Quail, one of the smaller members of the pheasant family, has been a fixture protein in French dishes for generations. This small-but-mighty bird has a similar taste to chicken, with all dark meat and tender flesh. If you’re looking to impress at your next dinner party, here’s a guide to shopping for, prepping, and cooking quail perfectly, every time.
Baked, uncovered, at 325-degrees F. for 45 minutes, basting 2 or 3 times during the baking process. Serve two quail to a person and garnish each plate with two orange slices. Serve cooked white rice as a side dish.
How to Shop for Quail
Once you decide you want to try this Old World game bird out for yourself, your next step is selecting your bird. When visiting the butcher, choose birds that are plump to ensure you have a better ratio of bone to meat. The skin of a healthy quail should be yellow or creamy with a pink hue—avoid quail with dry, wrinkled skin. You can purchase bone-in, semi-boneless, or fully boneless birds.
Cook your bird within two to three days after purchasing to ensure the best flavor.
Quail, one of the smaller members of the pheasant family, has been a fixture protein in French dishes for generations. This small-but-mighty bird has a similar taste to chicken, with all dark meat and tender flesh. If you’re looking to impress at your next dinner party, here’s a guide to shopping for, prepping, and cooking quail perfectly, every time.
Finally, if you have access to a pizza oven or something else that gets to 600°F or even hotter, you can just blast your quail for about 5 minutes. This is, actually, ideal, although few of us have a pizza oven.
Roast quail is a bedrock skill for any quail hunter or any home cook interested in game birds. And while a pretty plucked quail may look like a tiny chicken, they are different enough to warrant their own recipe.
These plucked quail below are all Valley quail; incidentally, the four on the left are dry plucked, the one on the right is scalded. Notice the difference?
I prefer to dry pluck my quail, which requires some finesse and practice; I can pluck eight quail in a little over an hour.
If you really want that pretty brown look, there are two ways to get it. The traditional way is to brown the bird in lots of butter: Butter will brown birds faster than oil and, well, it tastes good.
How to Cook Quail
FAQ
What temperature should quail be cooked?
How do you know when quail is done?
Can quail be cooked medium rare?
Which cooking method is best for quail?
What temperature should quail be cooked at?
Quail is medium-rare once it reaches an internal temperature of 145°F (62°C). Many chefs and meat enthusiasts claim this is the best temperature to enjoy it at. The CDC recommends quail be cooked to 165°F (75°C), which is about medium-well. While some people prefer to cook their quail even more (up to 180°F (82°C) for very well-done) .
How do you cook a quail in the oven?
Place a small sliver of orange in the cavity of each quail and add a little thyme or rosemary. Brush with melted butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in a 500F degree oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush with the lavender balsamic glaze. Return to the oven for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the size of the quail.
How do you cook quail on a grill?
Apply a light coat of olive oil to the surface of the quail and season. Place quail on grill breast side down. Cook for 5-7 minutes. Flip the quail and cook for another 5-7 minutes. The quail is done when meat is slightly firm (it will feel like a cooked chicken breast) and juices run clear. Oven: Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
How do you cook quail in a frying pan?
While the oven is preheating, take the quail out of the fridge and pat them dry. Coat with lard, olive oil or butter (your quail will be browner with melted butter) and salt generously. Set aside at room temperature while the oven heats. When the oven is hot, get a small roasting pan or cast-iron frying pan and set the quail in it.