Remember to wash your hands after plucking the bird try not to touch the flesh of the bird after and whilst plucking. Wash your hands really well in an anti bacterial cleaner after drawing the giblet's out.
Allow the Quail to Cool Before You Dress Them!!!!
Step 1:
Tie a short length of rope around the feet of the quail you have dispached cut the jugular to bleed
Step 2:
Use a separate piece of rope for each quail you retrieve. Hanging each bird separately allows the body temperature of each bird to drop. Lower body temperatures are more resistant to bacterial infection.
Step 3:
Avoid hanging the dead birds to close to each other This allows retention of body heat, which can cause spoilage.
Pluck Each Quail
Step 1:
Pick up a quail by the legs. While holding the legs firmly in one hand, you will begin to pluck feathers with the other hand.
Step 2:
Begin plucking feathers from between the legs of the bird and work your way up towards the head.
Step 3:
Use a strong but steady motion when pulling out feathers. Using a jerky motion can cause the skin to tear.
Step 4:
Pull the feathers down, against the grain (the way the feathers grow). This will help you pull out the entire feather.
Step 5:
Leave the head of each quail feathered.
Gut Each Quail
Step 1:
Cut the bird down the center of the torso. Begin between the bird's legs, and continue up to the base of the neck. Do not cut too deeply, or you may nick an organ and cause a smelly mess.
Step 2:
Pull the bird's cavity open and begin to remove the viscera. Grasp the organs and pull them down and out of the cavity.
Step 3:
Use your knife to cut out any organs that you could not pull out. Cut slowly to avoid injuring yourself.
Step 4:
Wipe down the inside of the cavity with a clean, dry cloth. This will make the cavity a less inviting home for bacteria.
Step 5:
Place a small stick horizontally inside the quail so that it holds the cavity open. This will allow air to circulate and dry the cavity, which is essential to getting the temperature as low as possible.
Jim