How and how long to boil quail eggs

Quail eggs are both mysterious and legendary. There are many different rumors about them, all attributing a lot of miraculous properties to the cute little eggs.

Everyone is accustomed to the fact that quail lay eggs in a variety of brown and grayish shades with black spots. In fact, there are some breeds which give their owners gorgeous blue eggs. But all of them - and gray, and brown, and blue - contain a lot of nutrients, vitamins, minerals, so they are loved by people for a reason. In addition, quail eggs are hypoallergenic, which makes them an unusually valuable product.

How to choose quail eggs for nutrition

The most dainty quail eggs are called diet eggs, this is the freshest product, which the birds laid no more than 11 days ago. Lying a little longer are already considered table eggs. Unlike chicken eggs, quail eggs do not spoil due to the presence of an antibacterial substance called lysozyme. But they are good for eating for a couple of months, and then they just start to shrink and lose weight, so a two-month product is very light. So first of all, when buying eggs, be sure to look at the date of production.

The freshness of an egg can be determined by how it will behave in a jug of salted water: a fresh egg, being heavier, will sink to the bottom; a lain egg, being quite fit for consumption, will hang in the middle of the liquid, but if it sticks to the surface, alas, it is already dry.

To choose a quality product, it makes sense to pay attention to some other things in the store. For example, sometimes eggs are sold slightly contaminated. This is acceptable, but it should be borne in mind that at a clean owner quail live clean, so such eggs are always attractive, without sticking dirty fragments.

Quails of different breeds lay eggs of different sizes and colors, and such diversity can sometimes be seen in one box. This is a sign that the birds are not kept at a farm, but at a farmer's, and in such farms, as a rule, eggs are not sorted.

In addition, one should look at the shell: good eggs have smooth shells, without irregularities, damages, and cracks.

How to cook quail eggs properly.

Of course, it is ideal if the household has a special electric egg cooker for quail eggs. The kind designed for chicken eggs will not work, because quail eggs are too small and will fall through the holes in the egg setter. Well, if you have a device for cooking quail eggs, before you put it to work, washed eggs from the blunt end should be pierced with the needle that comes with the egg cooker, and then put the hole down on the stand. Then pour the amount of water specified in the instruction manual of the appliance and start it in operation. The time to bring the product to the desired consistency is also stipulated in the instructions of each egg cooker. When the cycle is complete, you should quickly lower the eggs into ice water. In this way they will be cleaned faster and will not be overcooked in hot water, and therefore overcooked.

There are hostesses who have tried boiling quail eggs in an electric steamer. This method can be considered good if you know the exact time in which the eggs will be cooked. Here it is necessary to be guided by the power of the steam cooker, in any case, they will be hard-boiled in about 7 minutes, and soft-boiled - in 3 minutes.

But more often for cooking quail eggs put on a gas or electric stove an ordinary pot or a simple saucepan, and also use a spoon, a slotted spoon, or a special device for removing them from the water, similar to a small deep slotted spoon.

In order to accurately measure the time of cooking, you need to put the eggs in boiling water. And in order not to burn yourself, it is better to use a skimmer or a spoon. And you should not put the eggs straight out of the fridge into the boiling water, you should put them on the kitchen table in advance to warm them up to room temperature. By the way, contrary to the opinion of many cooks, quail eggs do not crack in boiling water the way chicken eggs do, because they have a very strong shell. Accordingly, and the protein does not leak and lose its shape.

You can also dip the eggs in a pot or ladle with cold water in which you have added salt - just one or two spoons. This will save the shell from cracking. For this reason, cooks should get in the habit of taking quail eggs out of the refrigerator in advance. The eggs should be covered with liquid for 3-4 cm. You should put the pot on high heat, and as soon as it begins to boil strongly, lower the heat to medium and bring the eggs to the desired consistency. The duration of cooking is counted from the beginning of boiling. For accurate timing, it is best to use a kitchen stopwatch or, as it is also called, a timer. After taking the eggs out of the boiling water, you need to cool them sharply, even with ice water, so that they cool down completely.

Hard-boiled .

