>In Europe and Britain, the opposite is true. European Union regulations prohibit the washing of eggs. The idea is that preserving the protective cuticle is more important than washing the gunk off.

UK eggs are unwashed, thus still have their protective cuticles and thus can last much longer unrefrigerated. GP's quote only applies to American eggs, which are washed.

My understanding from such conversations is that eggs in the EU are definitely not washed.

Supermarket caged-hen eggs are generally clean in appearance due to the lack of items that might otherwise stick to the them.

I have found free range supermarket eggs, on the other hand, to sometimes have small features stuck to them.

I'm not sure what accounts for the generally clean appearance of supermarket eggs. Maybe eggs are brushed in some manner to remove obvious dirt. But the washing of eggs is certainly not a legal practice in the EU.

In the other hand, you can have perfectly clean eggs if 1) you use a modern nesting box designed to hide the eggs and 2) provide independent sleeping areas higher to discourage the hens to sleep in the nesting boxes.

You could also scratch the surface with an old credit card or a knife but is better not to use water. Storing eggs in the fridge is also convenient, eggs shells shouldn't be in contact with other eggs.

It's uncommon but it happens - they aren't throwing out the dirty ones.

I have no idea what the most common approach is. Eggs are not in the fridge at the supermarket, so why they would suddenly need to go in there once you get them home, I'm not sure.

Edit: The egg boxes are stacked outside of refrigerators at room temperature.

No, they're not washed. Lack of gunk is due to technique (or just cleaning mechanically) https://www.fsai.ie/faq/egg_washing.html

http://hoaxes.org/weblog/comments/artificial_dirty_eggs

"Artificially Dirty Eggs, 1973, the Dutch egg industry"

(I generally buy duck eggs rather than chicken eggs, though. Don't know if they last longer.)

FUN FACT: a couple of years ago I saw a Twitter thread between two British comedians/columnists/something/etc. trying to out-mock one another, and "I bet you refrigerate your eggs" was one of the lines.

For extra large or jumbo eggs, probably add a minute. Adjust to taste for future batches, 11-12 minutes should be cooked but still a bit darker in the center of the yolk.

Just put them in a pot, not large, with enough water to cover the eggs and no more. Cold water. Add heat, high, and heat to boil for no more than a minute. Remove and put in cool/running water. Results in non-plastic whites and soft yolks.

Though, I prefer poached or scrambled. For boiled, quail eggs are great (and, where I live, also cheaper).

6 - 7 minutes produces an egg where the yolks are not runny but are also not chalky and brittle. They have a creamy texture and deep orange colour. This on toast.

(They're fine to eat immediately after boiling, of course, with the warmth making them actually quite tasty - but it's risky. Until they've done their time in the fridge, they're often difficult to peel and/or they'll have a lot of hard-to-remove skin left on them once peeled.)

Steaming them makes even the ones done with new eggs easy to peel, and they cook without an air pocket in my recent experience.

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/how_to_make_perfect_har...

Why on earth do you put them in a fridge for 12-18 hours? Serious. Are you at a catering company that does these in mass?

The FDA's advice is to "cook eggs until yolks are firm".[1]

[1] - https://www.fda.gov/Food/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/ucm077342...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-25154046

Unusual action for a conservative, however.

For perfect hard boiled eggs place the eggs in cold water, some white vinegar, place on high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from heat once it boils and time for exactly ten minutes.

Remove and peel.

Perfect hardboiled eggs.

https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Da...

They make perfect steamed eggs every time. Easy to peel too.

All UK chickens are vaccinated against Salmonella so there should be no chance of getting it from eggs. That's one reason why washing is considered unnecessary here.

I think it's most, but not all, chickens. Vaccination is part of the red lion quality brand mark, and approx 80% of birds are part of that; and many farmers not part of it vaccinate too.

Vaccination isn't mandatory. There are some vigorous testing requirements as part of the National Control Programme for salmonella.

Maybe I'm wrong though, has this changed recently?

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachm...

> 1.1.3 The Advisory Committee on Microbiological Safety of Food (an expert independent group which advises the Food Standards Agency) considered Salmonella in eggs and reported on its findings in May 20011 and considered that the widespread vaccination of egg laying flocks against S. Enteritidis combined with improved flock hygiene measures had had a significant effect on the prevalence of Salmonella contamination of eggs and on salmonellosis in humans. In the UK a voluntary industry operated scheme (British Egg Industry Council) Lion Quality requires its members to vaccinate their layer flocks and to operate to specified hygiene standards. About 85% of egg production belongs to the Lion Quality scheme. In addition many producers who are not members of the scheme also vaccinate their flocks on a voluntary basis.

Ahh, you're right. But I believe that all (or virtually all) eggs sold into the supermarket supply chain carry the red lion mark. The other 15% are presumably used by commercial customers where they are guaranteed to be pasteurised or cooked enough to prevent any onward contamination.

Apparently salmonella vaccine is not typically used in US egg production:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/25/business/25vaccine.html