Need a quail marinade recipe

Quail is so lean, I would be really tempted to do a brine on it. Have any brethren done that?

CD

Yummy little birds...

I brine my birds after cleaning in salt water for an hour or so prior to putting them in the freezer. ( Sometimes it takes multiple hunts to make enough for a meal) I have grilled and smoked quite a bit of quail over the years, and I always brine them. One thing I usually do is smoke it for maybe a half hour, then wrap it inside foil with a little butter, salt and pepper, and sliced onion to finish it, if I have bacon grease, I'll use that instead of butter and cut back on the salt. I clean my birds without the skin, so I have to be really careful about them drying out. They are little so they are really easy to overcook. I have made my share of quail jerky! Pretty bad if the dog won't touch it... Good Luck!

I would definitely give that a 3 hour or so brine being careful not to get it too salty. Little birds will suck up that salt quickly.

My 91 year old mother used to make an awesome dove (not too far off from quail) braised dish. Brown and cook in a Dutch Oven until the meat fell off the bones. Little white wine, etc. I have asked her for the recipe..... but she doesn't ever remember cooking doves.... Oh, the joy of growing older!

salt and sugar. I have done about equal parts diluted in a big pot of water. Like 1/8 cup of each in 2 quarts of water along with any seasoning you may like. The brining process not only keeps your birds/meat more moist but it causes the cells to suck in the flavors of the brine. Weird as it may seem, but the meat cells kinda puff up with moisture from the brine.

Goyo626 said:

After the brine, are the birds rinsed, dried, then rubbed with something?

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Brining does not overload the birds with salt, even though it seems like it would. Brining mainly transfers moisture into the meat.

You can rinse the birds, to get the excess salt off of the outside. But, a really quick rinse is enough.

Instead of a rub, I like to gently separate my bird and skin with my fingers, and put some butter and fresh herbs under the skin. Be gentle, and try not to tear the skin. The butter adds fat, which quail lacks, big time.

Stuff some fresh herbs in the cavity, as well.

Rosemary is awesome with lean poultry. I also use fresh oregano, and often stuff the cavity with sliced fresh lemons along with the herbs.

Quail is a small bird, so use moderation with spices and herbs. But, it is a very lean bird, so add moisture where you can, and do not overcook it. Overcooked quail is like shoe leather.

CD