Pickled Quail Eggs
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When I raised quail, we thought quail eggs were just perfect for pickling because of their smaller size. Pickled quail eggs are the perfect bite size protein snack. YUM. This is our favorite Smoky Egg recipe.
In this article, I’ll show you how to cook tiny quail eggs to hardboiled perfection, then make a delicious smoky brine for pickling in the fridge. I think you’ll like them.
Important: This is NOT a canning recipe, just a refrigerator pickle that can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 months, but they’re still very yummy!
Hard Boiling & Peeling Quail Eggs
The first step of making pickled quail eggs is to hard boil and then peel them. Since quail eggs are so small, it can be a little tricky to peel them but I have a quick tip below you can use below to make peeling easier. But first lets go over how to boil quail eggs. I’ve got three methods.
- You can use the age old method of boiling them just like you do chicken eggs.
- You can steam them. This is how I always did it until I discovered the next method.
- You can pressure cook them. My favorite!
How to Boil Quail Eggs
To boil quail eggs, place them in a pot of boiling water. Boil for around 4 minutes. Then cool in cold water right away. Pretty traditional method. But just like chicken eggs the shells can stick and be hard to peel. (I do have tips on how to peel below.)
Cooking Quail Eggs with a 4th Burner Pot
Most often, I steam my eggs using my 4th burner pot, but any steamer will work. Since quail eggs are smaller, you can fit quite a few into the same pot.
Add a couple inches of water to the bottom of the pot and bring to a boil. Put eggs in the basket into the pot and cover. Steam for approximately 3 ½ minutes.
Remove from the heat and run cold water over the eggs to cool them. When you can handle them, start peeling.
Pressure Cooking Quail Eggs
Use a pressure cooker to make hard-boiled quail eggs. An instant pot works fine.
Use the 2,2,2 rule: Pressure for 2 minutes, wait 2 minutes, and release pressure, then cool for 2 minutes in cool water. (The timing for chicken eggs is 5,5,5, by the way, since they are larger.)
When they are cool you can peel them.
The best way to peel Quail Eggs
Soaking Boiled Quail Eggs in Vinegar???
Like I said before quail eggs can be tricky to peel. And having nice smoothly peeled eggs makes for much nicer pickled quail eggs.
You can also soak boiled quail eggs in vinegar. 🙂 You’ll see the bubbles rise as the acidity of the vinegar dissolves the eggshells. Shells will be dissolved by the next day.
See what happens when you soak hard cooked eggs in apple cider vinegar. Works for regular eggs too. Click the video below to watch the bubbles in action.
When it is done, all that is needed is to remove the inner membrane. I tried this and it worked very well!
Pickling Quail Eggs
Now that you’ve got your hard cooked eggs, you can pickle them for tasty little treats.
Start by putting together your brine using the recipe below. My brine has a delicious mixture of cider vinegar, sugar, seasonings, and most importantly…liquid smoke! We call them “smoky eggs” and they’re just so yummy.
There are other brine recipes you can use too. Find more pickled egg flavors on this page.
Put hard-cooked eggs in jars. I often use pint jars to make small batches that store well.
Add your hot brine to the jars. It’s important to pour the brine over the eggs while it’s hot. This keeps the whites more tender (or so they say – I’ve never actually tested it by using cool brine). Hot brine is the way to go.
Place your eggs in the refrigerator and enjoy. Wait a week or so before you try them so the brine has time pickle the eggs. These will store in the refrigerator 3-4 months. Mine never last that long.
Remember, Pickled Quail Eggs are NOT for Canning!
To my knowledge, there are no pickled egg recipes that are available for storage on the shelf. You may wonder why you can purchase pickled eggs on the shelf at the supermarket. That is because they are commercially processed, and that is an entirely different process than what is available to a home cook. Store these pickled quail eggs in the refrigerator, please!
Do You Have to Sterilize Jars?
Full disclosure here: The NCHFP recommends sterilizing your jars before you make pickled eggs.
“Be sure to wash all utensils and surface areas (including hands) very well and sanitize jars for 10 minutes in boiling water before filling with boiled eggs if you expect to keep them for more than several days.”
I’ll be honest, I don’t “sanitize” my jars for pickled eggs. I do, however, wash and rinse very thoroughly! Everything needs to be very clean. You make your own decision. You’ve got good sense; use it. Do what you feel is right.
If you feel more comfortable sterilizing your jars, that is great! Go for it. Here is some information on sterilizing jars with the canning process. That page also has full instructions on how to sterilize jars.
Frequently Asked Questions on Pickling Quail Eggs
Pickled eggs will last for 3-4 months in the refrigerator according to the NCHFP. They don’t give a hard and fast expiration date, but state “for best quality”. I don’t keep mine that long. That is a personal preference. You’ll be safe going with the suggested 3-4 months with these recipes. Remember, they MUST be kept refrigerated.
You can actually eat them right away if you want, but you’ll be disappointed. For that pickled flavor to penetrate your eggs, allow them to sit in the fridge for a week or two. Even longer will give more flavor.
Before You Go…
Love pickles? Want to make pickled vegetables in your canner and not the refrigerator? Find pickled veggie recipes on this page.
Recipe Card
Pickled Quail Eggs
Equipment
- 4th Burner Pot, or another method for boiling eggs
- Glass Jars with lids
Ingredients
- Quail Eggs, hard-boiled
- 1 ½ cups Vinegar. cider
- ½ cup water
- 1 Tablespoon Sugar – Dark Brown
- 2 teaspoons Sugar – Granulated
- 1 teaspoon Mixed Pickling Spices
- ½ teaspoon Liquid Smoke or hickory smoke salt
- 2 teaspoons Salt
Instructions
Pickled Quail Eggs
- Cook hard-boiled eggs and peel.
- Bring all the ingredients (except the eggs) to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Pack peeled, hard-cooked eggs loosely into warm jars.
- Pour the hot pickling solution over the eggs in the jars. There needs to be enough pickling solution to completely cover the eggs.
- Cover the jars and refrigerate immediately. Pretty easy!
Notes
4th burner pot – Steam & then peel.
Pressure cooker – Pressure for 2 minutes, wait 2 minutes, release pressure & cool 2 minutes in cold water.
Soak boiled eggs in vinegar after cooking to dissolve shells.
Sources:
https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/pickle/pickled-eggs/pickled-eggs/
