The prospect of boiling and peeling dozens of quail eggs for a specific dish or preparation can seem daunting. Here’s how I do it, and quickly.
Forget boiling. Steam the eggs.
- Put enough water in the bottom of a pot to come just under a steamer.
- Put the steamer in the pot. I prefer a silicone steamer for this.
- Put the eggs in the steamer.
- Put a lid on the pot.
- Bring the water to a boil.
- Start your timer for four minutes.
- When the timer goes off, remove the pot from the burner.
- Place the eggs in cold or ice water, or simply let them sit in the steamer until they cool. I normally do the latter, unless I’m in a hurry to pickle the eggs.
Once the eggs have cooled, it’s time to peel them. Put them in a baggie, a used bread bag, or a plastic container with a lid. Then, beat them up. Shake the bag or container until the shells of the eggs are thoroughly cracked.
Remove an egg, and lift part of the shell with the membrane. As you peel away the membrane, which you can do in a spiral fashion, the shell will lift off with it.
You can steam and peel a lot of eggs quickly this way, and with little damage to the eggs.
