Topic: Cooling quails' eggs -- a question for the scientifically minded

[Peripatetic Phil]

I cooked a dozen quails' eggs today, and the instructions stated "boil for three to four minutes, then cool as quickly as possible".  So, to cool as quickly as possible, I poured off the boiling water and placed the saucepan under a running cold tap.  After a minute or so I removed the eggs to a plastic container and placed them in the 'fridge.  Question -- would I have done better to fill the container with cold water ?  Discussion -- by so doing, I would reduce the initial temperature (good) but increase its thermal inertia (bad).   As it was, the eggs were at a higher initial temperature (bad) but had low mass and therefore low thermal inertia (good).

** Phil.

[littlechilie]

Hi Phill it's great to see you still posting, I myself cooked 12 golden eggs yesterday. To cool and preserve them quickly I placed them in liquid nitrogen. Problem was I found the whole process rather expensive. ;D keep them coming, I love reading the posts and topics.

[Geezah]

I use quail eggs to make baby scotch eggs.
From room temperature I boil them for 1.5 minutes then quench in a bowl of iced water, then I add the saussage meat & bredcrumbs and then fry until golden.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Only one and a half minutes -- that is interesting.  I found that mine were not over-done at four minutes -- I wonder how you get away with such a short cooking time.
** Phil.

[Geezah]

Only one and a half minutes -- that is interesting.  I found that mine were not over-done at four minutes -- I wonder how you get away with such a short cooking time.
** Phil.

Large pan of boiling water and only pop 3-4 in at a time.
I cook them just enough for the white to form so they can be peeled, then they finish cooking inside the scotch egg to a nice runny yolk consistency.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Ah ...

[Ghoulie]

Into a pan of iced water is the obvious answer to be better than cold tap water which is usually around 8 deg C

[Peripatetic Phil]

Agreed.  But then into the 'fridge in the iced water, or without the water ?

[Garp]

Will it really make a huge difference? 

[Peripatetic Phil]

Will it really make a huge difference? 

Probably not.  But one always likes to know the best way to achieve a desired result ...