How to Make Sous Vide Quail—A Simple and Delicious Recipe
Sous vide quail is one of the easiest ways to cook this delicate game bird. It keeps the meat juicy and tender while locking in all the flavors. It’s good!
Sous Vide Quail – A Simple and Delicious Recipe
Equipment
- sous vide cooking element & container
- 4 ZipLock Baggies or vacuum seal bags (one for each bird)
Ingredients
- 4 whole quail
- 3-4 tbsp. olive oil (or 2 tbsp. of butter per bag)
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. all purpose seasoning (Kinder's All Purpose Seasoning)
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- fresh thyme or rosemary (optional, but so good)
Instructions
Prepping the Quail
- Rinse the quail under cold water and then pat dry with paper towels.
- Put the birds in the bag (one bird per bag), pour in the olive oil (or drop in the softened butter) and then coat with the seasoning.
- Add the sliced shallots to the bag. Season to your liking.
- Massage the bag to make sure the birds are covered.
- Push out as much air as possible and then seal the bags.
Turn on the Sous Vide
- Set your sous vide to 150° for 90 minutes (1 hour and 1/2).
- Use your sous vide lid or clips to attach the bags to the sous vide.
- Make sure that the birds aren't touching and that the meat is completely under the water bath. Double check to make sure that the water can not get into the top of the bag that has been clipped in place.
- If the birds are floating, use a plate to push them down. You can purchase weights specifically for this, but a plate works for us.
Time for the Sear
- After 90 minutes, remove the bag from the water bath and take out the quail. Do NOT dump out the juices. Set the bags of juices to the side.
- Heat a cast iron skillet, grill pan, or out door grill over medium heat to medium-high heat. Add 1-2 tablespoons of butter of olive oil to the pan before heating.
- Once heated, sear the quail for 30-60 seconds per side. This goal here is to add some beautiful sear marks and get a golden color, NOT cook the birds further. We don't want to dry out these little babies!
- Set the quail to the side, but keep the juices that are in the pan from the butter or olive oil.
Making the Sauce (optional, but recommended)
- Pour the juices from the bag in the the skillet with the butter or olive oil. Simmer for 2-3 minutes until it thickens slightly. You can throw in 1/4 tsp. of cornstarch to help thicken it. It is really up to you how you want it. You can add more seasoning, butter, or cornstarch to the sauce. Just experiment a bit at a time here. A little goes a long way.
- Pour the sauce over the birds and serve! Yum!
If you’ve ever struggled with dry or overcooked quail, sous vide is the answer. This method uses a low, consistent temperature to cook the meat evenly without drying it out. Seriously, juicy and delicious!
My husband brought these quail home from a hunting trip, and a friend suggested trying them sous vide. I gave it a shot, and now I’m sharing the process with you. Let’s walk through everything step by step. We loved the results and I hope you do too!
Ingredients You’ll Need for this Simple Quail Recipe
- 4 whole quail
- 3–4 tablespoons olive oil (or 2 tbsp. of butter per bag)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon of your favorite all purpose seasoning ( I use Kinder’s All Purpose Seasoning for a lot of recipes)
- 2 shallots, thinly sliced
- fresh thyme or rosemary (optional, but so good)
Prepping the Quail
Start by rinsing the quail and patting them dry with paper towels. No need to soak them beforehand. Once dry, place them in a large Ziploc bag. Drizzle the olive oil over them, making sure each bird gets a good coating. You can put two tablespoons of butter into each bag instead of olive oil if you would like.
Each bird gets its own bag. You don’t want them touching or grouped together.
Next, season with salt, pepper, and any additional seasoning you like. Some great choices for quail include garlic powder, smoked paprika, or a touch of thyme. Toss in the sliced shallots. Now, take a few minutes to massage everything together in the bag, coating the quail evenly.
Push out as much air as possible from the bag and seal it tightly. If you have a vacuum sealer, you can use that instead. Use a vacuum seal bag and follow the instructions on your vacuum sealer.
Setting Up the Sous Vide
Sous vide is a simple water bath cooking method. You’ll need a sous vide machine and a heat-safe container filled with water.
We use the Anova sous vide heating element and container. Clip the sealed bag to the side of the container, making sure the quail stay submerged but don’t touch each other.
