Northern Irish quail farm launches innovative smoked product

Ballinteer Quail Farm in Northern Ireland, a poultry and game specialist, has launched its first added-value product.

The farm-based business, which is based near Coleraine in county Derry, has developed an innovative product featuring quail eggs in smoked brine in a 228ml glass jar. The jar contains eight shelled and cooked quail eggs.

The small business was formed in 2016 following a decision to switch from dairying and milk to specialist poultry, initially quail. The company, managed by Linda Christie, has since added duck and seasonal game.

Quail meat proved popular with top chefs in Northern Ireland because it offered a fresh option to imported quail, especially from France.

"While the quail meat has been a success with chefs, we've developed good business supplying quail eggs to local independent retailers and delis," says Mrs Christie. "We then decided to develop this business further by adding value to the eggs.

"The introduction of shelled and cooked quail eggs in smoked brine gives us an additional product in our portfolio. We've seen the success of other smoke flavoured artisan products such as cheese, butter and even black pudding, the latter winning the supreme title in this year's UK Great Taste Awards. It's another way of enjoying quail eggs, which have five times more iron than a hen egg with a larger yolk giving them a creamy texture," Linda says.

The farm company has also won a series of awards for its quail, including Great Taste and Blas na hEireann, Irish National Food awards.

Ballinteer is one of only two quail farms in Ireland and now counts many of Northern Ireland's top restaurants including Michelin star establishments Deane's and OX in Belfast among its customers.