Mesquite-Grilled Quail, Patagonia Style
Learn how Patagonian gaucho fire technique meets Texas mesquite tradition in this open-fire grilled quail recipe finished with a molasses chimichurri.
Mesquite-Grilled Quail, Patagonia Style
This recipe comes to us from Joshua Schwencke, owner and executive chef of the Gastronomy Company in San Antonio, culinary writer for Wild Sheep Magazine, and friend of Montana Knife Company.
6
2 hours 30 minutes
30 minutes
380
South American
Main dish
Down in Patagonia, gauchos have been cooking whole birds over mesquite and quebracho coals for generations. The technique is simple: hot fire, herb-heavy marinade, fast cook.
I picked up that open-fire approach from years of grilling dove over Texas mesquite during the early-fall hunting seasons, then carried it over to quail with a chimichurri twist that nods to the south of the equator.
What sets my version apart is the molasses. A single spoonful tucked into the chimichurri pulls the herbs, acid, and smoke together, giving the birds a beautifully caramelized finish over the coals. The result is grilled quail with bright herb flavor, smoky char from the hardwood, and a touch of molasses sweetness running through the chimichurri marinade.
Ingredients
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12 whole quail, cleaned (skin on if possible)
Kosher salt, to taste
Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
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- 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped with a sharp, clean kitchen knife
2 Tbsp. fresh oregano (or 1 Tbsp. dried)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small shallot, finely diced
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup olive oil
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1 Tbsp. molasses
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Directions
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In a bowl, combine the parsley, oregano, garlic, shallot, and red pepper flakes. Stir in the olive oil, red wine vinegar, lime zest, lime juice, and molasses. Add the smoked paprika and cumin, then season with salt and black pepper.
The marinade should taste balanced, with bright herbs up front, a touch of sweetness from the molasses, and gentle smoke from the paprika. If it leans too acidic, add a small drizzle of olive oil; if it tastes flat, hit it with another pinch of salt.
- For the cleanest cuts on the herbs and aromatics, work with a freshly sharpened blade, so you slice rather than crush the parsley.
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Lightly season the quail inside and out with salt and pepper. Drop them into the marinade and turn each bird to coat it evenly.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for two to four hours. Don’t go longer than that. The acid from the lime and vinegar will start to cure the meat, and the texture turns mushy past the four-hour mark.
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Build a mesquite wood fire in your grill, fire pit, or Argentine-style grill, then let it burn down to glowing red coals before you cook. You’re after high, direct heat with a grill grate set low over the embers.
If you’re working from a chimney starter or side burner, get the coals fully ashed over before transferring them under the grate. Flames will scorch the small birds long before the inside cooks.
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Pull the quail from the marinade and let the excess drip off. Lay them directly over the hot mesquite coals, breast-side down to start.
- Grill for about two minutes per side, turning once. You’re looking for a quick char on the skin with a slightly pink, juicy center. Whole grilled quail dries out fast over hardwood coals, so pull them at medium-rare and rely on the carryover heat to finish the cook. Internal temperature should hit 145°F at the thickest part of the breast.
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Pull the birds off the grate and let them rest on a warm platter for two to three minutes. The juices redistribute through the meat instead of running across your cutting board.
Serve the grilled quail with vegetables tossed in the leftover chimichurri and finished over the same coals, plus rustic bread and a glass of South American red wine.