I know the sous vide method can seem a little different if you have never heard of it before. What’s really cool about this water immersion technique is that the meat is so tender and juicy when it is done.
Set your sous vide to 150°F and let the quail cook for 90 minutes. This slow, controlled heat keeps the meat juicy and prevents overcooking.
Finishing the Quail: Time for the Sear
After 90 minutes, remove the bag from the water bath and take out the quail. Don’t toss the delicious juices—those will make a great sauce.
Heat a cast iron skillet, grill pan, or even an outdoor grill. I like using my Pampered Chef skillet with a built-in press to get perfect grill marks.
Sear the quail for 30–60 seconds per side. The goal here is just to add some golden brown color, not to cook it further.
I haven’t used every type of meat in the sous vide, but I do like to give a little sear to steak, chicken, and birds over medium heat to medium high heat when finished.
Remember, the goal isn’t to cook the meat more, it’s just to brown it up a bit and give it a sear.
Making the Sauce
While the quail is resting, pour the juices from the bag into a separate pan. Simmer for 2–3 minutes until slightly thickened.
If needed, add a splash of chicken stock or whisk in ¼–½ teaspoon of cornstarch for extra thickness. Drizzle this rich sauce over the quail before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What temperature should quail be cooked to?
For tender and juicy quail, aim for an internal temperature between 150° and 165°.
2. Do you need to soak quail before cooking?
Nope. A quick rinse and pat dry are all you need.
3. Can you overcook quail?
Yes! Because quail is so small, it can dry out quickly. That’s why sous vide is perfect—it eliminates the risk of overcooking. If you decide to sear it at the end, just do it for a very little bit of time. You don’t want to overcook it.
4. What seasonings work best for quail?
Salt, pepper, and olive oil are simple and effective. You can also add garlic powder, paprika, thyme, or an all-purpose meat seasoning.
5. What are the benefits of sous vide cooking?
For us personally, it is really nice to be able to just put the meat in and walk away. It has a timer on it and you don’t have to do a lot of work with it.
The water-bath does the hard part and you can go work on other things that you want to get done. The tenderness of the meat is amazing and the fact that you can do this at home is pretty cool.
When my husband first told me about it, I was skeptical and didn’t really want another kitchen contraption. We don’t use it all the time, but I am glad we have it and it works great for certain recipes. Basically, I don’t mind keeping it in the cabinet to have for when we need it.
The Benefits of Eating Wild Game
Wild game, like quail, chukar, and pheasant, is lean, high in protein, and free from added hormones. If you’re lucky enough to hunt or know a hunter, you get to enjoy fresh, natural meat straight from the field. There’s something special about cooking what was harvested with care and intention.
Sous vide is one of the best ways to prepare wild game because it keeps the meat tender and full of flavor. If you’ve never tried it, this is a great recipe to start with.
What Is Sous Vide?
Sous vide (pronounced “sue veed”) is a cooking method that uses a water bath to cook food at a precise temperature. The meat is sealed in a bag, placed in the heated water, and cooked slowly. This method locks in moisture and makes even the toughest cuts tender.
For quail, sous vide ensures the meat stays juicy without the risk of overcooking. It also lets you infuse flavor throughout the cooking process.
Why Wild Game Is the Best
This quail came straight from the field, thanks to my husband’s hunting trip. He brought back pheasant, chukar, and quail—all without added hormones or preservatives. Yum! Since they processed the birds themselves, we know exactly where they came from and how they were handled.
Wild game is one of the cleanest proteins you can eat. It’s lean, nutrient-dense, and incredibly flavorful. Plus, it’s a great way to use the resources God has given us!
Some of my favorite recipes with wild game are traditional Elk gravy and biscuits, loaded one-pan venison nachos, venison sloppy joes, healthy venison and barley soup, and cast-iron skillet venison tenderloin. Soooo good!
Time to be a Doer and Give This Recipe a Try
Sous vide quail is simple, delicious, and foolproof (well, for the most part). The olive oil, shallots, and seasoning bring out the natural flavors, and that final sear gives it the perfect finish. I think you will love this recipe!
Try it out and let me know what you think!
