-
1
Preheat the oven to 200F.
-
2
Line a rimmed baking sheet with a brown paper bag.
-
3
Rinse the quail and pat dry with paper towels.
-
4
Combine the buttermilk, egg, and hot sauce in a shallow bowl and whisk to mix.
-
5
In a separate shallow bowl or plastic bag, combine the bread crumbs, flour, salt and black pepper to taste, and cayenne and stir or shake to mix.
-
6
Pour canola oil 1/4 inch deep in a large skillet, add the bacon drippings, if using, and place over medium-high heat until sizzling hot (see Know-how, page 100).
-
7
Dip each quail into the buttermilk mixture, then into the bread crumb mixture to evenly coat.
-
8
Place in the skillet 3 or 4 at a time, taking care not to overcrowd the skillet.
-
9
Cook for 4 to 5 minutes per side, until golden brown and crispy and the interior is slightly pink.
-
10
If the quail are browning too quickly, reduce the heat slightly.
-
11
Transfer the quail to the lined baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm.
-
12
Repeat with the remaining quail, and pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the oil, reserving the pan drippings.
-
13
Add the shallot to the same skillet and cook and stir over medium heat for about 1 minute.
-
14
Sprinkle the flour over the shallot and cook and stir for 1 minute more, scraping up all the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
-
15
Whisk in the milk, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring, until the gravy is thick and creamy, 3 to 5 minutes.
-
16
Spoon the gravy over the quail and serve warm.
-
17
This chicken-fried quail is delicious with Summer Succotash (page 232), Spring Coleslaw with Fresh Herbs and Light Honey Citrus Vinaigrette (page 258), and Watercress Angel Biscuits (page 54).
-
18
Or try them for breakfast over Country Ham and Hominy Hash (page 82) or with Buttermilk Waffles (page 91) in place of fried chicken.
-
19
Southerners have long been crazy for quail, a small bird favored for eating andperhaps especiallyhunting.
-
20
It was one of the few game species to flourish in the new landscape carved out by cotton farming, and the birds remain a favorite catch of hunters today.
-
21
That was certainly true in my family, and Ive been eating quail for as long as I can remember.
-
22
Whenever my dad and grandfather brought them home from a hunt, Granny Foster would dust them lightly with flour and fry them in a skillet for breakfast along with pan gravy and angel biscuits.
-
23
Like many Southerners, my grandfather called quail bobwhites for their characteristic whistle, which sounds like they are singing bobwhite!
-
24
bobwhite!
-
25
bobwhite!
-
26
The meat tastes sort of like chicken, but with a lovely, nutty-sweet twang, and quail can be prepared in all the ways youd prepare chickenbut with much shorter cooking times.
-
27
Quail are so dainty that you will want to budget at least one, but more likely two, per person.
-
28
Farmed quail can be bought from a number of online providers and usually come partially boned (see Sources, page 377).
