“Why haven’t you tried it yet?” This is a question I often ask my fellow foodie friends who are as passionate in the kitchen as I am, especially when learning new techniques. If you haven’t tried it yet, check out how you can transform you Bull BBQ into a rotisserie with a few simple steps. This accessory has turned my world upside down. Multi-tasking in the kitchen is key. To have the opportunity to cook a meal, hands-free, which then offers the flexibility to tackle another part of dinner, makes the experience much more enjoyable and relaxed.
I am a firm believer that practice doesn’t necessarily make me perfect, but it gets me pretty close. With practice, transforming my Master Q Island Grill into a Rotisserie has become quite simple. The best part, the end results are delicious! The spit slowly rotates the meat, cooking the protein evenly and with its own juices. This hands-free, self basting method of cooking is amazing on so many levels. “Why haven’t you tried it yet?”
My first goal for all of you is to learn this technique on your Bull BBQ. My second goal is to teach you new ingredients that depart from the traditional rotisserie chicken recipes and get you thinking outside the box. My imagination runs wild at times, wondering, could this be done on the rotisserie? I encourage you to think and cook the same way. It opens doors to trying new foods, learning new techniques, which is so important in the culinary world we live in. There will be some mistakes made, and that is good. I encourage this, for we learn from them, we take notes, and with more practice, you are on your way to perfecting the dish!
The inspiration for this week’s recipe came from a lunch I cooked a few years back for a family friend and local farmers. We cooked stuffed quail, creamy polenta, caesar salad, homemade pesto, garlic bread. It was a huge hit and delicious. My curiosity led me to create this week’s recipe – Stuffed Rotisserie Quail, served with a creamy polenta or pasta and topped with some gravy. You will have everyone salivating for more.
Chef’s Note:
- Try placing the quail in a brine for a few hours before stuffing them. This helps keep the meat juicy and prevents the meat from overcooking and drying out.
- If you notice the wings and legs browning faster than the body, stop the rotisserie and cover them with foil. This prevents the wings and legs from turning black and potentially burning.
- MAKE IT A HABIT! Once you are done cleaning the rotisserie spit and the various parts, assemble it back together. This makes it much easier and less frustrating the next time you want to use your rotisserie!
- 16 whole quails, rinsed, patted dry (2 per person)
- 1 medium white onion, finely diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 32 ounces pork sausage meat
- 1 tablespoon oregano, dried
- 3 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- ½ ounce dried European porcini mushrooms, reconstituted, drain, minced
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Rinse the quail under cold water, pat dry with a paper towel and set aside.
- In a large saute pan on high heat, add the oil, onions and garlic. Saute until translucent.
- Add the minced porcini mushrooms, oregano, salt and pepper to taste and saute for about 5 more minutes. Transfer the mix to a tray to cool.
- In a Kitchen Aid with the paddle attachment, add the pork sausage and cool mushroom/onion mix. Turn on low and incorporate all the ingredients.
- Using a 2 ounce portion scoop, stuff each bird with the sausage mix. You may need to add a little more, or less depending on size of quail.
- Cut 16 pieces of twine to tie the legs together.
- Place the stuffed quail onto the spit.
- To preheat the grill, remove the two center grill grates directly under where the quail will cook.
- Use a disposable aluminum tray under to catch the drippings.
- Review this video Bull BBQ Rotisserie if you need to refresh your memory.
- Next turn the rotisserie burner knob to medium heat.
- For addition heat, turn the two outside burner knobs with the grill grates above to low. Close the lid and get the temperature to set around 350. Adjust the heat as needed to consistently maintain 350 degrees.
- Once preheated, open the lid and place the spit onto the rotisserie motor.
- Turn the motor on and make sure the birds are spinning properly and then close the lid.
- Keeping the lid closed as much as possible, allow the quail to cook for about 25 minutes, internal temp of 165.
- Once done, turn off the spit, using the Bull Pit Mitt gloves remove the spit from the grill and carefully remove the quails from the spit.
- To plate, place two quail along with creamy polenta and top off with some gravy!
♥ Chef Amy
My artist friend Tony just had as house speciality in Sedona, Arizona. Said excellent as I’m sure this recipe is too!