I have a friend, here in Texas, his name is Robert and he's 84 years old and a recent widower, I met him about 4 years ago, at a rifle club, where my son shoots precision pellets, but that's another story.
Robert has been adopted by my family, along with another couple whom I simply adore, but I'll embarrass them another time. Back to Robert.
He loves quail eggs and asked if I would go with him to south Lockhart to get some. He'd brought me eggs he'd pickled before and they were yummy.
We drove to Texas Quail, www.TexQuail.com , a wonderfully modern, clean yet way out in the country place to get our eggs. **No, they didn't pay me or offer me free eggs or quail. I just wanted to share with you where I got the eggs. I did tell them I had a food blog, I did ask for a card but that's the extent. I was tickled when we walked in to hear one of the wrangler wearing dudes rush out with an eager hand to greet Robert back, things like country charm and manners and politeness simply delight me and on that basis alone, I'd give them my business.**
I found out that TexQuail supplies HEB with these, boxed, frozen quail and while I have your attention, you need to go buy it, I have bought the whole quail and roasted them to absolute deliciousness, that's another post, but before I get it up, go and try any of these products, you will not be disappointed and you're buying local. I didn't buy them before because I thought they were prepared cooked seasoned but they're not, it's just beautiful packaging Try them, you'll like them. I promise.
Back to my gobsmacked moment...
While we drove to Lockhart from Austin, I drove, Robert and I talked about, amongst other things, quail and quail eggs. I love them, I told him but they're a pain to peel if you want to boil them for anything. He looked over at me and started to laugh, in a deep, low, back country, genuine laugh. You just don't know how't'do'it. He used to raise quail so I had a reasonable amount of faith in his insights. This was yet another moment in time where I was absolutely and totally at the mercy of an old worlder who knew long ago common sense stuff that I needed to know. I'm going to share with you now exactly how to do it. I tested, twice, three times, to be sure it wasn't a fluke, how on earth did I live this long and NOT know how to peel a quail egg... seriously, thanks Robert, you've rocked my world
THIS is how to do it, there's no recipe, this is a method:
TRACY PEELS QUAIL EGGS
yep, that's the title we're going with
Step one, obtain quail eggs. If you're local, go down to TexasQuail (www.texquail.com) and head into the office, you can tell them you saw this post but you're not getting anything free because of me, just sayin'. They are $3/dozen.
Bring enough water to generously cover the eggs to a boil, I add a little salt. I put the eggs into a dry ladle to transfer them to the boiling water, set timer for 5 minutes. You want a gentle boil, not a witch cauldron boil
DING! after 5 minutes, drain quickly and put the eggs in a jar, cover with plain vinegar. SERIOUSLY, you have to trust me...
YES, the vinegar looks like it's boiling, it's not, YES the color is coming off the eggs, it's freaking me out and does every single time.
I skim the brown every little bit and they're turning WHITE?! The dots fall off?? WHAT?
Robert told me to just leave them on the counter, covered in vinegar but an open jar and just forget about them. He said he usually leaves them over night, (because he cooks them then goes to bed) so the shell disintegrates completely and you just have to peel the membrane.
At 4 hours, I couldn't stand it and picked one out... (OH NO WAY) ITS like LEATHER!?!?! Robert told me to pinch the fat end and pop the small air bubble and the "shell" will fall away with a gentle pull. So, pull I do...
NO WAY! It's peeled, perfectly, smoothly, no digs or pully bits, no divots, no holes, just smooth and clean. Wow, did I mention wow? I rinsed it quickly in clear water, and now to get in there
PERFECT, the white is tender, the yolk perfectly hard cooked, I like to sprinkle it with salt and pepper and pop them in my mouth, Fully expecting the egg to wreak like and taste like vinegar, nope, nuts, nothing. Doesn't taste like anything except quail egg. Robert told me the membrane protects the egg from tasting like vinegar, I didn't believe him, I was SO wrong.
I still simply do not believe it worked and I still do not believe they don't taste like vinegar. How on earth did I get this old and not know this trick?
Share this with everyone you know but be sure to credit Robert, through me, because I wouldn't have believed this method would work or even try it if it had come from anyone else.
There you go, now you can pickle, eat, devil or slice quail eggs to your heart's content
Wow, Robert... got any more culinary secrets you thought "everyone with sense" knew? I'm going to walk around with a pad and paper to steal the tidbits from now on!! THANKS !
/enjoy
Tracy
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