in the fridge - they are useless for cooking certain things if they are cold. Also they don''t need to be stored in the fridge - cool room temperature is fine. I keep mine in the larder.


In the UK they test for salmonella all the time so I''ve never worried. I do always buy free-range as I prefer happy chickens

.

Haha, Pandora, it always felt pretty pointless to put my eggs in the fridge after they''d been out in the supermarket for who knows how long. But old habits die hard! I usually take them out of the fridge and let them come up to room temperature before baking with them, though -- you''re absolutely right that too-cold eggs don''t work very well in lots of recipes.

 

[julesbeth]

I make eggnog every year and havne''t gotten sick (yet)!!

Like octavia said - just make sure the egg inside doesn''t touch the shell. I don''t know if it helps, but it makes me feel better, i always wash my eggs with dish soap before cracking them!

 

[Allisonfaye]

Thanks, everyone!

 

[Elmorton]

I grew up eating raw egg in all sorts of dough, so I''m convinced that it can''t hurt me. But I will say I freaked out when I saw that I''d be adding raw eggs to my buttercream frosting...I think it somewhat cooks when the warm sugar mixture is added, but I figure "Eh! It tastes great" and move on

Also - my understanding is that the white doesn''t need to be cooked, but the yolk does. Right?

 

[JulieN]

You could lightly wash/rinse the shells before cracking open.