Finally did it, processed my first quail!

[Bettacreek]

I grab them upside down, holding down wings, they're facing me when I hold them up in front of me. Then, *whap* I just bring them down on the edge of my kitchen sink. I was processing quail while on the phone with hubby, so that should tell you that it's pretty easy.

And, it really isn't very messy at all, as long as you head bonk and cut over the sink and pluck over the trash can. If you get one that's really twitchy or one that's neck moves around, you can put them into the drain of the sink, but I don't really think it's necessary to be honest. There isn't much blood at all, I've had cuts that bled more than four birds combined, without the need of stitches.

I just let my birds out, they were roaming the kitchen floor (linoleum) and I'd just pick one up and process, then nab another. Makes it easier than having to open cages and such. The cat LOVED the necks and some of the innards. Disappointed hubby that I gave the hearts to Kitty, but he didn't tell me to save them, so that's his loss, lol.

Ohhh, and, make sure that you snip the heads off as close to the base of the skull as possible. I had two that I cut a tad lower... Their beaks were moving. They didn't squawk or anything, but I'm not sure if they felt pain or not. The ones that I cut right at the base of the skull didn't move until the dead twitchies kicked in.

 

[CrimsonRose]

It really isn't hard after you get through the first one... I don't do the head whack thing I just break their neck with my pruners... I tried the head whacking thing and missed once (I'm a royal clutz) and ended up hurting the poor baby instead of knocking it out not to mention I banged my hand a good one too... Then it was a royal pain to keep ahold of the bird while trying to just cull it...

If you have good aim it's probably not so bad... But I just don't have the skills... LMBO

But the way I do mine none cry or gasp... if you put the pruners right at the base of the neck squeeze and twist Since you break the neck at the base it kills them instantly much like knocking them out...

I just made a post showing how I process quail in the meat section last week... My little girl wanted to learn how so I had her take the pics as I went through the steps...

They sure are tasty!!! How do you plan to cook them? We stuffed ours and baked it... I can't wait till the next batch it will be warm enough to use the smoker on them!!!

 

[Boyd]

what do you use for stuffing? Mmmmmmmm this is making me hungry!

 

[Bettacreek]

I don't know how you missed, lol. I don't raise them up real high, just about to my breast, then bring it down to the sink edge (about to my belly button). Doesn't take a lot of force or anything, just makes a nice bong when you connect to the kitchen sink. Not really any aim involved. The first round, I'm just going to throw them into one of my glass cassarole (sp?) dishes (could probably use a cake pan for large families) and dump some barbeque sauce on them and bake them. Hubby wants quail pot pie (Pennsylvania Dutch style, not the gross little meat pie type things) and I want to make quail gravy with mashed tatties and corn. Of course, we only have six birds butchered, so with the three of us, that'll only make one meal, so we'll have to wait until we can get some eggs and hatch them before we get to try these different meals.

 

[SamG347]

Did you get all those males I gave you done? How did they turn out? I'm telling yah skinning is the way to go with Coturnix. I do the hatchet method though never tryed shears.

 

[Bettacreek]

Yup, I kept the A&M. If it's a male, I'll give him two hens, if it's a hen, I'll probably have to buy a roo, since I'm guessing that your jumbos don't carry A&M. I'd be afraid to use a hatchet, now that sucker would be hard to aim with, I'd end up loosing a finger or something, lol.

 

[SamG347]

LOL you will have to come over when I do some butchering days here......IT is really a simple setup....I just take two nails...nail them into my stump.....make the nails only about half an inch apart....put the quails head between them....and pull on the back legs.
Very...very simple!

 

[cawooduck]

I hunt valley quail and when i do cripple a bird i just usually pull their heads off, quick and easy without any sound or twitching, why couldnt you do that with regular Coturnix?

Another thing to consider if you want a bird with skin on is to boil some water and dunk the quail in it for about a minute or two, just long enough that the feathers can litterally be wiped off. I do this with a limit of Quail and they come out like store bought chicken.

MMMMMMMmmmmmmmmm, i cant wait for some smoked quail!!..........Jason

 

[CrimsonRose]

For the stuffing I mixed it up just like you would for turkey stuffing... I don't write down my recipes I typically wing it but here is an approximate recipe (give or take a little per your own taste) 1 loaf of fresh baked bread tear it up into little pieces while still warm... heat up some broth until boiling... Then in the bread bowl add chopped onion, celery, garlic, bell pepper... Then add about 3 large eggs or if using quail eggs add about 10-11... Then for spices I always try to add fresh I have spices growing in my window... So I add sage, rosemary(bunches of both),then a little basil, thyme, oregano, chives, sesame seed, dill... Then pour the broth a little at a time and mix... keep mixing until it all blends together nicely but isn't too soft if it gets too soft to where it won't hold together if you make a ball with it then add a tad more bread or crackers to thicken it some... Don't leave it to dry where it crumbles either... Then stuff birds place them all in a cake pan then cover them with left over dressing... Then pop in the oven for about an hour on 375...

As for missing hitting the bird I am the world biggest clutz... I still don't know how I missed but I did...

I didn't try to whack it really hard either good thing or I would have broke my hand... LOL As for a hatchet there is no way I'm even trying that one... I would have to change my name to stumpy or something...