One more week to go brining my salted chicken eggs. I just saw 2 eggs with cracks that were not there earlier. Do I need to take them out or will it be ok? I have 5 days left.
Discovered 2 eggs cracked in late stage of brining
Top Answer/Comment:
You asked “do I need to take them out or will it be ok?” Eggs with cracks are risky because bacteria can enter through shell damage. For example, The Pioneer Woman notes “the USDA, it is not safe to use eggs that have cracks. The simple reason is that bacteria can enter eggs through cracks in the shell, most commonly salmonella.” The Pioneer Woman Likewise Health.com states “bacteria can enter eggs through cracks in the shell… the main food safety concern with cracked eggs is Salmonella.” Brining doesn’t magically sterilize a cracked egg, and many brining guides explicitly warn to check each egg to make sure there are no cracks, because cracked eggs can “get rotten inside the brine”. If you’re worried about safety, it’s prudential to remove cracked eggs, rather than let them sit in the brine for another week.