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Home » Wild Game » Pheasant, Grouse, Quail » Grilled Quail, South Carolina Style

Grilled Quail, South Carolina Style

By Hank Shaw on June 21, 2012, Updated June 6, 2022 - 21 Comments

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5 from 9 votes
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grilled quail on a platter
Photo by Holly A. Heyser

If you’ve never grilled or barbecued quail, you really ought to give it a go. They are basically teeny chickens, with a delicate flavor and super tender meat. Even wild ones tend to be tender, although they are denser and more flavorful than domestic quail.

It’s classic outdoor party food: A pile of grilled quail, slathered in sauce, people gnawing away at them all over the yard, drinking beer, laughing. What’s not to love?

Start by spatchcocking your quail.

I know, that sounds dirty. But it’s really just a cooking term for flattening the birds. You use kitchen shears to cut out the backbones of the quail, then you flatten them with your hands so they cook evenly.

I take the extra step of removing the ribs with a sharp knife and shears. The fewer bones the better. If you are buying your quail, you can often buy them “tunnel boned,” which means the only bones left in the birds are those in the legs and wings.

When you are done, they should look like this. These are, obviously, wild quail, as they are a little bruised up from the hunt.

Spatchcocked quail ready for grilling
Photo by Hank Shaw

Grilling them this way is easy. Coat with oil, salt well and slap on a hot grill. Start with the breast side up so you can cook the whole bird well without incinerating the delicate breast meat. Once that side is good and browned — a little char is a good thing here — only then do you flip it. Paint with the sauce of your choice and you’re good to go.

Barbecuing will take longer, but it’s just as easy. Do the same thing as in grilling, only keep the quail away from direct heat. You will need to paint and flip several times, but you can get richly flavored barbecued quail in less than an hour. (My favorite slow-barbecued quail recipe uses a Southwestern style sauce.)

Sauce is your big choice here. You could go European and just use olive oil, lemon, some herbs, salt and pepper. I do this a lot.

Or you could go American BBQ and use your favorite sauce. I have several barbecue sauce recipes over at my friend Elise’s site Simply Recipes. But if you have to pin me down, my favorite way to grill quail is with a mustard-based, South Carolina-style barbecue sauce. It is the perfect match for the quail.

Break out more quail than you think you need when you make this. Normally two quail per person is a good portion, but I’ve eaten six at a sitting, and have seen otherwise demure young women gobble down four. And if they don’t all get eaten? No worries, as they are spectacular eaten the next day cold for lunch.

Turning a grilled quail.
Print Recipe
5 from 9 votes

Grilled Quail with South Carolina Barbecue Sauce

I love barbecue no matter where it’s from, but I am especially fond of the mustard-based South Carolina style of barbecue sauce. Traditionally slathered over pulled pork, this sauce is good on anything. Use this sauce on barbecued pheasant legs, or on quick-grilled quail.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time20 mins
Total Time40 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 673kcal
Author: Hank Shaw

Ingredients

  • 8 to 16 quail, backbones removed and flattened
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • 1/2 onion, grated
  • 1/2 cup yellow mustard
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon dry mustard, like Coleman’s
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne
  • Salt to taste

Instructions

  • Make the sauce first. Heat the butter over medium heat, then add the onion and sauté until it turns translucent, about 3 or 4 minutes. Add everything else, stir well and simmer slowly for 20 minutes or more. You can buzz it in a blender for a smooth sauce.
  • To flatten the quail, use kitchen shears to remove the backbones of the birds by cutting along either side. Put the quail breast side up on a cutting board and press to flatten. If you want to be fancy, carefully snip out the ribs and the curved saber bones near the wishbone. Salt the quail and toss them in the vegetable oil.
  • Get your grill hot and lay your quail breast side up. Grill over high heat with the grill lid down for 5 minutes. As it cooks, paint the breast side with the sauce. Turn the quail over and paint the cooked side with sauce. Grill the breast side with the grill cover up for 2 minutes, then turn over again and paint with the sauce one more time. Cover the grill and cook another 2 to 4 minutes. Take off the grill and paint with sauce one more time.

Nutrition

Calories: 673kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 196mg | Sodium: 579mg | Potassium: 615mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 1110IU | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 80mg | Iron: 10mg
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Filed Under: American Recipes, Featured, Pheasant, Grouse, Quail, Recipe, Southern, Wild Game

Avatar for Hank Shaw

Hank Shaw

Hey there. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet's largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook.

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Comments

  1. Avatar for SamSam says

    March 29, 2023 at 4:48 am

    Fantastic. Our quail were skinless so grilling was fast. This sauce behaves very well on the grill, forming a beautiful glaze without burning. I’m definitely repurposing this sauce for chicken thighs.

    Reply
  2. Avatar for A. TexpatA. Texpat says

    April 23, 2022 at 6:15 pm

    Absolutely fantastic. The sauce is incredible. Thank you!

