Quail eggs are an excellent alternative to chicken eggs, but they do come with a learning curve. Here is how we hard-boil and cook with our quail eggs.
Fresh quail eggs are a delicious and fun alternative to chicken eggs. We have enjoyed growing our quail and reaping the harvest of eggs!
Whether you raise your quail eggs or purchase them from a local farmer, you can enjoy a hard-boiled egg in many ways.
Here is how you hard-boil quail eggs. Scroll for more blog posts with recipes you can make to enjoy your quail eggs!
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To Hard Boil Quail Eggs, You Will Need…
To hard-boil quail eggs, you will need a small sauce pot and a slotted spoon. When the quail eggs have cooked, you will need a small ice bath to stop the cooking process, so get a small bowl, too.
How to Hard Boil Quail Eggs
Over medium heat, bring water in a small saucepan to a boil. While you wait for the water to boil, wash your quail eggs (we use warm water and a little dish soap).
When the water is boiling, gently place your quail eggs in the water with the slotted spoon.
For a soft-boiled egg, boil for about 3 minutes. For a hard yolk, boil for 5 minutes. While your eggs are boiling, prepare an ice bath by filling a bowl with ice and water. Set to the side.
When your time is up, immediately remove the eggs from the boiling water with a slotted spoon and place them in an ice bath. This will stop the cooking process. It’s important that you don’t use room temperature water! You need to stop the cooking process, so use ice water.
When your eggs have cooled, transfer them to a mason jar with a cup of water. Shake vigorously to crack the shells. I know it sounds weird, but you truly need a hard surface to crack the shells!
Peel the eggs carefully and rinse any remaining bits of shell. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week.
​If you struggle with removing the shell from boiled eggs, you can add white vinegar to the boiling water. The vinegar will help slightly dissolve the shell, making it easier to peel.
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Tiny Eggs, Big Kitchen Fun
Quail eggs are a unique addition to anyone’s kitchen. Because they have more yolk than they do egg white, they tend to have a creamier consistency.
That decadence automatically makes them ideal for upscale dishes or bite-sized appetizers.
If you are subbing them in for chicken eggs, just know it will take about 3-4 quail eggs to properly substitute for one chicken egg. When you factor in cost or anticipate how many eggs for what you are making, that could add up financially.
My top tip would be to purchase a pair of scissors specifically for opening quail eggs. Quail eggs can have a thick membrane that is hard to puncture. Many will accidentally crack the yolk when trying to crack the membrane. You can avoid that and still get the aesthetic of an intact yolk with a special pair of quail scissors.
While chicken eggs may be the standard in the United States, quail eggs are popular in Asian and Latin American dishes. Soft-boiled quail eggs are a popular addition to ramen bowls, avocado toast, and street food like hot dogs and French fries.
If you want to get started cooking quail eggs, find a local farmer in your area. I have not been able to find mine at a grocery store in my area. Do you have a local grocery store that sells quail eggs? Comment on this blog post and let me know where you’re shopping!
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More About Cooking Quail Eggs
We have loved having these as an addition to our recipe rotation! Not only are they fun, but they are also an easy snack to prepare and keep in the fridge.
Our favorite recipe, by far, is this soy sauce pickled quail eggs recipe. I scoured recipes and created my own. My family loves it! A close second is our version of a spicy pickled quail egg. We turned the heat down a bit and used a traditional pickling spice. You can even use your own if you want to!
Finally, we recommend a dill pickled quail egg recipe. It’s a simple recipe and a great introduction to the world of pickling!
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