Yakitori Quail (Eggs, Liver, Heart, Legs)

Warning: This post contains information on raising quail for meat. If that bothers you, please skip it.

First, if you’re interested in raising easy to keep Japanese Coturnix quail for meat or eggs, please check out my guide.

The quail that did not go into my Hainanese Quail and Rice recipe was used for yakitori, which is Japanese grilled meat and vegetable skewers. My wood burning stove is about to retire for the season as the weather warms up, so I wanted to do one last recipe that would showcase the smoky flavor it imparts on whatever I throw into it. I have a lot of oak wood so that’s what’s used, but you can do this in your oven, air fryer, outdoor grill, or at home tabletop grill. I do recommend using charcoal if you can, since part of its deliciousness is that smoky flavor.

As someone who tries not to waste any of the meat that is provided by the animal, the heart and liver will always find its way into my meals somehow. Freshly laid quail eggs grilled yakitori style is also a treat, and the bonus is the kids have a lot of fun “egg hunting.”

Ingredients

• Liver, legs (skin on), eggs, and hearts from quail
• Spring onion, cut into one inch pieces
• One inch pieces of green pepper
• Soaked bamboo skewers
• Yakitori sauce (.25 cup of each: sugar, mirin, sake, soy sauce, plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon minced ginger, 1 tablespoon minced garlic)
• Or salt, pepper, and Shichimi togarashi with a side of lemon

1. Prepare the charcoal until it is ready for grilling (white and no longer on fire/smoking). Or preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Soak bamboo skewers for 20 minutes to prevent it from burning.
2. Combine everything for the yakitori sauce (if using) and bring to a simmer until thickened. Pour into a tall cup or use a brush.
3. For each of the different yakitori, alternate veggies and meat on the skewer. You can give it a quick brush with the yakitori sauce before and after grilling (but make sure you use two different sets of brushes/cups to not contaminate the cooked meat with bacteria from the raw.
4. Grill until cooked and slightly charred on the outside, be careful not to burn. Keep the skewers farther from the charcoal until the end, where you can quickly give it a light char.
5. Dip or brush again, or serve with a mix of salt, pepper, shichimi togarashi pepper flakes, and a wedge of lemon.