Buttermilk Fried Quail
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5.0
54 reviews
Excellent
Buttermilk Fried Quail
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If you are working with real wild quail, I highly recommend you brine them before frying. A simple brine of 1/4 cup kosher salt to 4 cups water will do — the birds are going to get plenty of seasoning later. Submerge your quail in this brine for 4 to 8 hours. Store-bought quail don't need to be brined. As a general rule, 1 quail is an appetizer, 2 a lunch, 4 a good portion for a hearty eater. You can also do this recipe with chukars and Hungarian partridges. Serve with mashed potatoes, cole slaw, cornbread and collard greens.
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Ingredients
- 8 to 16 quail, cut in half
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons Italian seasoning, or 1/3 cup of mixed chopped fresh herbs like oregano, thyme and parsley
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 3 cups vegetable oil
Instructions
- Mix the buttermilk with the all the spices (except the salt). Coat the quail with the mixture and set in a covered container for as little as an hour, and as much as 8 hours.
- When you are ready to fry, pour the oil into a large pan — a big cast iron frying pan or Dutch oven is ideal — and heat over medium-high heat. You want the oil to almost submerge the quail halves.
- Meanwhile, take the quail out of the buttermilk and let it drain in a colander. Don’t shake off the buttermilk or anything, just leave it there.
- Let the oil heat until it is about 325°F; this is the point where a sprinkle of flour will immediately sizzle. Do not let the oil smoke! When the oil is hot, pour the flour and salt into a plastic bag and shake to combine. Put a few quail into the bag and shake to get it coated in flour. NOTE: If you want your quail "extra crispy," let the battered birds sit on a rack until the flour absorbs the moisture of the buttermilk coating. Then give them a second shake in the flour bag. You'll get a much thicker, crunchier crust that way.
- Fry for about 4 to 5 minutes. Fry gently — you want a steady sizzle, but nothing raging, and you definitely don’t want the quail to just sit in oil. You might need to adjust the heat a bit. Turn the quail over and fry for another 3 to 4 minutes. You will probably need to fry in batches, so just leave the unfried quail in the colander until you are ready to flour them up and fry them. Don’t let the floured pieces sit.
- When the quail are good and fried, let them rest on a rack set over a paper towel to drain away any excess oil. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Nutrition Information
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Calories
738kcal
(37%)
Carbohydrates
58g
(19%)
Protein
54g
(108%)
Fat
31g
(48%)
Saturated Fat
10g
(50%)
Cholesterol
179mg
(60%)
Sodium
1990mg
(83%)
Potassium
788mg
(23%)
Fiber
3g
(12%)
Sugar
6g
(12%)
Vitamin A
1471IU
(29%)
Vitamin C
14mg
(16%)
Calcium
216mg
(22%)
Iron
13mg
(72%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 738 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 738kcal | 37% |
| Carbohydrates | 58g | 19% |
| Protein | 54g | 108% |
| Fat | 31g | 48% |
| Saturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 179mg | 60% |
| Sodium | 1990mg | 83% |
| Potassium | 788mg | 17% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 6g | 12% |
| Vitamin A | 1471IU | 29% |
| Vitamin C | 14mg | 16% |
| Calcium | 216mg | 22% |
| Iron | 13mg | 72% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5.0
54 reviews
Excellent
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