How Long Hard-Boiled Eggs Last, According to Food Experts
Considering the ongoing egg shortage responsible for sparse shelves and high per-carton prices, no one can afford to let their eggs go bad at this point in time. Yet, those of us who like our eggs hard-boiled are at a disadvantage: "Hard-boiled eggs spoil faster than their uncooked counterparts," says Martin Bucknavage, senior food safety extension associate at the Penn State University Department of Food Science.
That’s because uncooked eggs, he explains, contain natural antimicrobial agents that are destroyed by cooking. It’s not rocket science—it’s basic bio—but if you've ever wondered how long hard-boiled eggs last (especially in the refrigerator), we're here to shell out some wisdom, according to food experts.
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Why do eggs go bad?
There are two culprits that cause eggs to go bad, Bucknavage says: microbial spoilage and moisture loss. To sidestep both, he recommends consuming hard-boiled eggs at their peak: As soon as they cool after cooking. After a few days, “quality will start to slide slowly,” he says.
Exactly how long hard-boiled eggs last in the refrigerator
If only fresh hard-boiled eggs came with expiration dates. (Sigh. They don’t!) So how long should you expect a hard-boiled egg to last? It depends on whether you’ve peeled it. Unpeeled eggs last longer because their shell limits contamination that can happen when you peel it, Bucknavage explains. As such, you can bank on an unpeeled hard-boiled egg to stay in its prime for up to seven days. A peeled egg will taste best on the day it’s cooked or up to a day after, but can technically last up to five days, according to Bucknavage.
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Can you eat a two-week-old hard-boiled egg?
Er, sure. But chances are, “it will not taste good,” Bucknavage warns—and “it may give you a stomach ache.”
How to tell whether a hard-boiled egg has gone bad
While the float test is a legitimate way to assess whether an uncooked egg’s gone bad, hard-boiled eggs can be fresh-tested even more easily: Just sniff. “Generally, there should be little to no smell,” Bucknavage says, adding that overcooked eggs will smell like sulfur, and rotten eggs will smell, well, rotten thanks to hydrogen sulfide.
Other telltale signs that your hard-boiled egg is past its prime include sliminess and discoloration—so go ahead and toss any egg that feels or looks “off.”
Related: How To Tell if Your Eggs Are Bad, According to Food Experts
How to prolong the freshness of a hard-boiled egg
Your storage situation can vastly improve the lifespan of cooked eggs if you follow these tips:
Start with good-quality eggs: While you might be moved to boil extra eggs you haven’t eaten as their expiration date nears, it’s smarter to cook eggs sooner, Bucknavage says: “If the starting egg has already started to deteriorate, cooking will not improve the situation,” he explains. But that doesn’t mean it’s best to begin with ultra-fresh eggs, which can be difficult to peel, warns the American Egg Board. They recommend refrigerating a new carton for a week to 10 days before cooking the eggs therein, which allows the eggs to take in air that helps their membranes separate from the shell.
Chill cooked eggs ASAP: After hard-boiling your eggs, Bucknavage recommends popping uneaten extras in the fridge within two hours (or one in warm conditions). Why? High temperatures can help foodborne bacteria proliferate.
Store in a squeaky-clean, bone-dry container: While some people swear by storing cooked eggs in water, it’s ill-advised because shells are permeable, and moisture can make it easier for contaminants to enter the shell, making cooked eggs spoil faster, Bucknavage says.
Loosely cover them: The American Egg Board suggests storing cooked eggs in a loosely-covered container—not the carton they came in. Why not tightly cover? A tight seal can promote yeast growth, they warn.
At the end of the day, if longevity is your goal, you might want to splurge on commercially-packaged hard-boiled eggs, Bucknavage says: “Commercial packers pack within sanitary conditions and include ingredients that limit the growth of spoilage bacteria.” The shortcut means you won’t be stuck removing shells—a prospect with endless apeel!
Next up: Can You Put Eggs in the Freezer?