These bacon wrapped quail bombs start off with the quail going into a chimichurri marinade overnight. The next day, some jalapeños, cheese, and bacon are wrapped around each quail breast. They smoke the quail bombs until the quail is fully cooked, the bacon is crispy, and the cheese melts.
This is not the first time we’ve talked about quail on the site; this bacon-wrapped quail is very tasty, but that post needed an update. It is also the perfect time to introduce the fourth Grillin’ Fool – Blake. You already know that this is a family business. My cousin Tom made that quail recipe, and my dad and now my cousin Blake (Tom’s nephew) make four fools. This animal assassin (a code name for a legendary hunter) starts his new job with a recipe for a game: bacon-wrapped quail bombs. I’ll hand it over to Blake from here***.
As a hunter, I’m tired of being able to find new recipes and sort through all the Italian dressing marinades to get the gamey taste out of the meat. I didn’t have the dressing, so I used a chimichurri marinade instead. It really makes this recipe stand out. If you are looking for another way to remove the gaminess, check out this deer tenderloin.
Bacon wrapped quail make for impressive bite-sized appetizers bursting with delicious flavors. The combination of savory bacon complementing the delicate, slightly gamey quail meat is a match made in foodie heaven. While quail may seem intimidating to cook wrapping them in bacon and roasting or grilling is actually quite easy. With just a few simple ingredients and some helpful cooking tips, you can have restaurant-quality bacon wrapped quail ready in under an hour.
Choosing the Best Ingredients
Great tasting bacon wrapped quail begins with high-quality ingredients:
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Quail – Purchase fresh, boneless quail breasts or semi-boneless quail for easier eating You can also use whole quail.
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Bacon – Select a good quality smoked bacon, thinly sliced. Applewood smoked or peppered bacon adds nice flavor.
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Marinade – A flavorful marinade helps tenderize quail and impart taste. Soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and oil make a perfect sweet and salty marinade.
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Fresh herbs – Rosemary, thyme, sage all pair nicely with quail. Chop some fresh herbs to garnish completed appetizers.
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Toothpicks – These help secure bacon tightly around the quail breasts during cooking.
With quality quail, bacon, and just a few other ingredients, you’re ready to make these tasty appetizers.
Easy Step-by-Step Cooking Method
Follow these simple steps for perfect bacon wrapped quail every time:
Marinate the Quail
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In a baking dish, combine soy sauce, brown sugar, minced garlic, and olive oil.
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Add quail and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate 4-6 hours, turning quail occasionally.
Wrap Quail in Bacon
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Pat quail dry and wrap each breast with a strip of bacon. Make sure the bacon fits snugly.
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Use toothpicks to secure the bacon in place, taking care not to pierce the quail meat.
Roast or Grill
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Roast at 400°F on a parchment lined baking sheet for 12-15 minutes until bacon is crispy.
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Or grill over medium heat, turning once, until bacon is crisp and quail reaches 165°F internally.
Finish and Serve
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Remove toothpicks and brush with reserved marinade to glaze.
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Garnish with chopped fresh herbs. Serve warm.
In about an hour, you can have tender, juicy bacon wrapped quail ready to serve up as incredible appetizers or small plates. The sweet and salty marinade brings out the quail’s delicate flavor.
Handy Tips for Bacon Wrapped Quail Success
Here are some top tips for achieving the perfect bacon wrapped quail:
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Choose fresh, boneless quail breasts for easier eating. Semi-boneless also works well.
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Make sure bacon fits snugly around quail and secures tightly with toothpicks to prevent unraveling.
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Use a flavorful marinade that complements quail. Soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and olive oil is a good combo.
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Roast at a high temp (400°F) for a crispy bacon coating. Grill over medium heat to prevent flare ups from bacon fat.
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Brush cooked quail with reserved marinade to give a nice glaze.
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Let quail rest 5 minutes before serving. Slice or cut into bites. Garnish with fresh herbs.
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Serve warm with aioli or other dipping sauces for an appetizer presentation.
Get Creative with Serving Suggestions
Bacon wrapped quail make an impressive appetizer on their own, but you can also get creative with fun serving ideas:
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Serve on small skewers for easy finger food. Alternate with grapes, melon balls or pickled veggies.
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Place each quail piece in a lettuce cup and top with diced mango, red onion and cilantro.
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Offer an aioli, chimichurri or romesco sauce for dipping.
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Pile quail bites on a platter with assorted crackers, flatbread, pickles and mustards.
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Nestle quail pieces into mini breakfast potato cakes for a unique twist.
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Top endive leaves with quail, blue cheese crumbles and chopped walnuts.
With so many options for serving, your guests will be wowed by these tantalizing bacon wrapped quail bites.
Helpful Answers to Common Bacon Wrapped Quail Questions
Here are some answers to frequently asked questions about making bacon wrapped quail:
What if I can’t find quail?
