Grilled Quail and Charred Grapes
Quail are the perfect wild game for throwing over the barbecue – their natural tenderness and fattiness prevents them from getting overly dry. Serve these quail and charred grapes with other finger foods, such as olives, nuts, crostini with goat cheese, stuffed mushrooms, etc.
Ingredients
Instructions
Step #1
Cut out spine from each quail. Lay birds breast side up and press down with the palm of your hand to flatten. In a small bowl, whisk juice of 2 lemons, oregano, ¼ cup olive oil, herbes de Provence, garlic, shallot, 1 tsp. sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, madeira and sugar to emulsify. Place flattened quail in a zip-top bag and pour in marinade. Remove as much air as possible, seal and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, but no longer than 4 hours. Flip bag occasionally. Place the bag in a large bowl or on a plate to catch any leaking.
Step #2
Prepare grill for medium-high heat cooking. Remove quail from marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Lightly brush each bird with oil and sprinkle with salt to taste. Separate grapes into smaller serving-size bunches by cutting the stem.
Step #3
Grill grapes on the hottest part of the grill, turning occasionally for a slight char all over. Grill quail until both sides are browned and breasts reach an internal temperature of 150 degrees Fahrenheit. The grapes will finish charring before the quail are done, so remove them and set aside. Move quail to a cooler part of the grill if the skin starts browning too quickly. Serve immediately.
Recipe Card
Grilled Quail and Charred Grapes
Ingredients
Instructions
About the Author : Jenny and Rick Wheatley
Visit authors website | View more articlesJenny and Rick Wheatley both grew up in Southern California and connected over a shared love of the outdoors. They started their wild game cooking blog Food for Hunters in 2011, where they share recipes, photos and thoughts on wild food. Today, Jenny and Rick continue to hunt, fish, forage and cook in the Cornhusker State of Nebraska. Their recipes have appeared in numerous publications, including Petersens Hunting, Game and Fish, Nebraskaland and North American Whitetail magazines.
The Nebraska Center for the Book awarded their book Hunting for Food: Guide to Harvesting, Field Dressing and Cooking Wild Game the Wildlife Honor Award in 2016.