How to cook a tender quail?
I've had various successes (but mostly failures) with the little birds. I'd like your advise on making it tender as can be.
My technique is mostly to sear the outside and then cook for about 20' in a flavor full broth (onions, wine, other vegetables & spices).
Am I cooking it too long (or short)?
Best Answer
Three potential methods or changes you can try:
soak the quail in brine for 2-3 hours before searing. You can do this in a large zip-lock sack or in a covered bowl. Make sure to store the quail/brine combo in your refrigerator during the soaking.
Let quail reach room temperature before cooking.
Pan-searing the quail might dry out the smaller pieces, i.e. the bony wings or legs. Try your 20-minutes cooking in a very hot oven, making sure not to burn or sear the quail too much. Similar to cooking a turkey, cover the thinner pieces with foil so they dry out more slowly.
Ultimate method: use a "Sous Vide" method - you basically seal the quail and your flavorful broth in a vacuum seal bag, making sure to get as much air out as possible before sealing. Then you slow-cook the bag+contents in a Sous Vide hot-water bath. Instead of buying an expensive/French Sous Vide cooker, just follow these steps for very similar results: http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/04/cook-your-meat-in-a-beer-cooler-the-worlds-best-sous-vide-hack.html
Note: to get a good finish, after cooking the quail to tender in a Sous Vide bath, you can sear the quail a little bit with a cook's blow-torch (for good presentation) or just pan sear it quickly in a hot pan.
Pictures about "How to cook a tender quail?"
Quick Answer about "How to cook a tender quail?"
The basic rule for quail is hot and fast. Really hot and really fast. I like about 500°F for about 15 minutes or so. This will cook your little birds nicely, although they will be a little pale — a price to pay for juicy and tender meat.How do you make quail tender?
The secret to tender juicy fried quails is the length of the cooking time. Not the frying time, mind you. Fry them for too long and they will be dry and tough. The trick is to steam them first until the meat is tender.Which cooking method is best for quail?
The easiest and most traditional way to cook quail is to simply roast them whole in the oven. You will need 1 bird per person. Quail is also great cooked on the barbecue. The Chinese deep-fry whole quails and eat the entire bird, including the bones!Do you need to soak quail before cooking?
And, because quail is smaller than chicken, it's easier to overcook. Brining -- the process of soaking meat in a saltwater solution -- provides a good deal of protection against the undesirable effects of overcooking. Also, like marinating, brining gives you an opportunity to impart extra flavor into the meat.How long does quail need to cook?
Oven: Pre-heat oven to 350\xb0F. Heat a saut\xe9 pan over medium-high heat with enough olive oil to coat the bottom. Season the quail then sear them in the pan until browned on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. Place quail in the oven and roast until cooked through and juices run clear, about 10 - 15 minutes.How to Cook Comedor's Crispy Quail
More answers regarding how to cook a tender quail?
Answer 2
The above methods will work, but are slightly flawed. You can sous vide a whole quail, but it is inherently wrong to do so. The white (breast) meat is inherently more tender and requires less heat than the tougher legs and wings. Separating the breasts and wings/legs into two sous vide bags works the best.
I like to cook the breasts at 130°F (55°C) (hold for ~2.5 hours for food safety reasons) and the legs/wings at 140°F (60°C) for 12 hours. The latter process helps break down the tougher tissue in the leg and wing meat, providing a seriously tender piece of quail. Filling each bag with a good flavorful broth or stock such as duck broth will make the quails even better. Make sure to remove the skin prior to cooking the meat. Finish the meat off on a smoking hot griddle for a moment to crisp it up.
Sans sous vide, I would prefer to simply glaze and char-grill the quail. Braising is a great technique, but in my experience is better suited for less-flavorful cuts of meat. Braising is probably going to extract much of the flavor out of the quail (and make a delicious jus...). And it sounds like you're braising it too long if it's dry.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Amina Filkins, SHVETS production, Maria Orlova, Amina Filkins