Chicken tenders or turkey cutlets also work well. Adjust cooking times as the thickness changes.
Can I prep them ahead of time?
Yes! Wrap raw quail in bacon and refrigerate up to 12 hours before cooking. Let sit 20-30 minutes before cooking.
How long will they keep?
Cooked quail will keep refrigerated 3-4 days. Reheat gently in a 300°F oven to serve.
What’s the best way to reheat them?
Place quail on a baking sheet and warm at 300°F for 8-10 minutes until heated through. Don’t overcook.
Can I use thicker bacon?
Thinner bacon, about 1/16 inch thick, is best for even cooking and getting crispy. Avoid thick cut bacon.
What drinks pair well with them?
Sparkling wines, lighter reds like Pinot Noir, or ginger beer make good pairings with bacon wrapped quail.
With proper technique and quality ingredients, you can impress guests with incredible bacon wrapped quail appetizers full of sweet, savory flavor. Their small size makes them the perfect pop-in-your-mouth party treat.
Elevate Your Next Gathering
Learning how to transform basic quail into impressive bite-sized bacon wrapped appetizers is easier than you think. The key is using fresh quail, good bacon, and taking time to wrap and secure the bacon properly. Combine quail’s delicate flavor with sweet and salty marinade and crisp bacon for a foolproof crowd-pleaser. Serve these tasty morsels on skewers, in lettuce cups, or layered on crackers for a unique addition to your next party that is sure to leave your guests wanting more.
Assemble the Quail Bombs
The following day, slice the gouda into long, bite size chunks:
You will need 10 chunks of gouda:
Place a quail breast about an inch from the end of a slice of bacon:
Place a chunk of the gouda on top:
Then a chunk of jalapeño (feel free to trim the pepper and/or the cheese to fit the quail):
Now roll up that bacon:
If I put a toothpick through it, it helps keep it together and makes it easier to eat.
Now repeat that 9 more timesL
To finish, sprinkle the quail bombs with your BBQ rub. We forgot to do that right now.
We did it a little later but this is the point we should’ve hit it with some seasoning.
Time for the Grill
Place the bacon wrapped quail bombs into the smoker:
This is where we remembered to season the quail using this DB180 All Purpose Rub:
Close the lid and let the smoke and heat do their thing.
After about 20 minutes we are getting some color and the cheese is melting:
After another 10 minutes we’re coloring up nicely:
At the end, I like to turn up the heat a bit to make the bacon crispy for style.
Pump the grill up to 400F. Internal temp of the quail should read 160-165:
Remove from the heat, allow to rest for a few minutes and enjoy.
We like to cut these in half so that twice as many people can try them on this trip because there are so many of us:
These have bones in them so they may need a little extra oomph:
How To Cook Bacon Wrapped Quail
How do you cook quail on the grill?
Preheat oven to 450ºF, or if grilling, preheat grill to medium-high. Cut 1 jalapeño into 14 strips, and cut 7 slices of bacon in half. To prepare quail: season each breast with salt then top with 1 strip of jalapeño and some shredded cheese. Fold breast over then wrap entire breast with 1/2 piece of bacon. Secure with a skewer or toothpick.
Should quail breasts be wrapped in bacon?
Wrapping the quail breasts in bacon keeps them tender and moist. Plus it adds a bit of smokiness and all the goodness bacon brings to anything. We roasted these quail, but you could grill them if you prefer. Just bring them to an internal temperature of at least 150 degrees Fahrenheit.
How do you cook quail in a frying pan?
… add the quails and raise the heat to medium-high. Sear every side of the birds, for about 10 minutes, until the bacon looks crispy. While the quails are being roasted, cut the tomatoes (just “open” them). When the birds are roasted, add two cherry tomatoes on top of each quail, and some olives in the pan.
How do you cook quail in a crock pot?
Mix together soy sauce, honey, garlic and oil. Put quail in the marinade and refrigerate for 6-7 hours. Preheat oven to 325°F and grease a square baking dish. Remove quail from marinade and wrap one piece of bacon around each bird, fastening with a toothpick. Put wrapped quails in prepared baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 35 minutes.
How do you wrap a quail in a burdock Baton?
Place a burdock baton across the centre of each breast, cover with one-sixth of the shiitake mixture, then carefully roll up quail, from the wing end, leaving wings at either end of the roll. Wrap quail roll tightly with plastic wrap to secure, ensuring wings are left unwrapped. Knot ends of plastic wrap to seal.
How do you cook a quail with guanciale?
Cut a thick slice of guanciale and obtain from it 8 large sticks. Start filling each quail with a guanciale stick. I personally use two olives per quail. Stuff those into the bird. The other olives will be used later. Now wrap each quail with the bacon strips. The breast is the dry part of the meat, so it’s important that the bacon sorrounds it.