Smoked Cornish Hens
Editor’s note: Great minds think alike. This morning, our newest writer Scott Phillips gave us his take on taming the little birds. Now here’s veteran writer Todd Johns’ take.
Tired of the same old chicken thighs and skinless chicken breasts? Cornish Hens are wonderful change of pace. Cornish Hens are a quick cook, take on marinades easily and are extremely tender. As individual servings they make a great presentation.
Cornish Hens aren’t necessarily female as the name implies. They can also be known as Cornish Game Hens or Rock Cornish Hens. They were created in the 1950’s as a single serving chicken. They are the result of the cross breeding of multiple poultry varieties.
To prepare, simply treat them as you would any piece chicken you plan to grill or barbeque. Use rubs, marinades, injections, stuffings, etc. You could even do a modified beer can chicken with one of these. Instead of beer, use an 8 ounce soda can like Sprite or 7up.
Unless you do the “pop can chicken”, a truss of some sort is recommended. As you can see from the picture, I used toothpicks to keep the wings against the breast. A piece of butcher’s twine will keep the legs together, however I used a piece of aluminum wire as this was all I had in the kitchen at the time. Trussing the bird will keep it from drying out, and the bird will present better on the plate, too.
The next time you are looking for something new to grill, try a Cornish hen. Best little bird you’ll ever have. Enjoy!!!
