# AWESOME quail recipe!!!!!



## Jetjockey (Jan 24, 2012)

Mods.  I know this isn't the right place for recipes, but since this is a bird hunting forum, and I guarantee most of the guys here probably don't frequent the cooking forum, I thought Id post it here.  Especially since most of the guys here hunt quail primarily.  So, hopefully you will keep in here, because it needs to be tried!

Ok guys, I poached this from Southern Living's Dec 11 issue.  This quail recipe is absolutely awesome.  My wife is not a huge meat eater and she's not a huge fan of game either, but even she absolutely loves this recipe.  No more wondering how Im going to cook all the birds in my freezer, now I wish I had more birds.

Fig and Balsamic Glazed Quail

-1 (11.5 oz) jar fig preserve..  Located with the jams and  jelly's at Publix
-1/2 cup dry red wine (we just used Cabernet)
-3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
-2 tsp country style dijon mustard
-1/2 tsp coarsely ground pepper
-8 (3.5 oz) semi-boneless quail (Not exactly sure what they  mean by semi boneless, I just used skinned and cleaned quail, and we used 4 quail instead of 8)
-Kitchen string
-1 tsp. kosher salt
-2 tbsp. dry red wine (again, we just used Mondavi Wildcreek Canyon Cabernet Sauvignon.. Its cheap) 

1.  Pre-heat oven to 450.  Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan over medium high heat: reduce to low, and simmer 8-10 minutes until slightly thickened.  Reserve half of fig mixture:  cover and chill.  Let remainig fix mixture stand at room temperature. (this step could be done the morning or day before you cook the birds)

2.  Tie end of quail legs together with a string

3. Place quail on an  aluminum foil-lined jelly-roll pan or in a shallow roasting pan, and sprinkle with salt (I used a little pepper as well).

4.  Bake at 450 for 10 minutes.  Brush quail generously with room-temperature fix mixture.  Reduce oven temp to 400.  Bake quail 30 minutes or until leg meat is no longer pink, basting with fix mixture every 10 minutes. (30 minutes total was about perfect in my oven)

5.  Place reserved chilled fix mixture in a small saucepan; stir in red wine, and cook over low heat, stiring often, 2 minutes or until thourougly heated.  Serve quail with sauce.  

Those are the exact directions from SL.  However, I found that in my oven, cooking 10 minutes at 450 and 20 minutes at 400 is about perfect.  The birds were almost overcooked the first time I cooked them for 35 minutes.  We also only used 4 birds and I used a big spoon to drizzle the fig mixture every 5-10 minutes over the birds.  I lumped the fig ontop the birds to keep them moist as I basted/drizzled (I mixed the fig up pretty well in the saucepan and broke up the chunks, but left some pretty good size chunks of fig to sit atop the birds).  We put the remaining sauce in the pan in cups and used it as a dipping sauce..........  This recipe is very easy and it is absolutely awesome.  When I cooked 12 birds we just doubled the 8 bird recipe.  IMO with this recipe your much better off having too much sauce then too little.  You could even cook the sauce early if your having company.  Then all you have to do is baste the birds while they are cooking.

I am serious when I say this recipe is awesome, and really easy.  We have hosted a couple dinners now with this recipe and everyone absolutely LOVED it.  Im going to try it with pheasants next time.


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## Setter Jax (Jan 24, 2012)

JJ,

Thanks I will give it a try this weekend.  Do you have any good Pheasant Recipes?

SJ


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## Jetjockey (Jan 24, 2012)

Not any that come anywhere close to the quail recipe.  Ive tried a couple different things with pheasants, but I have yet to find one I "really love".  Heres a fun grill recipe for both pheasant and quail breasts.  Take a pheasant or quail breast and marinate in Dales sauce for about 10 minutes.  Then wrap the breasts around a jalepeno or a chunk of pineapple.  Wrap a piece of bacon around the breast wrap and stick with a toothpick.  Grill for about 5 minutes per side.    Ive used that one for horderves a couple times and people really like it.  Im investing in a good instant read thermometer for pheasants so I don't overcook them.  I don't care how good the recipe is, overcooked birds aren't very good.  And its just to darn easy to overcook game birds.


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## ROAM (Jan 24, 2012)

I don't care how good the recipe is, overcooked birds aren't very good.  And its just to darn easy to overcook game birds.[/QUOTE]

You've got that right.  Those little jokers will overcook pretty quickly.  That recipe sounds great.  We are always looking for new ways to cook quail.  When the freezer is full, there is nothing better than a well cooked bird.  However, the same old recipes get old.  

I have actually recently begun packaging about 2 or 3 together for the freezer to be enjoyed along with a grilled steak rather than cooking a whole meal of quail (fried, grilled, or baked).  With this recipe, and as good as you make it sound, I may be pulling out several of those 2-3 bird packages very soon!
Thanks!


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## StevePickard (Jan 24, 2012)

Thanks for the recipe JetJockey!  I had watched a cooking show that cooked quail exactly as you described and it looked delicious...only problem is that I could not remember how to prepare everything....problem solved thanks to you!!
Steve


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