Cotunix Quail Flavor

[Orange Ribbon]

Growing up, my brothers and I used to hunt bobwhite quail. Anyone who has eaten the knows the wonderful flavor. As we grew older the quail slowly disappeared, and now there are only a few left here and there. We ate lots of rabbits we took while hunting also and I liked them pretty good, but I never could stand the taste of tame rabbit. So I wondered if there was a difference in tame bobwhite and the wild ones. Also, how does coturnix compare?

 

[rittert3]

"Tame" bobwhite tastes the same, I'm not sure on coturnix, yet. I'm sure somebody here will tell you.

 

[7L Farm]

They both taste fine to me. Another plus for pen raised is no BB's.

 

[joe125]

Well, coturnix taste exactly like coturnix! Not sure how else to say it, because there is no accounting for someone eases taste.
To me, the sweetest game of all would be #1. Mourning Dove, #2. Tree Rat (Squirrel), #3 Bobwhite. Somewhere between 1 and 3 is coturnix for me.

Your taste may vary. Of course...any quail beats no quail, so you have to figure that in to the equation.

 

[Orange Ribbon]

Quote:
Ha! Yeah, nothing like biting down on a piece of shot while enjoying your meal!

I'm sure the coturnix taste good, I just wondered if they resembled the bobwhite in flavor. I would get bobwhite, but don't want the hassle of getting a permit.

I used to have a permit for taxidermy which I did full time for 10 years, and a conservation officer might show up at anytime to see your paper work and look through the shop. I always did everything by the book so that wasn't a problem, but sometimes I'd be laying down because I have leukemia and didn't feel good, or just had something else going on and they'd make me go down with them regardless while they checked it out. No coming back for those guys. Then you never knew if you would get someone who'd throw everything out of your freezers onto the floor then leave you there to put it all back. I finally gave it up because of my health, but I don't miss any of it except getting to visit with customers. So, I don't want to get back into that mess again. I don't need a permit for coturnix so that is the way I'm going to go. You'll probably see more of me here in this section as I learn about them.

Joe125, I don't like dove or squirrels, so I hope the coturnix are nothing like that!

 

[7L Farm]

I like eating coturnix more than Bob's but everyones different.

 

[SliderShooter]

Quote:
Coturnix taste like quail, nothing like dove or squirrel. I couldn't tell the difference between a bob and coturnix if they were both sitting on a plate, hot out of the oven.

 

[Orange Ribbon]

Quote:
Coturnix taste like quail, nothing like dove or squirrel. I couldn't tell the difference between a bob and coturnix if they were both sitting on a plate, hot out of the oven.

That is great to know. Thanks!

 

[joe125]

Quote:
Ha! Yeah, nothing like biting down on a piece of shot while enjoying your meal!

I'm sure the coturnix taste good, I just wondered if they resembled the bobwhite in flavor. I would get bobwhite, but don't want the hassle of getting a permit.
Joe125, I don't like dove or squirrels, so I hope the coturnix are nothing like that!

Well, this is why I say that there is no way to account for another persons taste!
There are at least 2 (that I know of) sellers of grocery store available coturnix meat. "Plantation Quail" http://www.plantationquail.net/ and "Texas Quail Farms" http://www.texquail.com/ .
To spite what ever pictures they have on their web site, their end product is some strain of coturnix quail, and they are mass produced for the grocery store market. Before investing money in incubators, brooders, pens, etc..and investing a whole 10+/- weeks of your time to figure out if you like coturnix meat. I suggest that you track down a supply of the meat...wrap it in bacon, slow cook it, pan fry it, or how ever you like your quail. That way you will know for yourself what coturnix tastes like. That way one can figure out if they want to raise coturnix for meat, bobs, Zambian Gutter Snipes, or what ever your favorite game bird may be.

That isn't directed at you personally Orange Robbon. Just a blanket suggestion.

Of course your home grown coturnix will taste much better than the store bought stuff, but that's a given

 

[Orange Ribbon]

I appreciate the reply joe125. If it tastes anything like bobwhite then I'll like it. But I understand when it comes to describing some of the flavors it is hard to do. There is nothing to compare the taste of bobwhites to. Even grouse have their own flavor like none other. Dove just tastes like liver to me, and wild duck tastes like fishy liver. YUCK

But some people like those flavors. I love quail and grouse. I think it is better than deer meat, and I love deer meat.

If something happened I didn't like the taste, I still want to raise a few anyway. It isn't just the eating that interests me, but if it is good to me then that will be a bonus.