Smoked Quail
Small quails are brined in a flavorful salt solution and then hot-smoked at low temperature. The result is tender, juicy meat with a delicate smoky aroma. Due to the short cooking time, quails are ideal for spontaneous smoking projects.
Ingredients(for 1 kg)
Instructions
Brining
6-8 hoursDissolve salt, sugar, pepper, garlic and paprika powder in water. Submerge quails completely in the brine and refrigerate for 6-8 hours.
Drying
1 hourRemove quails from brine, rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Allow to dry at room temperature or in the fridge with a fan for 1 hour until the surface is tacky and shiny (pellicle).
Smoking
1.5-2 hoursPreheat smoker to 110-120 °C and add cherry and apple wood chips. Place quails on the grate and smoke until a core temperature of 75-77 °C is reached. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Pro Tip
Do not smoke the quails too long, as the small meat dries out quickly – monitor core temperature closely.
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