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5.0 from 15 votes

Jesse's Fried Snipe

You can use quail, wild or store-bought, or doves for this recipe if you don't have snipe. Don't skimp on the sauce, as it's awesome: sweet, buttery, spicy, garlicky. These are best served within minutes of being doused in the sauce, so don't let them wait around. 

Prep Time
4 hrs
Cook Time
mins
Total Time
4 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 4 people
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 8 snipe, split down the middle
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • salt and black pepper
  • 2 cups flour (any kind)
  • oil for frying
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 3 tablespoons hot sauce (I use Frank's here)
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 serrano or jalapeno, sliced thin

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Split the birds down the middle to remove the keelbone. Soak in buttermilk in the fridge for at least 3 hours and up to a day. 
  2. Remove the birds from the buttermilk, arrange in one layer and dust with salt and black pepper. Set the flour in a shallow bowl you can dredge the birds in. Sprinkle a little water into the flour and move it around a bit to make little balls -- these little balls will stick to the birds and create spots where the crust is thicker and crispier.
  3. Dredge the birds in the flour and let them sit in the fridge for an hour. 
  4. When the birds have sat in the fridge about 30 minutes, heat the butter, honey, hot sauce and garlic in a small pot over low heat. You want them to just marry flavors, not sizzle. In another pot, heat enough oil to come about 2 inches up the sides. Heat this to between 350F and 375F.
  5. Fry the birds in the hot oil for about 3 minutes per side. You want them golden brown, not burnt. By moving them from fridge to fryer, the meat won't overcook. Drain on a rack or paper towels.
  6. When all the birds are ready, toss with the sauce and eat at once.