The difference egg color makes

[Jenise]

We've had this discussion here before: does egg color make a difference in the taste of a cooked egg? I believe Bob Ross, who grew up on a farm that raised its own, and others (George, was that you?) claimed vociferously that all eggs taste alike. That is, the taste of the egg is determined not by the hen variety but by what the hens are fed, so all hens raised in the same coop will produce eggs that taste alike, no matter the color of the egg.

Of course I can't offer any personal experience because no way no how am I going to eat an egg. But I feed them to my husband all the time, and it was our new proximity to farm fresh, unpasteurized eggs here in the Pac NW that sparked the conversation in our own household and caused me to bring it up here in this forum. After a couple of breakfasts, Bob was pretty sure that the green eggs from the, is it Arcuna?, chickens tasted the best.

That was, however, MOST of the time. Not all, and at that time I wasn't even sure that my fresh egg source was raising all the chickens themselves vs aggregating them from several locals who might be producing more eggs than they needed, so the feed source would of course be an issue.

But now we get eggs from the goat farm. And they raise ALL the chickens right there, and there have been times that they've been out of eggs in the office and I've gone into the chicken coop to collect whatever I could find, sometimes just 4 or 5. (I love doing that, wish they were always out of eggs.) Anyway, it doesn't get any fresher or more certain than this about source. And this morning's breakfast was about the 25th time I made fried, two minute eggs from one each brown or pink and green for Bob. Only I knew which was which--he wasn't even in the room when the eggs went into the pan. Which did he like best? The same one he has in every "blind tasting" except one: after taking one bite of each, without hesitation he pointed to the green egg: "oh this one, it's much richer".

I'm convinced. Given identical conditions, there IS a difference in flavor. Which you prefer will be a matter of personal taste, but that a taste difference exists is, as far as I'm concerned, proven.

That's interesting.

Like you, I've always heard that there ISN'T a taste difference between the two. I'd like to do a "taste test" myself just to see. At worst, it still results in a good excuse to eat omelettes all day!

What I wonder is if any taste "differences" between different colored eggs isn't just somehow a "freshness" difference or "off-taste" impression somehow and not really a difference necessarily attributed just because the egg is brown (or isn't brown). What I mean is that a brown egg could taste "different/better" than a white (or vice versa) but the two eggs may not have any structural reason to taste "different". If that makes any sense??

I seen a show on the History Channel in regards to the history of the egg and they too touched on the fascinating topic of different colored eggs but made the point to mention there was no difference in the taste, apparently...

Jeff

[Jenise]

That's interesting.

Like you, I've always heard that there ISN'T a taste difference between the two. I'd like to do a "taste test" myself just to see. At worst, it still results in a good excuse to eat omelettes all day!

What I wonder is if any taste "differences" between different colored eggs isn't just somehow a "freshness" difference or "off-taste" impression somehow and not really a difference necessarily attributed just because the egg is brown (or isn't brown). What I mean is that a brown egg could taste "different/better" than a white (or vice versa) but the two eggs may not have any structural reason to taste "different". If that makes any sense??

I seen a show on the History Channel in regards to the history of the egg and they too touched on the fascinating topic of different colored eggs but made the point to mention there was no difference in the taste, apparently...

Jeff

Jeff, if you're talking pasteurized, store-bought eggs that could have come from any chicken, I completely understand and support the idea that there's no taste difference based on color: source, freshness yes, those will likely trump any other considerations. But what I'm talking about is strictly related to farm fresh, when different breeds of chicken kens on the same farm eat the same feed and the eggs are approximately the same number of hours old each time. That's what I've been blind-testing here, and Bob has preferred the green egg every time but once. And this is someone who's sensitized to wine tasting, to comparing and contrasting subtle nuances. Think of it as comparing four pinot noirs, just to pick a grape, made by the same winemaker in the same vintage but from four different vineyards in the same viticultural area. To the guy off the street who drinks mass produced jug wine, they'd probably all taste alike. He'd claim that as fact, and he'd believe it. But to an experienced taster, subtle differences would be apparent.

Are you talking about the "egg" color or the egg shell color? I've raised several different kinds. There is no taste difference given the same diet. The "egg" yolk color will be much richer and deeper with the naturally raised chickens. And, Jeff, there are more than two colors of egg shells.

And, Jeff, there are more than two colors of egg shells.

Yes indeed! I didn't mean to imply there were only two. Hopefully I didn't anyways...

Jeff

If the chickens cheeks are red or brown they will have brown eggs, if white, white eggs. Chicken are cross bred resulting in different color, or lighter color eggs. Flavor depends on what they are fed. I buy ranch eggs all the time, the yolks are much richer than store bought eggs, because of the natural and organic diet they get. Farmer's feed their chickens according to what they grow on the farm. Some feed just from the farm, others introduce commercial foods for them. The green to blue eggs come from a chicken bred in Chile called Aracuana, but if cross bred, again the egg will be a different color. It really amounts to a jumble of who breeds who and what they eat. Oh, and the amount of sunlight they get or not get can determine the final color of the egg.

