Processing larger numbers

GBov

Songster
10 Years
Apr 3, 2009
617
13
154
OK, I have processed my first quail (a week ago) and first;

THANK YOU to everyone who said bop before you chop!

It made it MUCH easier to get the sisors round its little neck.

Whoever said they dont death dance as much as larger poultry was wrong though, glad I didnt just drop it in the sink, would have been blood all over the kitchen otherwise. I think perhaps I didnt hit it hard enough so will go for more force next time. Have 8 to 10 weeks to wait till then though
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It plucked really easily so no mess in the kitchen.

BUT!

How do you all process big numbers?

Do you scald or dry pluck?

And do you process in your kitchen or outside?

Go on, tell me all about how you do it!

Please?
 
Trying to remember it was 30 years ago. Processed at our friends place outside. Set up a pot of water on the coleman stove. Plucked and dressed. Came into the house and we gals further rinsed and cleaned them. Did around 60 at a time, but with 4 people it didn't take long.

A few years ago, DH made me a sink with tile counter, hot and cold running water off the kitchen outside. I do all processing there. Have a big stainless steal steamer table tray to put them into ice water. When its full I bring them in to finish them or put them into my BIG stainless sink in ice water if I have more to do.

Are you going to be processing these yourself or will you have help?
 
Quote:
Do three small kids count as help?

No, I didnt think so!

Just me doing it on me lonesome.

What temp do you scald at? I only just tried scalding with some ducks and a rooster I bought off craigs list. It worked pretty well but need to tweak it a bit. Would be easier inside with the quail as I could use the stove for keeping the water temp right instead of lump charcoal lol.

My first batch will only be 15 or so (depends on weather or not neighbor kids mum says they can have a few for pets) so am not too worried about the processing but I want to work up to raising them in batches of 50 at a time so any hints or been there done thats would be mighty nice of you all to tell me.

I just hate reinventing the wheel!
 
Quote:
Do three small kids count as help?

No, I didnt think so!

Just me doing it on me lonesome.

What temp do you scald at? I only just tried scalding with some ducks and a rooster I bought off craigs list. It worked pretty well but need to tweak it a bit. Would be easier inside with the quail as I could use the stove for keeping the water temp right instead of lump charcoal lol.

My first batch will only be 15 or so (depends on weather or not neighbor kids mum says they can have a few for pets) so am not too worried about the processing but I want to work up to raising them in batches of 50 at a time so any hints or been there done thats would be mighty nice of you all to tell me.

I just hate reinventing the wheel!

a coupla good ales seem to make the time spent go by quicker
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I never have scalded with the quail .. I just get a good handful of belly feathers and skin the bird .. Only takes a couple seconds.. I usually remove the leg at the knee joint with my scissors then skin then evicerate... I did 30 last time and only took about an hour.. I do mine assembly style outside. I bop and chop all birds then skin ...
 
So does skinning not change the cooking or taste of the birds?
 

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