Their food does make a dif. In the wild they eat bugs, mostly.
If you are skinning the birds & not plucking, a fool proof way to keep them moist & tender and still tasting like quail is to cut a fairly thick slice, 3/8"~1/2" of a sweet onion, like a Texas 1015, or Noonday or one of the GA variety. You can also use a regular white [stronger] or yellow [neutral, but mellow] onion, if you can't source a sweet variety. Place it on top of the bird breast up and put the whole in a 'Texas wrap' [aluminum foil] and then put it on the grill at a temp just north of 275 F, but not to exceed 350 for 45 minutes. Birds will be melt in your mouth tender and you can season them w/salt & pepper to taste once on the plate. The onion may be set aside or eaten [my preference], it will be cooked through and impart zero taste to the quail. This is a 'quick & dirty' method that is bullet proof.
Jan Carlos's methods & suggestions does the quarry much more justice, but it requires some finesse in the kitchen getting there.
Don't scoff at this until you have done it. Makes for some great tasting quail that taste exactly like ... quail.
Last edited by tw; 07/04/12 08:00 PM. Reason: none, but i did not spell check any of it.
