How To Make Quail Poppers For PERFECT Summer BBQ!

Looking for the kind of appetizer that disappears before you even sit down? These quail poppers are exactly that. Whether you're firing up the smoker for a backyard barbecue or just hosting a weekend hang, this is the move.

Brandon Anderson, GM at Black's BBQ New Braunfels, showed off our house-made poppers at the Lone Star Smokeout, and they stole the show. Here's how to make them at home—and how to make them right.

What You Need:

• Boneless quail breasts (or chicken strips if you can't find quail)
   
• Fresh jalapeños, halved and deseeded
   
• Thin-cut bacon
   
• Your favorite BBQ sauce (or pick up ours from any Black's location or nationwide shipping)
   

How to Build a Poppin' Poppper:

1. Halve and deseed your jalapeños. Removing the seeds takes the heat down, leaving you with just the flavor.
    
2. Place a quail breast (or chicken strip) inside each jalapeño half.
    
3. Wrap it tight with bacon, edge to edge. This locks in moisture and keeps the lean meat from drying out on the pit.
    
4. Secure with a toothpick if needed.
    

On the Pit:

• Set your smoker or grill to 250–275°F.
   
• Cook for 40 minutes, watching for the bacon to crisp and develop a good smoke color.
   
• After 40 minutes, toss in sauce (we mix our house BBQ sauce with pepper sauce and brown sugar).
   
• Return to the pit for 20 more minutes to let that glaze tack up and caramelize.
   

Pro tip: Know your grill's hot spots. If you're using a Traeger, offset, or barrel pit, rotate it as needed to keep the cook time even and avoid burning the bacon.

The Final Bite:

What you get is perfect contrast in every bite—crispy bacon, smoky quail, sweet sauce, and mellow jalapeño. It's not spicy. It's not heavy. It's just balanced, flavorful, and insanely addictive.

These poppers are built for parties. Make a tray of them, and they'll be gone before the brisket ever hits the table.