Use this step-by-step tutorial to learn how to butcher a quail the easy way.
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Why You Should Raise Quail
Our family enjoys raising a variety of poultry. Projects on our farm have included using a chicken tractor to free-range our meat chickens and building a turkey flock by hatching turkey eggs in a properly sanitized incubator.
The variety of chickens, geese, ducks, and turkeys grew when we traded a fellow farmer, thirty-two of his Coturnix quail, for one of our turkeys. Quail is one of the fasted growing birds we have ever raised and provided a great way to supplement our meat and egg supply.
Raising quail is a relatively simple project for new farmers. You don’t need a lot of space to gain all the benefits from the eggs and meat they provide. Using a DIY quail feeder and DIY quail hutch can help cut down on costs too.
In addition to teaching our children about life on the farm, we also educate them about death. We are grateful for the role our animals play in a sustainable livelihood, and it is important to us to give them a humane dispatch, so we share in this responsibility together.
What Part of the Quail Do You Eat
We cook up the breast and legs of the quail. It is delicious and has just the right amount of protein for a meal. Like chicken, quail is versatile and can be cooked in a variety of ways, including roasting, frying, grilling, and baking.
We dredge our quail in egg, flour and some seasonings and fry them in our cast iron fry pan. Another favorite is grilling our quail outdoors and finishing with our favorite barbecue sauce. They are small birds, so less cooking time is required.
When Are Quail Ready for Butchering
Quail are fast-growing birds. Just six weeks after they hatch, they are laying eggs, and at eight weeks, they are ready to be butchered.
The males are smaller than the females and have red feathers on their chests, while the larger females have spotted chests. We generally butcher all but one or two males.
We are raising our quails for eggs and meat, so we keep a couple of males as breeders, and as the flock grows, we butcher some of the females.
Butchering quail without removing the skin requires dipping the quail in a 160°F water bath for 30 seconds and plucking the feathers from the skin. The butchering method we use is the much simpler skinless approach.
Supplies Needed
- Quail – We butcher mature males first. As the flock grows, we butcher some of the hens.
- Sharp Scissors – Sharp scissors work quickly, so the quail don’t suffer needlessly.
- Quail Pen – A holding pen for the quails you’re going to butcher makes for efficient work.
- 5 Gallon Bucket – This is useful for bleeding out the quail, so blood doesn’t splatter everywhere. Pro-Tip: A bucket holds all the discarded quail parts, entrails, wings, head, feet and feathers.
- Garden Hose with Spray Nozzle – This is handy for thoroughly rinsing the quail after undressing it.
- Ice Chest – Filled with ice water to keep the prepared quail cold, allowing it to cool down quickly once butchered.
- Freezer Bags – We use a vacuum sealer to pack portion sizes for our family and keep them frozen until used. Pro-Tip: Write the date on your package and use it within six to nine months for the best flavor.
- Table or Counter Top – Set up outside or in an area in your garage or barn; it can be messy.
- Cleaning Rags – Helpful with occasional blood spatter or wiping your hands during the process.
How to Butcher a Quail Step by Step
- Set up your work area, making sure everything is clean and organized.
- Gather the quail that will be butchered in a smaller pen and keep them near your work area.
- Take one quail at a time out of the holding pen.
- Hold the quail firmly in one hand over your bucket.
- Place your sharp scissors at the back of the neck and under the throat.
- Cut the quail head off into the bucket quickly with unflinching force.
- Hold the quail upside down, allowing it to bleed out into the bucket; it takes a few minutes. Pro Tip: Keep a steadfast hold on the quail’s body as the nerve endings cause the quail to quiver and move; this is normal and the most humane way to butcher the quail.
- Stretch out the wings and cut off as close to the quail’s body as possible.
- Cut the feet off right above the joint closest to the body.
- Turning the quail breast side up in your one hand, tear the skin and feathers back until you see the fleshy part of the breast.
- Start pulling back on the skin and feathers until all the skin is off and the meat is exposed.
- Flip the quail back over in your hand, breast side down, and cut along the spine one side at a time from the anus to the neck using the scissors.
- Pull the neck and spine out and throw them into the bucket.
- Open the chest and clean out the entrails; keep the heart if you like organ meat.
- Use the spray nozzle of your hose on a steady shower stream and clean the inside and outside of the quail.
- Pick off any little pieces of fat or feathers you don’t want. We keep a little fat on for extra flavor.
- Place the cleaned quail into the ice water to cool it down quickly until you prepare it for the freezer.
- Freezer bags work well to store the quail until you use them. We use a vacuum sealer to remove the air from the bag and keep the birds from getting freezer-burned. Pro-Tip: Dry the quail before bagging it for the freezer; excess water and air can cause freezer burn.
- Quail keep for six to nine months in the freezer when stored properly.
And that’s it! Raising quail is a great experience and can be an easier introduction to raising poultry. It’s not quite as much work as butchering a chicken, and quail eat less as well, so they don’t cost as much to raise. You’re not getting as much meat, but they’re delicious.
On the Farm
The quack pack is pretty excited about the warmer weather… they’ve been enjoying a lot of pool time!