Sometimes people have an indulgent attitude toward hard-boiled eggs, and do not really track the cooking time: say, this is not boiled, nothing happens, and let them stand on the fire a little longer - nothing will happen and it will not be worse. But, as in all products, because of excessive heat treatment in the quail eggs decreases the number of nutrients, for which this product is valued. Therefore, too long in the boiling product is not necessary, quail eggs enough for 5 minutes from the boiling point, so they boiled hard. Then immediately take them off the stove and put them under cold water. This is the only way to make them healthy and delicious.

Hard-boiled eggs

Fans of soft-boiled eggs won't have to wait more than 1-2 minutes for their breakfast. Exactly how long from the boil is needed to cook this dish.

Bagged.

To get eggs in a pouch, you need to wait a minute from the start of boiling, then turn off the fire under the pot and let them stand in the boiling water for an additional couple of minutes. And only then lower the product into cold water.

For the salad

Salads using quail eggs are loved by many people. They are both tasty and healthy, and look beautiful and original. In salads, they put eggs as softened, and in the bag, and hard-boiled. Most often they are hard-boiled. But to prevent their yolks from becoming an unpleasant gray color on the outside, which appears on the cut with a dirty border, the product should not be overcooked in any case for more than 5 minutes.

For baby

For the baby quail eggs are better than chicken eggs, they can be introduced into the menu of the infant early, by the year gradually bringing the daily rate to 1-2 pieces. If your baby is found to be allergic to any products, chicken eggs should be completely replaced with quail eggs.

It is best to boil eggs for the baby in a hard boil, that is not less than 4-5 minutes. If there is a need, you can reduce this time a little, but not more than a minute and a half.

Can I boil quail eggs in the microwave?

Of course, it is easier to boil quail eggs on a gas or electric stove. But if there is no stove nearby, it is quite possible to use the microwave, but with maximum safety rules, because due to the uneven heating of the contents, they can burst.

To avoid such unpleasant situations, you should take only eggs of equal size, without cracks on the shell. Cleanly wash them, put them in a deep microwave bowl and pour cool water so that they are completely covered. Cook the eggs at 500 watts for three minutes, then remove them from the microwave and quickly lower them into ice water to cool.

How to peel quail eggs quickly

On the surface, quail eggs - so small and delicate - seem to have very thin and fragile shells. It is not! The shell is very delicate and fragile right after the quail egg is laid. If it just lays there for a while, it hardens and even before reaching the store it is solid and reliable. So, it may be not very easy to peel a boiled quail egg, and besides, the shell is reinforced by a rather strong, although thin film on the inside.

Usually, to clean such eggs, they are placed in a glass jar or a plastic container, where a drop of water is poured and covered with a lid. Then shake the container vigorously for a few seconds. The shell will crack and can be easily removed with your fingers.

You can clean hard-boiled eggs in another way, for which you can put them in a thick plastic bag, put them on the table and gently, gently press them with your hand until the shell is cracked, and then remove it with your fingers.

Some housewives, when it is necessary to peel a lot of eggs, put them for half an hour in 9% vinegar. The shell is completely dissolved, and all that remains is to rinse the eggs with water to remove all traces of acid, and remove the film from them.

If you needed a raw quail egg, you need to pierce the shell with the tip of a knife in its sharp part, carefully cut off its upper "lid" and carefully pour the liquid contents into a cup (or drink, if you really wanted to).

What are quail eggs good for?

The average quail egg weighs 10 to 12 grams, less than a chicken egg, which is 5 times heavier. But this "baby" has an incredible amount of nutrients that people need! It contains 27 different microelements, as well as a lot of vitamins, especially a lot of A and B group. Quail egg exceeds 4 times the number of such substances as phosphorus, potassium and iron, and 2 times the number of vitamins!

So what minerals are in quail eggs? The first place is occupied by potassium, which contributes to maintaining acid-base balance in the human body, saturates the brain with oxygen, provides stable heart function, supports the nervous system and normal functioning of the kidneys. The second most abundant mineral in quail eggs is calcium, which is useful for humans because it is the main building material of bones and teeth.

There is a lot of phosphorus in eggs, together with calcium, which is responsible for the state of the bone system, as well as for the breakdown of fats, nervous activity and brain function.

