# Quail Confit



## BrazenAmateur (Jan 18, 2008)

Okey Dokey...

I've got 4 frozen quail and a jar of chicken fat just lying around.  I was given the quail by a hunter and I bought the fat on a lark awhile back.

I'm really tempted to try seperating the legs from the quail and doing a confit in the chicken fat.  I know that one doesn't normally use chicken fat to confit and that one also doesn't normally confit quail, but can anyone think of any good ideas why this wouldn't work?

I figure I have more than enough fat to, when rendered, submerge 8 tiny quail legs.  


If this sounds like a bonehead idea, someone please tell me.


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## Andy M. (Jan 18, 2008)

It should work fine.  Go for it.

What do you plan for the rest of the quail?


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## college_cook (Jan 19, 2008)

It will work fine, but the flavor probably won't be what you expect.  Duck confit, the usual confit culprit, is so lucious because duck fat is just packed with copious amounts of flavor.  Chicken fat on the other hand, is not.  I would recommend adding some powerful flavoring agents to your cure before you immerse the legs into the fat.


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## TATTRAT (Jan 19, 2008)

Sounds good, but I think the yield would be about 3 small bites worth, a lot of work for little reward, imo.

just how big are these quail?


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## miniman (Jan 19, 2008)

Why not do tghe whole quail? I think that would work well.


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## Billdolfski (Jan 19, 2008)

college_cook said:


> It will work fine, but the flavor probably won't be what you expect.  Duck confit, the usual confit culprit, is so lucious because duck fat is just packed with copious amounts of flavor.  Chicken fat on the other hand, is not.  I would recommend adding some powerful flavoring agents to your cure before you immerse the legs into the fat.



mmmm.... duck fat


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## BrazenAmateur (Jan 19, 2008)

Just to answer all the questions:

1.) I'm not doing the whole quail because I don't have enough fat to immerse all 4 quail, but I have enough for the 8 legs.  I'm going to either roast or pan-sear the rest of the birds.

2.) I know the flavor won't be quite right.  I've already tried some of the chicken fat on potatoes, and while it ain't duck fat by a stretch, it isn't bad either.  Any recommendations for flavoring agents would be greatly appreciated.

3.) I know it's a lot of work for little reward, but that tends to be the case with quail in general.  Quail, however, is what I've got in the freezer, so I'm going to work with it.  I've also got a 3-day weekend with nothing whatsoever else to do.


Thanks for all the input so far, much appreciated.  I don't have a ton of experience with quail, so please feel free to chime in and let me know what I should do with the rest of the birds, etc.


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## Bilby (Jan 19, 2008)

I have only done quail the once as I found it too much effort for the gain, which is not my way to cook as a rule. Not to say that I wouldn't do it again but the meal would have to be right - like a NYE dinner.

I butterflied the quail, and then put them in a pan with some chicken stock (not a lot) and then finished under the grill.  I served them on a bed of couscous that had also been cooked in chicken stock and had, I think asparagus mixed through it.  It was quite a while ago and I can't recall all the details.  I do remember that the quail came out very tasty and moist.  I kept the flavourings rather basic (1) cos I was serving my mother and (2) I wanted to get the flavours from the quail to be the stand out taste.  There would have been garlic, parsley and chives in there somewhere.


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## Loprraine (Jan 19, 2008)

I've never made them myself, but did buy some in Montreal  They were delicious!!  6 small legs cost me a fortune, but I'd buy them again anytime.  Good luck!!!


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## college_cook (Jan 20, 2008)

Well I've never had quail myself, so I can't say for sure what flavors you should use in your cure.  If the flavor is similar to duck, I'd say to cure it in kosher salt, sugar, a little bit of cracked pepper, crushed bay leaf, thyme, and whole juniper berries.

Try to find yourself some classic recipes for quail, or even any quail recipes that you enjoy and try to work those flavors into your cure.


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## Bilby (Jan 21, 2008)

Nothing like duck in the taste department IMO.  Not as bland as chicken or turkey either.  Pigeon may be the closest taste I can think of.  Quail has a richness to it but because there is so little of it, it isn't a big part of the dish more that it gives a depth of flavour to the meat. A bit like the drumstick of a chicken has a different flavour to the breast, well a quail is all drumstick flavour in a way - that sort of depth of taste.  It is still quite a mild flavoured bird though.  Never had a tough quail either although I am sure it is possible.

Below is a link to several quail dishes (plus a lot of quail egg recipes too).

Search - Recipes - Taste.com.au=


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