    Reply
  3. Avatar for Francis M. (Frank) BalestrieriFrancis M. (Frank) Balestrieri says

    January 24, 2022 at 12:08 pm

    Hey Hank,
    Ever since my son and I attended one of your lecture dinners in Sacramento several years back (the one where you served duck tongues and other parts most people throw away), we have been devotees of your literature and recipes. It appears you love Latin American-cooked foods, which includes the numerous chiles and sauces they use in their cookery. There is one sauce recipe we’d love to get, but when we ask, most restaurants are reluctant to give it. It’s called Aji Amarillo Sauce. A Peruvian restaurant in San Francisco and Walnut Creek called ‘Limon’ serves this sauce with their empanadas. Another SF Restaurant, ‘Artesano’, also uses this sauce. It is absolutely fabulous! Now, we buy it from the restaurant in containers for our home-made empanadas, but also as a vegetable dip, marinade, and final brushed coating on both wild and domestic fowl. It’s good with fish too. Is there any way you can help us track this recipe down? I think it’s worthy of your monthly e-mails to us followers. Can you help me track this recipe down? It’s getting costly to buy it in small containers from the restaurants. Thank you!

    Sincerely,

    Francis M. (Frank) Balestrieri

    Reply
  4. Avatar for Ryan KnapeRyan Knape says

    December 24, 2021 at 6:24 am

    Howdy! Can I use this on quail I shot yesterday and marinate overnight and grill tomorrow? Or don’t marinate overnight?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      December 24, 2021 at 7:54 am

      Ryan: Yep, it will work fine.

      Reply
  5. Avatar for SamSam says

    February 2, 2019 at 6:36 am

    Is this sauce storage friendly

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      February 2, 2019 at 9:58 am

      Sam: As in can you can it? Not unless you pressure can it. It is not acidic enough to water-bath can.

      Reply
  6. Avatar for StephenStephen says

    December 19, 2018 at 8:48 pm

    Should I alter the cook time or sequence st all if I’m using skinless quail?

    Reply
    • Avatar for Hank ShawHank Shaw says

      December 20, 2018 at 7:49 am

      Stephen: I think it should be about the same, maybe a minute or two less.

      Reply
  7. Avatar for MackMack says

    July 31, 2018 at 5:21 pm

    Great for grilled black fish.

    Reply
  8. Avatar for Marisa Franca @ All Our WayMarisa Franca @ All Our Way says

    May 29, 2018 at 2:04 pm

    Hi, Hank!! Came over from your feral pig. Can you use grainy Poupon style mustard in the recipe instead of the plain mustard? We love spicy on our pulled pork but we’d love to try this on our chicken.

    Reply
  9. Avatar for JakeJake says

    May 16, 2018 at 3:50 pm

    This sauce is amazing. Don’t be afraid to make extra! We usually start the weekend with it on duck (like in Duck, Duck Goose) and then do another meal with the extra a different day. It’s phenomenal on wings and works very well on grilled pork tenderloin and even plain old chicken breast. Great addition to a sandwich as well. Thanks Hank!

    Reply
  10. Avatar for DebDeb says

    November 23, 2015 at 5:23 pm

    Tried this tonight with blue quail. Very moist! Thanks

    Reply
  11. Avatar for MarkMark says

    December 7, 2014 at 1:47 pm

    Our first try at grilling “wild” game. Tried it on quail breasts. Delicious! We’ll try this Carolina sauce on other meats as well. Easy prep, maybe need to cook a bit longer but I confess I didn’t flatten the breasts….

    Reply
  12. Avatar for JulieJulie says

    September 9, 2014 at 3:37 pm

    Just made this! Best quail I’ve ever had. Absolutely delish! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  13. Avatar for daviddavid says

    July 11, 2013 at 6:27 pm

    The sauce is to die for… Excellent! Everyone loved it. Will make this again…

    Reply
  14. Avatar for AlectorixAlectorix says

    June 22, 2012 at 4:46 am

    Excelente, por aquí a “las africanas” las cocinamos a la plancha, gracias por utilizar en sus recetas “el oro líquido”.
    Saludos.

    Reply
  15. Avatar for Jeff @ CheeseburgerJeff @ Cheeseburger says

    June 21, 2012 at 7:48 pm

    I actually haven’t tried to grill quail. With this recipe, I think I’ll give it a try.

    Reply
  16. Avatar for William LeeWilliam Lee says

    June 21, 2012 at 6:24 pm

    Have lots of Gambel’s quail here in Tucson area. Can’t wait for the season. Love this site!!

    Reply
  17. Avatar for SaraSara says

    June 21, 2012 at 12:51 pm

    Yummy – can’t wait to try the sauce. We have a ton of quail in our area but I’m not sure how to hunt them but maybe it’s time to learn.

    Reply
  18. Avatar for Joe NavariJoe Navari says

    June 21, 2012 at 12:09 pm

    That made me really hungry.

    Reply

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Hank Shaw holding a rod and reel in the American River

Hi, my name is Hank Shaw; I’m a James Beard Award-winning author and chef. I started this site back in 2007 to help you get the most out of all things wild: fish, game, edible wild plants and mushrooms. I also write cookbooks, have a website dedicated to the intersection of food and nature, and do a podcast, too. If it’s wild, you’ll find it here. Hope you enjoy the site!

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