We have a friend/neighbor around the corner who has six to eight chickens and we have been getting a dozen from her every other Friday for the last year. She does not have a farm and only shares her excess eggs with a few friends. The yolks are definitely much larger in these eggs than in the ones we occasionally buy from the grocery store. Some eggs are white, some brown, some are a light blue or green. I like eggs but haven’t noticed any difference in the taste. My friend has some young hens and their eggs are smaller than the mature hens. It’s always interesting to open up the box to see what we got this time.

The farmers I know say that the amount of sunlight affects the number of eggs layed (more -> more), and the hens' diet affects the color of the yolk, but the taste is about the same all 'round.

[Jenise]

Are you talking about the "egg" color or the egg shell color? I've raised several different kinds. There is no taste difference given the same diet. The "egg" yolk color will be much richer and deeper with the naturally raised chickens. And, Jeff, there are more than two colors of egg shells.

If you're addressing the first part of your question to me, I'm talking two different egg shell colors from the same naturally raised chickens on the same farm sharing the same hen coop collected on the same day. 24 out of 25 times, Bob has favoured the green egg without knowing which was which.

The farmers I know say that the amount of sunlight affects the number of eggs layed (more -> more), and the hens' diet affects the color of the yolk, but the taste is about the same all 'round.

Indeed it does. I provided artificial light in the winter.

Are you talking about the "egg" color or the egg shell color? I've raised several different kinds. There is no taste difference given the same diet. The "egg" yolk color will be much richer and deeper with the naturally raised chickens. And, Jeff, there are more than two colors of egg shells.

If you're addressing the first part of your question to me, I'm talking two different egg shell colors from the same naturally raised chickens on the same farm sharing the same hen coop collected on the same day. 24 out of 25 times, Bob has favoured the green egg without knowing which was which.

All the same to me. Currently our friend raises three different breeds - I get eggs from all the breeds every week. I know because I wash them.

I used to have chickens for eggs. I had several different breeds, and got white, brown, pink, green eggs.

I wholeheartedly agree with Jenise.

I'm not an egg gourmet. I usually buy white eggs at the supermarket. My only distinction is freshness. Fresh eggs taste better and when cracked into the pan, the yolk will tend to maintain it's spherical shape, while older eggs flatten out. Older eggs, however, when hard boiled, peel much easier. If I know I'm going to make deviled eggs, I will buy the eggs a week in advance.

I never gave a whole lot of thought to eggs being different (in color and flavor) until my first trip to Europe. After an overnight ferry from Portsmouth, England to Cherbourg, France I had to wait an hour or so to catch a train to Paris. The only restaurant open at that hour (around 6am) was a McDonalds of all places. I went in and ordered an Egg McMuffin, and was shocked to see a bright orange yolk. At the time, I remembered thinking how good it tasted. The rest of the trip, I was all over Europe and noticed the eggs a lot. All of the yolks were much more orange than ours in the states.

After a couple of breakfasts, Bob was pretty sure that the green eggs from the, is it Arcuna?, chickens tasted the best.

It's aracana (a South American breed). When I raised chickens I had an aracana that laid green eggs; others lay blue or pink. I'm in the camp that if all other conditions are identical, there is no taste difference. But the other conditions have many variables that can affect flavor.

For the record, I like brown eggs just because they look cool, but if they're substantially more expensive than white, I buy the white.

The biggest difference I've noticed is between what we call "farm eggs," and eggs purchased at the grocery store. The farm eggs are much tastier. No one around here really cares much about "organic" or "free range" or any of that stuff. The chickens usually run freely during the day, are put in at night, and are fed a little scratch feed now and then. What you get is what you get. Most who sell the eggs are asking $1.50 - $2.00 a dozen. I don't mind paying that little bit extra for what I see as better quality.

[Jenise]

What you get is what you get. Most who sell the eggs are asking $1.50 - $2.00 a dozen. I don't mind paying that little bit extra for what I see as better quality.

And that would be extra? Wow, I'm paying $4 dozen from the goat farm. Supermarket would be $3.50 for organic.

If I can summarize, the color of egg shells is of little or no importance campared to freshness, light, and diet. Of these three, I think diet is the most important. It a home producer just feeds the chickens corn, the eggs will taste just like the ones from the store if the freshness is the same. The difference comes when the diet is varied such as adding greens to the corn. Then the yolks become richer, which is what makes one egg better than another.

Jenise - Actually, what I usually do is trade wine for eggs. A bottle of wine costs me about $3 to make (not counting my labor) and I trade for 3-4 dozen eggs. I don't quibble much over the number of eggs.

