Smoked quail recipe
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!
Servings 4 servings
Cost $15-20
Equipment
- bowl or ziplock bag
- Baking pan
- foil
- non-stick spray
- wood chips
- meat thermometer
Ingredients
- 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.
