Pickled Quail Eggs

Quail eggs are BY FAR my favorite type of eggs. They are so pretty and the flavor is richer than a traditional farm raised chicken egg. Even though they can be hard to acquire, they are a fantastic delicacy when you can get your hands on them. I am lucky to have a friend who shared her bounty with me.

My favorite use for these little gems… Pickled Quail Eggs! They make an surprising addition to a charcuterie board, Bloody Mary garnish, on salads, and an easy “pop-able” snack!

These Pickled Quail Eggs are perishable and need to be kept in the refrigerator, but they only get better with time. I have never had a jar manage to age longer than a few weeks in my fridge, as we can’t keep ourselves from eating them!

You will need:

• about 3 dozen quail eggs ( it sounds like a lot, but they are so tiny!)-
• 1 cup hot water
• 1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1/2 cup Distilled White Vinegar
• 1 Teaspoon of Salt
• 1 Teaspoon of Pepper
• Various seasonings and spices of your choice (Onion, Garlic, Dill Weed, Crushed Red Peppers, etc)

First, you will hard boil the Quail Eggs. Place all Eggs into a large pot of water and place on the stove set on High Heat. Once it starts to boil, I gently swirl the eggs around with a wooden slotted spoon to create a “whirlpool” effect. This helps the yolks settle in the middle of the egg as they boil. (This is really for aesthetic sake, so that they are prettier when they peel!) Boil for 5 minutes.

Remove eggs with a slotted spoon and place into a prepared ice water bath (a large bowl with ice and water that you prepared while eggs were boiling). Let chill for 15-20 minutes. This helps cool the eggs and helps them release from the shell to make peeling easier.

Quail eggs do not peel like chicken eggs, the shell is thinner, so the key is cracking the shell all over and releasing the membrane from the egg. To accomplish this I remove the eggs from the ice bath and place into a large glass bowl with a lid. Place lid on bowl, and begin to shake for a minute or two (Make sure lid is secure and stays on)! This will allow the eggs to bang against each other cracking the shells. Then peel the eggs under cold running water. I find it is best to start at the widest end of the egg (this is where an air cell has formed), release the membrane and start peeling away. Place on paper towels to “dry”.

Once peeled, place all eggs into a clean glass Quart sized jar. Be sure to put as many as you can without damaging the eggs. Pour in the vinegars, salt, pepper and add your seasonings. If you prefer a spicy flavor, add crushed red pepper flakes and jalapenos. If you like a mild style then garlic, onion, and dill weed are fantastic! We prefer a spicy taste so we always add extra peppers and some fresh cracked peppercorns.

Add the hot water until all eggs are submerged. The eggs will not “pickle” or absorb any brine if they are not covered. Then place on a tight fitting lid and gently shake the jar to mix the brine. This may release a few air bubbles in the jar, causing the level of brine to drop. If so, just add more hot water to cover the eggs. Place inside Fridge and TRY to forgot about it. The hardest part of this recipe is waiting for the eggs to soak up the flavor!! It is so tempting to try them every time you see them in the fridge but just try to wait! They are pretty good after a week, but truly are best after 2 weeks. Enjoy!