It feels like hard-boiled eggs last longer than raw eggs, but this isn’t actually the case. Today, we’ll share the best storage methods and shelf life for hard-boiled eggs.

How to store hard-boiled eggs correctly

If you buy washed eggs, as is common in supermarkets, they have a protective coating on the outside of the shell. However, this coating disappears during cooking, making it more susceptible to bacteria entering cooked hard-boiled eggs than raw eggs, especially if they’re not washed.

Refrigerate as soon as possible

To prevent bacterial contamination of hard-boiled eggs, it’s recommended to refrigerate any hard-boiled eggs that are uneaten or unfinished within two hours of cooking. This helps slow bacterial growth.

Store in a clean container

Also, it’s recommended to place hard-boiled eggs in a clean bowl, container, or paper box before refrigerating them. This prevents the cold air from escaping when the refrigerator is turned on and off, causing the hard-boiled eggs to lose their consistent temperature. If you notice a distinctive odor when you open a hard-boiled egg in the refrigerator, this is because the egg produces hydrogen sulfide during cooking. This is normal and harmless, and the odor usually disappears after a few hours. Freezing hard-boiled eggs is not recommended, as it can harden the white and yolk, making them less flavorful.

Don’t peel the eggs.

Another important point: If you’re not ready to eat the hard-boiled eggs yet, it’s best to wait until you’re ready to eat them or use them in other dishes. If you decide not to use or eat the eggs after peeling them, it’s still recommended to refrigerate them rather than leaving them at room temperature.

First, place the hard-boiled eggs in an airtight container. Cover the eggs with a damp paper towel and close the container lid. This will prevent the hard-boiled eggs from drying out.

Shelf Life of Hard-Boiled Eggs

If you follow the storage methods we’ve just shared, hard-boiled eggs in their shells can be kept in the refrigerator for about a week. However, if you’ve unshelled hard-boiled eggs, it’s recommended that you consume them within 1-2 days.

How can you tell if a hard-boiled egg has gone bad?

If you’ve forgotten how long your hard-boiled eggs have been in the refrigerator, you can take them out and inspect their appearance. If a hard-boiled egg is spoiled, it’s easy to see if it’s unusual or smells bad.

If it’s in its shell, inspect the shell for any stickiness or other abnormalities, or an unpleasant odor. However, if it’s only slightly spoiled, you may need to remove the shell to detect it. In short, if you notice anything strange about a hard-boiled egg, don’t eat it.

However, there is one unusual situation: if you notice a green ring around the yolk of a hard-boiled egg, this doesn’t necessarily mean the egg is bad. Rather, it’s due to a chemical reaction between the sulfur in the egg white and the iron in the yolk, resulting in a layer of gray-green ferrous sulfide where the egg white meets the yolk (around the yolk). While unsightly, it’s harmless.

If you want to avoid the formation of ferrous sulfide, there are two things you can do. First, this chemical reaction usually occurs when hard-boiled eggs are overcooked. Second, it can also occur when eggs are cooked in water containing iron. Avoiding these two factors can improve the situation.