Measure the temperature at the thickest part of your Cornish hen for an accurate temperature reading. Simply use a short length of kitchen twine or string to tie the legs together. Mix the dry seasonings together in a small bowl. If you have a frozen Cornish hen, then thaw it over night in the refrigerator before cooking. Even though they are called Cornish Game Hens, they do not have a gamey flavor. Their flavor can be best compared to regular chicken – but even a bit better.
Low and slow is the ideal approach to cooking flavor-dense Cornish hens if you have time. If the Cornish chicken is thick, adjust the timelines to allow thorough cooking, especially with stuffed hens. When baking two Cornish hens, adjust the time to accommodate both and allows even cooking. Once the Cornish hen has reached the desired temperature, remove the heat source and rest for about 10 minutes.
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While they were certainly still delicious, they were a bit drier the second day. Not enough to toss out or not eat it, just not quite as succulent as right out of the oven. It makes sense, it’s such a small bird, its delicate. So, I will be problem solving that for this weekend’s progressive dinner party. Thanks for such a wonderful recipe!
- I also love them with wild rice or sweet potatoes, Brussels sprouts and buttered noodles.
- Use a kitchen torch to toast the skin of the Cornish hens, being careful not to burn it.
- Make sure to sprinkle inside the cavity as well.
- Mix until the garlic is completely pureed into it.
Combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. If you’ve never had these little guys, they taste like chicken just in a smaller single serving size. You can use any recipe you would use for a whole roaster just on a smaller scale. Place hens on rack; roast at 425° for 30 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 160°.
How do you know when a Cornish hen is ready?
A great news is that this roasted Cornish hens recipe doesn’t require basting or messing with the oven in any way. Just put the Cornish hens in the oven, set the timer for 1 hour and then when the timer beeps you’ll take out perfectly crispy browned juicy birds! These “little chickens” are show stopping for a holiday meal or special occasion, but also perfectly fine for a delicious meal any day of the week. This cornish hen recipe uses a double-baste technique that starts with herb laced olive oil and finished with a zesty butter sauce. In this recipe, I’ll show you how to smoke cornish game hens that results in a tender, juicy bite every time. New Cooking Games Fry the bacon in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
These Citrus Marinated Cornish Game Hens are perfect for a special occasion. Cornish game hens are marinated with orange juice and spices, then roasted to a crisp and lovely glaze. The resulting flavor is decadently spiced with a hint of citrus flavor. This is an aromatic and impressive entree, and it’s surprisingly simple to make. Perdue Cornish birds are naturally low in calories and cholesterol and high in protein.