Product Spotlight: Freeze Dried Eggs

We sell eggs at Polyface. No surprise there!

But did you know that we also sell a shelf stable, freeze dried version of our eggs?

A lot of folks have no idea that we carry this product -- I want to take a few minutes to highlight the unassuming egg, and marvel about this simplistic and useful addition to our pantry.

First off: why freeze dried eggs? At Polyface we embrace the seasonal nature of chickens. Joel Salatin explains the reason why we "run out" of eggs every winter in his 2024 article Inventory Fluctuations on the farm blog. I'd recommend reading the whole post. But here is an excerpt on laying hens:

"This is most obvious with eggs.  Our laying hens aren't in a confinement factory under light control.  The sun actually wakes up our chickens and puts them to bed.

When day length shortens, they naturally reduce production and when it lengthens, they increase production.  That's why in the spring we have eggs running out our ears and in November and December, we're always short.  

Some pastured producers put lights on them even out in the field, but we don't.  We believe the natural cycle is important to let the bird rest from her high production labors, regain strength and stamina, and build up a reserve for the flush of spring production."

However, we still like to enjoy our eggs year-round. Breakfast doesn't feel like breakfast without eggs. And what about all the cozy winter baking?

Our solution to that situation, is to take the abundance of the springtime laying, and preserve it -- through freeze-drying -- for winter consumption.

By doing that, we honor the rest cycle of the hens -- while still being able to enjoy eggs in our diet.

Food preservation is a wonderful art; and freeze drying is a useful piece of that puzzle.



Now on to the freeze dried egg powder itself! It's one ingredient. Zero additives. Zero anything else. Just Polyface eggs, in an easily measured powder. I like to think of it as the Polyface Protein Powder.

The grocery shelves and online stores are awash in a multitude of protein powders. I'm no expert on the many varieties -- I'm sure there are some great options out there; but I do know that I personally prefer to eat simple, quality, WHOLE FOODS whenever possible. A whole tomato, a sweet potato, milk, eggs, beef, chicken, kale etc.  So, for me this is an easy choice. 

It's just eggs. 

But it's not just any eggs.

For those of you who have not seen the Polyface vs. USDA Standard Egg nutritional study done by Mother Earth News, take a quick look at the chart below.

Good eggs are like a natural vitamin pack. Real food nutrition. Simple, yet elegant fare.

Another great thing about freeze dried eggs is the convenience. These eggs are shelf stable. Easy to measure. Lightweight. Perfect for throwing in your backpack for your next hike or camping trip.  They are a great addition to any winter larder, or long-term preparedness stash. Stored sealed in a cool, dark pantry they have a shelf life of up to 25 years.

But how do we actually cook with them? 

To use, just whisk or shake in a closed jar equal parts of egg granules and water.   Let sit for 5 minutes, then add to your recipe for baked goods; or to your skillet for scrambled eggs!

2 Tablespoons water + 2 Tablespoons egg granules = 1 large egg.

I chatted with Melissa (our farm chef of summer '24 and '25) yesterday about her favorite ways to savor the freeze dried eggs.  Egg Casseroles, Quiches, Baked Goods, and Scrambled Eggs were up at the top of the list. 

She kindly shared her personal chef secret for extra fluffy scrambled eggs: add an extra 1/2 Tbsp. of water per every egg equivalent. Here's Melissa's Fluffy Scrambled Egg ratio:

• 2 Tbsp. Dry Egg Powder
• 2.5 Tbsp. Water
• Salt and Pepper, to taste

Cook in a skillet on the stove until they reach the desired doneness. 

One of my favorite dishes I've eaten with our Polyface freeze dried eggs was last January. On a frosty dark morning when the temperature was hovering around 15 degrees and snow was piled over the land, Melissa baked a pan full of breakfast burritos made of Polyface Freeze Dried Eggs, Breakfast Sausage, potatoes, and cheese -- all wrapped in fresh, homemade sourdough tortillas. Toasted to golden perfection. It was the most gourmet breakfast burrito I have ever eaten. 9 months later I still think about it. 

I recommend keeping a supply of these versatile freeze dried eggs on hand during the fall and winter. Both for everyday use, and as a handy emergency-food supply. You can find them in our store HERE. They are a pantry staple. A delicious, nutritious, farm-fresh protein. 

It's hard to beat the convenience.