How to Make Grilled Quail
How to make grilled quail with juicy, tender meat, and a rich flavor. Pair with a salt, pepper, and lime dipping sauce for an even more delightful experience. The key to this dish is the marinating process and controlling the time and temperature during grilling. Adding this special ingredient takes the grilled quail to a whole new level.
Ingredients
- 5 quails (~820g)
- 1 garlic bulb (~8-10 cloves)
- 1 ginger root, 2-3 lemongrass stalks, 3 shallots
- 40g mac mat leaves
- Coarse salt, ginger wine
- 2 spicy chilies
- Seasonings: Fish sauce, oyster sauce, turmeric powder, seasoning powder, MSG, sugar, ground pepper, annatto oil, five-spice powder
- Cucumber, Vietnamese coriander for serving
Instructions
Prepare the Quail
After plucking and cleaning the quails, remove the heads, tails, and feet. These parts often contain dirt and can cause an unpleasant odor.
Rub the quails thoroughly, inside and out, with coarse salt and ginger wine to clean and remove odors. Rinse well and let them dry completely.
Cut a slit in the breast area and slightly open the bird to ensure even cooking. Alternatively, you can leave the bird whole and stuff the cavity with the marinating ingredients for added flavor.
If ginger wine is unavailable, you can substitute vinegar or lemon juice mixed with salt for cleaning. In some regions, people use crushed custard apple or bamboo leaves with salt to effectively clean and deodorize the quail.
Prepare Other Ingredients
Mince the garlic, ginger, chili, lemongrass, and shallots. Reserve a few mac mat leaves to grill with the quail for added fragrance.
Marinate the Quail
For the above quantity of quail, marinate with:
- 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
- 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of MSG
- 1 teaspoon of ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon of five-spice powder
- 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder (or 1 small piece of fresh turmeric, finely grated)
- 2 teaspoons of sugar
- 1 tablespoon of fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons of annatto oil
- 3 tablespoons of cooking oil
Mix the minced garlic, ginger, lemongrass, chili, mac mat leaves, and the marinade ingredients. Rub the marinade all over the quail, inside and out, to ensure it absorbs the flavors.
Let the quail marinate for 30-40 minutes before grilling. Before grilling, stuff a few mac mat leaves, along with some minced garlic, ginger, and shallots, into the quail cavity to enhance the flavor during cooking.
Grill the Quail in an Air Fryer
Quail can be grilled in an oven, over charcoal, or in an air fryer. Here, we’ll show you how to grill quail with mac mat leaves using an air fryer.
Before grilling, remove excess marinade from the surface of the quail to prevent it from burning and turning the quail black.
Line the grill tray with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Lightly coat the quail with the marinade, then arrange them on the tray. Set the temperature to 180°C (356°F) and grill each side for 10-12 minutes.
After about 20 minutes, mix a little annatto oil with the leftover marinade and brush it over the quail. Increase the temperature to 200°C (392°F) and grill for another 6-8 minutes to achieve a golden, crispy skin.
Air fryer temperatures may vary, so adjust the settings to ensure the quail cooks evenly and develops a nice color.
If grilling in batches, lower the temperature slightly for subsequent rounds, as the air fryer will already be preheated.
How to Enjoy
Grilled quail is fragrant, with mac mat leaves enhancing the flavor. The exterior is a beautiful brown, while the inside remains tender and moist. The quail is perfectly seasoned and pairs wonderfully with a salt, pepper, lime, and chili dipping sauce. Serve with some Vietnamese coriander for added freshness.
Delicious grilled quail
The dish is best enjoyed hot. If left to cool, the quail may become tougher and lose some of its original flavor.
