We have recently brought quail onto our farm.
There was a long stretch of time where we were getting little to no eggs from our chickens or ducks for several months in a row. My hope was by introducing another variety of egg laying birds, we could help supplement the lack of eggs until spring came in.
The little birds definitely didn’t let us down! From 6 quail hens we were getting 5-6 eggs a day. While they are small (roughly 3 quail eggs equals 1 chicken egg in baking) I have found they make a pleasant addition to our farm. The eggs are so tiny, in fact, they need an adorable egg carton!
We sell our excess eggs, and I like giving our customers a variety of options to explore. At our farm, Garden of Edon, we currently offer chicken, quail, and duck eggs. In 2023, we added guard geese and have just begun finding goose eggs (although these are not for sale)!
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How Do You Use Quail Eggs?
Essentially the same way you would use duck or chicken eggs! They have less egg white to yolk ratio, so I find they make good additions to things like Homestead Coffee.
Their flavor is pretty mild and we have found the texture is similar to chicken eggs when cooked.
You can use them to substitute anything that calls for chicken eggs without any major flavor or texture changes.
Our favorite use for them has been hard boiling for easy snacks on the go! The size is perfect for little bites of protein.
Hardboiling Quail Eggs in the Pressure Cooker
We have heard from many sources that removing the shells from fresh, hardboiled eggs (laid within that week) are extremely difficult to peel. By using the pressure cooker, we haven’t had any issues! The shell usually slides right off without much trouble.
Items needed:
- Pressure Cooker (We use the Ninja Foodi)
- Silicone Steamer
- Quail eggs
Directions:
- Fill your pressure cooker to the manufacturer guidelines for pressure cooking.
- Place your silicone steamer basket into the pressure cooker and add eggs.
- Put the lid on, making sure the pressure valve is switched to “Pressure”
- Pressure cook your eggs for 2-3 minutes, allowing pressure to naturally release until pressure gauge drops.
- Remove lid and move your silicone basket to a cool water bath until eggs have cooled enough to be handled.
- Peel and enjoy!
We love quail eggs alongside a good slice of bacon and sourdough sheet pancakes!
Have you tried quail eggs before? Or do you have a preference other than chicken eggs?