Smoked quail recipe, cooking tips & best woods to use

In the world of cooking, some meat is more exotic than others.

Quail is an unusual bird that is worth tasting. And if you are going to get adventurous trying quail, you should try this smoked quail recipe. I have the secret to the perfect wood to pair it with combined with the best rub.

In this article, I’ll give you a fool-proof recipe for smoking delicious tender quail (it involves buttermilk!) and some great cooking tips.

But first, let’s talk about quail itself and explore the best woods for smoking quail.

What is quail?

Quail is a small ground-nesting game bird from the Phasianidae family of peasants.

As a culinary dish, it is popular in a variety of cuisines. It is commonly served on the bone because the small size of the birds makes the bones difficult to remove.

Quail has a texture that is similar to chicken but the taste is more flavorful.

This limits the need for spices and dressings.

Popular recipes include one for quail brushed with lard, bread crumbs, and beaten eggs and then baked.

The birds can also be stuffed with a mixture of spices and vegetables.

Another option is to make them into a pie with pork, eggs, and fresh herbs.

Another great alternative to chicken is Cornish Hen!

What does quail taste like?

Generally, a quail mostly tastes like chicken but with a subtle touch of gaminess as it’s a game bird. However, this only makes it taste better.

Farm-raised quails, on the contrary, taste almost exactly like chicken due to the identical nutrition of both birds; thus, it doesn’t have much gaminess compared to a wild quail.

What is the best wood for smoking quail?

With most types of meat, the wood you use will be based on the taste of the meat.

Generally, meat with a lighter taste, like chicken, works well with lighter wood. Lighter woods will not overpower the taste.

If you are smoking a dish with a heavier flavor, like red meat, you want to use a stronger wood.

Smoking with a lighter wood may not give the food enough of a smokey taste.

Quail is unusual because it falls somewhere in the middle.

Its chicken-like texture means it will blend well with lighter woods but, because it is so flavorful, it will also hold up to heavier woods.

The type of wood you choose may depend on the recipe. You can decide which wood to use based on the other flavors you are incorporating into your dish.

Some woods to try when smoking quail

• Oak: Oak is a go-to for almost any type of meat. It adds a medium smokey taste which works well with just about any dish.
• Hickory: Hickory has a hearty, sweet, and savory taste that can easily become overpowering if you’re not careful.
• Maple: Maple is one of the most subtle woods and it will give your meat a sweet, light flavor.
• Mesquite: Mesquite is known for giving the meat an intense smokey flavor. It is best when used in small quantities.
• Pecan: Pecan has a sweet, nutty flavor that some might consider overly sweet. You may want to add another type of wood to counter the sweetness.
• Apple: Apple has a mild, sweet taste. It may require several hours of smoking for it to permeate the meat.
• Alder: Alder adds a light, sweet taste to foods.
• Cherry: Cherry is mild and sweet and combines well with hickory.

Woods to avoid when smoking quail

Because quail goes with almost any type of wood, you will be hard-pressed to find one it doesn’t go well with.

Therefore, you should only really avoid using wood that would not be appropriate for any type of food.

Examples include:

• Any wood that has been treated: These woods can contain flavors that will affect the taste of food and may even make you sick.
• Wood that is overly green: Unless handled by an expert, wood that is very green will not burn properly and it will give food a funny taste.
• Woods high in conifers like pine, redwood, fir, spruce, cypress, and cedar contain high levels of sap that can also give food a funny taste and can make people sick.

Smoked quail recipe

Joost Nusselder

Cooking a tender, fall-of-the-bone, and succulent smoked quail begins with brining. It helps infuse all the great flavors into the meat and gives it the extra moisture to keep it juicy after smoking. As a quail goes great with both savory and sweet flavors, you have the option to add any seasoning of your choice. Plus, you can use both charcoal and an electric smoker for smoking quail. That being clear, let's tell you how to make a finger-licking, flavorful smoked quail!

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Prep Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 hours hrs

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 4 servings

Equipment

• bowl or ziplock bag
• Baking pan
• foil
• non-stick spray
• wood chips
• meat thermometer

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 1/2 gallon buttermilk
• 1/2 gallon water
• 1 cup Kosher salt
• Brown sugar or maple syrup optional
• Pepper or rub mix or any other seasoning you like

Instructions

 

• Combine equal parts of buttermilk and water, just enough to submerge the quail(s) fully. Then add 1/2 cup of Kosher salt for every gallon of liquid to make a brine. Alternatively, you can add 1/2 cup of brown sugar for more sweetness. Stir to dissolve the salt (and maybe sugar).
• Place the quail in a large bowl and pour the brine over it. Seal the bowl with a plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. You can also use a gallon-size ziplock bag for extra convenience.
• As the quail marinates in the brine, heat your smoker to 225F Degrees.
• After two hours, get the quail(s) out of the brine and rinse with clean water to remove any excess brine.
• Line a pan with an aluminum foil and spray it with a non-stick spray. Afterward, lay quail in the pan in a single layer.
• Use your favorite seasoning mix to season the quail. I highly recommend freshly ground pepper, chili powder, and sage mix. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
• Use any sweet flavored wood chips among cherry, apple, or peach into the smoker. You could also go for hickory or mesquite to give the recipe a touch of extra smokiness.
• Now smoke the quail for 1 1/2 hours, or until its internal temperature reaches 160F. Using a high-quality meat thermometer will help in this regard.
• Now remove the quail from the smoker and cover it with aluminum foil. The quail is ready to serve after resting for 5-10 minutes!

Notes

PRO TIP! As the quail legs tend to cook more quickly they are at risk of drying out during the smoking. To counter this, it is an option to wrap them with bacon before putting the quail into the smoker. This will keep them protected from the heat and give the birds an even more savory flavor. 

Keyword Smoked

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Tips for smoking quail

Here are some tips for making a flavorful quail.

• Brine in advance: To ensure quail will be nice and juicy, it’s best to put it in brine in advance. Brine requires ½ cup salt for ½ gallon of water. You can also add brown sugar or maple syrup for a sweeter taste. Put the meat in a bowl or plastic bag with the brine and leave it in the refrigerator for a couple of hours before smoking.
• Get the temperature and timing right: While the meat is marinating, start preheating the smoker until it reaches a temperature of 200 to 250 degrees. Then cook the meat for 1 to 1 ½ hours until it reaches an internal temperature of 160 degrees.
• Season as desired: Quail does not require a lot of seasoning but it goes well with black pepper, chili powder, sage, and other poultry seasonings. This chicken rub from Traeger with some citrus will also work well.

Now that you know the best woods for smoking quail, as well as some other cooking tips, you are ready to start on your quail smoking adventures.

Here’s hoping you make a terrific meal!

When you are ready to go bigger than quail, why not try these great wood choices then next time you smoke a whole goose

Joost Nusselder, the founder of Lakeside Smokers is a content marketer, dad and loves trying out new food with BBQ Smoking (& Japanese food!) at the heart of his passion, and together with his team he's been creating in-depth blog articles since 2016 to help loyal readers with recipes and cooking tips.