Interesting. I thought at first that the really yellow yolks were from really fresh free range eggs. An associate of mine who is a farmer/boatbuilder told me it's the amount of corn in the chicken's diet. I do find the yellower the yolk the richer the egg.

I'm making an omlette tonight from the goat farm eggs you brought us on the weekend Jenise. I'm hoping to keep it nice and runny. Mmm doesn't that sound good? I may substitute the butter on the bread for a big thick layer of mayo. Just kidding.

After a couple of breakfasts, Bob was pretty sure that the green eggs from the, is it Arcuna?, chickens tasted the best.

It's aracana (a South American breed). When I raised chickens I had an aracana that laid green eggs; others lay blue or pink. I'm in the camp that if all other conditions are identical, there is no taste difference. But the other conditions have many variables that can affect flavor.

For the record, I like brown eggs just because they look cool, but if they're substantially more expensive than white, I buy the white.

Actually, it is araucana. And more likely, americauna or a mutt thereof. True auracanas have no tail and are somewhat tricky to find http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/BRKPoultryPage.html and more to the point, http://www.feathersite.com/Poultry/BRKChickensA-C.html

The color of the yolks is affected by the nutrients that the hen consumes. A truly free ranging hen will give eggs with a deep orange yolk. I don't know from experience as I did not feed corn to mine, but I believe that a hen fed corn will produce eggs of a brighter yellow color than one fed less corn but still a restrictive diet (as commercial hens are).

I agree with Howie, a fresh egg will have a yolk which stands up in the pan. It was a little bit disconcerting to me, the first time that I saw it. Also, the white of a fresh egg does not spread out. The difference between even very good grocery store eggs, and eggs which were laid that day or the day previous, is significant. I also agree about hard boiling/peeling them.

Again, I am in Jenise's camp. I definitely noticed a different, richer flavor in the eggs from the green egg layers that I had. I'm actually not sure why this is so controversial, isn't it fairly common knowledge that the milk or meat from different breeds of animals tastes different? Isn't that the basis of Kurobuta ham, as one example?

[Jenise]

Interesting. I thought at first that the really yellow yolks were from really fresh free range eggs. An associate of mine who is a farmer/boatbuilder told me it's the amount of corn in the chicken's diet. I do find the yellower the yolk the richer the egg.

I'm making an omlette tonight from the goat farm eggs you brought us on the weekend Jenise. I'm hoping to keep it nice and runny. Mmm doesn't that sound good? I may substitute the butter on the bread for a big thick layer of mayo. Just kidding.

Tease tease tease.

The yolks in the green eggs is really a deep orange--must have made a gorgeous omelet.

Personally I never pay much attention to the colour of the shell, but right or wrong, have always sensed a darker/richer coloured yolk delivers more flavour.

regards

Ian

Concerning the taste differences of eggs...It all depends on the diet. My 1st wife's family had a small orchard. When the apples came in I would pick up all the wind falls and feed them to my chickens (saving a few for the goat). The eggs actually had a subtle apple flavor. Immediately after about a 3 week diet containing lots of apples I butcher some of the chickens. You could taste the apples in the meat. I have heard the same thing occurs with pork but do not have any experience with hogs.

Ever wonder why a large percentage of the turkeys sold have been "marinated"? Part of the solution is turkey broth. In the ration fed to the "modern" turkeys you have to boost the protein percentage over that of just grains. There is great variance in the protein percentage for every grain. In red wheat there could perhaps be a variance of up to 5 percent. The protein supplements added to the rations serve as the equalizer to bring the protein of the ration up to the level needed. Soy bean meal, meat by-products meal, and fish meal have historically been three things used. Remembering that Turkey flesh takes on flavors from what the bird eats any off flavor is masked by the injection of the broth solution. Generally what is used to jump the protein is dependent upon what is the cheapest. (Look at the low turkey prices!) One batch of ration fed to a flock might be mixed with one protein source and then the next batch might use a different protein source. In a perfect world the protein sources would remain constant. This isn't a perfect world. Before the turkey industry became so huge screenings from the other grains made up a good part of the ration. The composition of screenings isn't constant. Now, turkey feathers are ground, dried and used as a protein source as well. For the poultry producer to make a living they have to look at the pennies spent on rations. Ration scientists are constantly doing research as to what can be added to feed to get a better conversion ratio. If $.25 of an enzyme added to 100 lbs of feed can increase the rate of gain by even a fraction of a percent it greatly impacts the bottom line.

The ration fed can also effect the color of the yolks. Feed a corn based ration and the yolks will be much brighter and darker in color. You could just add beta carotene to the ration as well. Feed a light grain based ration and the yolks are a pale yellow. The typical Canadian egg in south central Canada has a very pale yolk.

Aracanas lay colored eggs.