Emu Eggs

Emus are large birds related to ostriches, and they are sometimes mistaken for them. There is, however, no mistaking an emu egg for an ostrich egg. For one thing, emu eggs are smaller, about 5 inches long and 3 inches wide, and have a pronounced oval shape. They can weigh 1-2 pounds. The other, more startling difference is their color. Emu eggs are a rich emerald green, though some are blue-green, and still others are so dark they look black. Yes, there are emu eggs which truly are black as well. All in all, an emu egg looks remarkably like an avocado from the outside.

emu eggs

Emu, Ostrich and Duck Eggs

These strikingly-colored eggs were once fairly hard to find. Nowadays, you can find them for sale in places like Whole Foods and farmers’ markets. They’re listed on the menu at high-end restaurants as well. You’ll find farms in the US where people raise emus like HeadntheSand which means that you don’t have to order from somewhere outside the country if you would like to find a supplier when they’re available.

For those who want to experiment with emu eggs in cooking, the most you have to worry about are differences in thickness and taste. Emu eggs are rich-tasting, and the white and yolk are quite thick. Because of their size, it would take almost an hour to boil one emu egg. As for the number of servings you’d get, keep in mind that one emu egg equals about ten or twelve chicken eggs.
If you were wondering why emu eggs are green instead of a shade of white or cream, there is a good reason. Emus lay their eggs in grass. The green shell acts as camouflage and keeps the eggs hidden from hungry predators.

Like ostrich eggs and other bird eggs, emu eggs have also been used in non-culinary ways. People empty them of their contents and use the empty shells to make decorative eggs by painting them, or dyeing them like Psyanky eggs. Some will etch designs on them, and because the shell is thick and strong (though perhaps a bit thinner than that of an ostrich egg), you can make lovely, very detailed pictures on them. The shell is also strong enough that an emu egg can be used in an art form known as “filigree.” This is when an artist cuts a pattern through the shell.