Recipe Twist on Quail for a Unique Holiday Treat
Combining maple syrup with chili adds a tangy twist.
A sweet glaze flavors the quail making this dish tasty and light.
December 10, 2025
By Maggie Rosaine
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Our 3-year-old chocolate lab, Rose, is a proven quail retriever. Thanks to her, we have these tasty birds back in the freezer again.
Canadian bacon and maple syrup are made for each other; when paired with spicy quail, it’s a simply delicious combination. When cleaning the quail, leave as much skin on as you can. Split the quail down one side of the backbone and flatten out for the most even cooking. I like to serve this on a bed of mashed sweet potatoes and a sprinkle of my favorite fresh herbs.
If your freezer doesn’t include quail, duck breasts can be substituted.
Ingredients for Spicy Quail with Canadian Bacon & Maple Syrup. Spicy Quail with Canadian Bacon & Maple Syrup Ingredients and Steps
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4 quail, split down backbone 2 sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed 1 cup reduced sodium soy sauce 3 fresh Tabasco fresh chilies minced * 2 Tbsp. brown sugar 1 tsp. ginger powder or puree Ground paprika to sprinkle Spray canola oil 8 slices of Canadian bacon Pure Vermont maple syrup Sprinkle of your favorite fresh herbs Directions:
Mix the marinade ingredients: soy sauce, chilies, brown sugar, ginger. Place quail in marinade, refrigerate for 4-5 hours turning occasionally. Shake off marinade, sprinkle quail with paprika. You can either grill or oven bake the quail, preheating to 350 F. Spray the breast side of quail with canola and place breast side down on heat. Monitor quail and flip when the breast side has browned, then remove when a knife slides through the meat. Wrap in aluminum foil and let rest. Canadian bacon just requires a few minutes of cooking, grill or pan fry. Place the bacon on a bed of mashed sweet potato (if using), top with quail, drizzle with maple syrup and add a sprinkle of your fresh herbs. Serves 4.