Chlorine, which is also present in significant quantities, helps to activate digestive enzymes and produce gastric juice, helps to remove harmful substances from the body, prevents it from becoming clogged, and in partnership with sodium and potassium supports water-salt metabolism and protects people from dehydration.

Quail eggs contain magnesium, which is responsible for the normal functioning of the nervous system and helps to cope with stress; sodium, which, in addition to maintaining water-salt metabolism, activates enzymes; iron, which stimulates the synthesis of hemoglobin and is involved in the hemopoiesis process; manganese, involved in the nervous and digestive systems, "boosting" bone growth and supports the immune system. Quail eggs also contain, but in smaller amounts, copper, cobalt, molybdenum, chromium, each of which does its job, necessary for the human body.

Vitamin A opposes free radicals, often provoking the birth of malignant tumors. Vitamin PP is a participant in the metabolism of proteins and fats, normalizes the amount of cholesterol, improves blood microcirculation in the brain and prevents its thickening. There is an extensive group of B vitamins, including B1, B2, B4, B6, and B9, which perform many tasks, from regulating the cardiovascular, digestive, and nervous systems to participating in cell building and growth, muscle function, and strengthening immunity. Quail eggs are also high in amino acids - tyrosine, glycine, threonine and lysine, without which a full human life is impossible, because they are participants in all processes occurring in the body - from tissue formation, muscle and energy generation to the regulation of the complex endocrine system and higher nervous activity.

The benefits of

1. By systematically using quail eggs, a person's immunity improves and it becomes easier to cope with viral attacks. The nervous system also begins to work more stable, helping to cope with difficult stressful situations and depression.
2. Thanks to the harmonious composition of the product the blood vessels are cleaned, which becomes the prevention of the birth of atherosclerosis, as well as its dangerous companions - heart attacks and strokes.
3. Quail eggs are recommended to prevent anemia and reduce blood glucose levels. In addition, the effectiveness of quail eggs has been proven to improve the functioning of the thyroid gland, preventing cancer.
4. For men, this product is especially useful for its ability to have a positive effect on the prostate gland, preventing the development of prostate diseases, improving potency.
5. For women, quail eggs help to improve the health of hair, nails and skin. They are especially useful for pregnant women, because they reduce the symptoms of toxicosis and prepare the body of the expectant mother for sufficient milk production.
6. The younger generation quail eggs help to develop harmoniously - not only physically, but intellectually. Due to the large amount of vitamins in the product, children and adolescents who regularly consume them have better memory and can concentrate more easily.
7. Elderly people quail eggs will help improve overall health, brain function and maintain vision, as well as give energy, preventing the rapid destruction of bone tissue.

The harm

There is no such thing that even the most useful product is equally suitable for everyone. There are bound to be people who discover its individual intolerance. This is the case with quail eggs. Despite the fact that they are generally considered hypoallergenic (especially compared to chicken), there are people whose body reacts allergic to the use of quail eggs. The product is also not recommended for severe liver disease.

In addition, even healthy people should not eat eggs without restrictions, because their excessive amount in the menu can have unpleasant consequences. The liver will be the first to react, because it will no longer have time to digest protein. Excessive intake of vitamin A will worsen muscle tone and may cause increased intracranial pressure.

Another danger is salmonellosis. For a long time it was thought that quails do not have this dangerous infectious disease. Alas, this is not true. The bird can get salmonella from contaminated feed. Under certain circumstances, the infection can enter the eggs. Therefore, it is better not to take the risk and never eat them raw, especially - do not give them to children.

Is it possible to dye quail eggs for Easter?

Of course you can! And in what color to dye eggs for the holiday of Christ's Resurrection, each housewife decides for herself. Someone dyes eggs with spots on the shell, finding it a special charm and admiring how they shine through the dye. And someone removes the stains with vinegar by mixing it with water and then lowering the eggs into this solution for about 15 minutes, during which the shell loses its color and becomes white. And such monochrome eggs are already stained.

The most traditional way to color is with onion husks. Quail eggs are boiled in the same way as chicken eggs, in water with the husks added, until they turn a beautiful brownish-red or golden-brown color.

If store-bought dyes are used, eggs are first boiled in the usual way and only then dyed, acting according to the instructions on the package. In addition, you can also use turmeric, carrots, blueberries, beets, spinach.