Egg Washing

How do I wash eggs and do I need to?

When an egg is laid, it has a protective coating called a "bloom".  Leaving this in tact preserves the freshness and is why you will see people leaving eggs on the counter.

I like to refrigerate my eggs unwashed.  I will only collect eggs that I know were laid that same day, otherwise I toss them to a lucky piggie or chicken passing by.  My worst fear is someone cracking open one of my eggs and being scarred for life, if you know what I mean.

Before I cool myself an egg or use it in a recipe, I do the following:

1. Turn on the hot tap water and let it get really hot.
2. Place eggs in a colander.
3. Fill bowl 1/2 way with hot tap water and apple cider vinegar.
4. Place colander of eggs in bowl of water and vinegar and let them sit for no more than a minute.  Then I wipe clean with a paper towel and am ready to go.
5. If I am washing eggs for someone else, I follow USDA guidelines and do a bleach water dip.