Memorial Weekend – A Time to Give Thanks and Spend Time with Family

Memorial Weekend – A Time to Give Thanks and Spend Time with Family

My family and I spent the last weekend cleaning off the porch, getting the patio furniture out and planting flowers. Spring is such a wonderful time. The weather is getting warmer, the flowers are blooming, and you just want to be outside. As soon as it starts warming up, my family loves to grill and eat outside. Also, because they love to hunt, we often grill wild game, so I thought I would share one of our favorite recipes for quail, pheasants, duck, etc…. (see below) that we will be making this weekend.

Like a lot of people, we will be grilling out this Memorial Weekend and spending time as a family. However, we will also remember and give thanks to all men and women who served in our Armed Forces and sacrificed their lives to protect our freedoms. So, however, you choose to celebrate the long weekend, just remember to take some time to reflect on the true meaning of Memorial Day.

Recipe for Bacon-Wrapped Quail with Bourbon-Pepper Jelly Glazed

Recipe courtesy of Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients:

• 8 quail, about 5 1/2 ounces each, dressed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 8 strips thick-cut bacon
• 1/2 cup pepper jelly
• 3 tablespoons bourbon

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Method:

1. Season each quail with 1/8 teaspoon of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the pepper. Wrap the bacon around the quail and secure with a toothpick.
2. Preheat a grill to medium-low.
3. In a bowl whisk the pepper jelly, bourbon, and Worcestershire sauce until smooth.
4. Place the bacon-wrapped quail on the grill and cook, turning frequently, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until bacon is beginning to caramelize in places and the quail have grill marks on all sides. Brush the quail with the glaze and continue turning, glazing, and cooking until birds are nicely glazed and grilled on all sides and the flesh is just cooked through, about 10 minutes longer.
5. Set aside to rest briefly before serving 2 quail per person.