By Kelly Bogard
Fall hunting season is underway in Texas. Dove, deer and quail are abundant this year. Making for an active hunting season for Texans who like the outdoors and a little adventure.
Although quail season doesn’t get as much attention as the rest, it’s supposed to be a good season, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Quail, if you’re unfamiliar, are bigger than a dove, but smaller than a chicken. They’re tasty, too. And this recipe goes well with many side dishes.
For Roasted Quail, you will need…
4 whole quail, feathers and insides removed
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 lemon, quartered
4 tbsp. butter, melted
1 tbsp. rosemary, stemmed and chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
Quail has always reminded me of little chickens, and the flavor isn’t too far off. It’s kind of like big flavors in a small package. And they pair well with the same seasoning you would use for chicken.
Start by preheating your oven to 400 degrees. While the oven is heating, place one quarter of lemon and one garlic clove inside the cavity of each bird. Season with salt and pepper on all sides. Place in a glass baking dish.
Stir the chopped rosemary into the melted butter and pour over each bird to cover. Be sure you place the birds breast side down and tuck their legs. This will help keep the breast meat moist and keep the legs from needing to be tied.
Bake the quail for 40 minutes. Once the quail is cooked, remove it from the oven and let it sit covered for 10 minutes so the juices redistribute before serving.
I like to serve mine on a bed of wild rice.
This is a quick, yet quite elegant meal that takes very little to prepare. With bold flavors and simple techniques to bring out the best in the wild game. Statewide quail season runs Oct. 29, 2016-Feb. 26, 2017. Be safe hunting and enjoy the adventure. From all of us at Texas Table Top, enjoy!
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Place garlic and lemon in cavity of each bird.
- Season with salt and pepper on all sides.
- Place breast side down in a baking dish and tuck legs.
- Mix rosemary into melted butter.
- Pour butter over each bird.
- Roast for 40 minutes.
- Let sit covered for 10 minutes prior to serving.
- Serve warm over rice.
I made this recipe and it is delicious. One thing I learned is maybe make sure you have either decent size quail, or smaller lemons. The lemons I used were probably border line too big for the quail I had so the lemon taste was a bit stronger than I wanted. But that could also be a opps moment for me too. But thank you so much for sharing this.