Recipes & Cooking  |  11/08/2019

Chicken-Fried Quail with Honey Hot Sauce


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There are fried quail recipes, and then there are fried quail recipes that take this southern staple to the next level. If you want to add a delicious twist to the next skillet of fried quail you prepare, try this sweet and spicy fried quail treat from Chef David Bancroft, the award-winning owner and head chef at Auburn, Alabama’s famous Acre restaurant.


Chicken Fried Quail with Honey Hot Sauce


Quail brine:

4 whole quail
6Tbs. salt
2Tbs. sugar
2Tbs. Garlic powder
1G water
3c ice

Dissolve all seasonings into 1 gallon of warm water. Add the 3 cups of ice to chill. Add the quail and refrigerate overnight. 

To fry the quail:

Remove quail from the brine and place directly into chicken fry mixture.  Fry until golden brown or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Top with pecan streusel and honey hot sauce. Enjoy!

Chicken fry mixture:

1.5c all-purpose flour
1tsp. baking powder
2tsp. kosher salt
2tsp. garlic powder
1tsp. black pepper
1tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. thyme

Honey hot sauce:

1c local wildflower honey
3Tbs. Crystal Hot Sauce

Mix honey and hot sauce together in small bowl until blended. 

Pecan streusel:

1.5c pecans
1c brown sugar
1/2c sugar
2Tbs. all-purpose flour
2tsp. kosher salt
2oz. butter

To make the streusel:

Pulse all ingredients except butter in food processor until a crumble forms. Do not over mix. Remove from processor, pour into bowl, and mix butter in by hand. Bake at 350 degrees on a baking sheet for 7 minutes.