Coturnix Quail Anyone?

[flowerbug]

off with my head!

sorry, just some sick humor... ignore me... lol

 

[flowerbug]

don't the gizzards have crunchy stuff in them that you don't want to eat? or just swallow it whole and let the digestive system sort it out (kinda like what i do with oysters )...

 

[flowerbug]

@FarmerJamie i don't eat the shells... haha!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Gizzards are generally the place you'd find pebbles and such to help grind the feed. I cut them open, clean 'em out and peel off the thick lining inside.

"Bird gizzards are lined with a tough layer made of koilin, a keratinous material of 90% protein and 10% fat, to protect the muscles in the gizzard."

 

[Trying2keepitReal]

I was hoping you would post a photo! Thanks!

I still want to try quail and still haven't done anything about it. Murray McMurray sells them by 100 count, which is way more than I want.

I am glad I jumped on this thread. I want some quail too--DH was even on board for it this fall but it got too late and I didn't want to start something new right when the snow flies and I would have needed to find some.

100 is more than I would want too but maybe we could split a shipment @tortoise

 

[Trying2keepitReal]

Finally got around to butchering some quail yesterday. Started out with 12, but fumble fingers dropped one. I have no idea why Raine and Karma thought it was a doggie treat. Took an hour from cage to kitchen.

Before the final cleaning:

Those look really good.

So are they about the size of a cornish hen?

(we also have a Kharma for a pup)

 

[tortoise]

I am glad I jumped on this thread. I want some quail too--DH was even on board for it this fall but it got too late and I didn't want to start something new right when the snow flies and I would have needed to find some.

100 is more than I would want too but maybe we could split a shipment @tortoise

Splitting sounds good to me! 50 is still too much for me, maybe @hardknockhomestead too?

 

[Trying2keepitReal]

Splitting sounds good to me! 50 is still too much for me, maybe @hardknockhomestead too?

50 is a hair too much probably here too but I could make 25 work!

 

[Alaskan]

When we did quail I mail ordered a bunch of quail eggs from ebay.

You can always eat all of the "extra" when they get to sexual maturity.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Guess what we had for dinner? I weighed a couple before I breaded for frying. Weighed one of the bigger ones before breading and frying and it was 4.6 ounces. The other two were about 4.2 ounces. The bones are petty tiny so a lot of that is meat.

Next batch I do will be stuffed with (maybe) jalapeno sausage and wrapped in bacon...after that I'll do some with a soy sauce/orange juice/hone marinade. I need to butcher more!