Abstract: Using Shiqi squab, a renowned local specialty from Zhongshan, Guangdong Province, as the raw material, the effects of different marination conditions (the tumbling/static marination periods were set at 0/60, 15/45, 30/30, 45/15, and 60/0 min, in that order) on marinating characteristics, cooking loss of squabs, and quality (moisture content and distribution, color, fiber characteristics, texture profile and shear force value, aroma and sensory scores) of cantonese-style braised squab were investigated. The results showed that: with tumbling time prolonging and static marination time shortening, both marination absorption and NaCl content of squab meat increased significantly (P<0.05); cooking loss of squabs decreased first and then increased, whereas the water content increased first and then decreased; the proportions of bound water, immobilized water and free water in braised squab showed different changing trends, but all of them reached extreme values at tumbling/static marination time of 30/30 mins (G30+J30); diameter of squab muscle fibers decreased significantly (P<0.05), while the density of muscle fibers reached the maximum in G30+J30 sample and then the deformation of muscle fibers increased and arrangement tended to be loose; hardness, elasticity, chewiness and shear force value of braised squab meat decreased significantly (P<0.05); electronic nose analysis result exhibited that the difference in overall odor profiles of different treatment samples was not significant (P>0.05). Quality of cantonese-style braised squab was improved significantly by marination treatment, with the G30+J30 treatment achieving the highest sensory scores and best overall quality.