Barbecued Game Hen Recipes

GRILLED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• In a large, non-reactive bowl, mix onion, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, white wine, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, pepper, celery salt, and salt. Place Cornish game hens in the bowl, coating evenly with the marinade mixture. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 4 hours.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil grate.
• Cook hens about 1 hour on the prepared grill, brushing occasionally with remaining marinade, until no longer pink and juices run clear.

ROTISSERIE BBQ CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• For a G.E. Countertop Oven with Rotisserie:.
• Combine all the ingredients of the rub. Use on poultry: lightly brush bird with olive oil, then rub spice mixture over and under the skin. Let marinade for up to 12 hours.
• Warning: Do Not reuse leftover rub or marinade after it has been applied to meat or poultry; it may contain harmful bacteria.
• Use a baking twine to secure the bird(s) legs and wings to keep from flopping around as the rotisserie is turning.
• Position a rotisserie fork at the opposite end of the spit from where the point is located and secure into position using the thumbscrews.
• Thread the spit through the bird(s) cavity and secure the fork into the meat of the bird.
• Place the second fork onto the spit and secure into the meat.
• Insert the pointed end of the spit into the rotisserie motor and the other end into the support.
• Place the drip pan in the oven in the lowest position to catch the drippings.
• Turn the timer to the Stay on position (I set mine to 60 minutes then to 30 minutes so I have to check on the birds). Allow to cook for 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• For the mop:.
• Mix all ingredients in a pot, and heat over med/low for 20 minutes.
• Let the mop cool before placing in a sprayer.
• Moisten the birds by spraying the mop onto them about every 20 to 30 minutes during cooking.
• Birds are done when juices run clear and the legs separate from the birds easily.

BBQ'D GAME HEN

Steps:

• Combine onion, apple cider vinegar and barbecue sauce. Set aside.
• Coat hens with oil, dry rub, salt and pepper. Refrigerate overnight.
• Cut aluminum cans in half. Fill cans with onion, vinegar and barbecue sauce mixture. Place the cans on a hot grill, and set the hens on top of the cans. Grill for approximately 1 hour.
• Brush lightly with barbecue sauce after 1 hour of cooking.

BARBECUED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• With a meat pounder or mallet, pound the hens halves to flatten.
• Combine the spices and the herbs, except the parsley. Blend well.
• Rub the hens on both sides with the mixture and place them, skin sides down, on a large baking dish. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes.
• Preheat charcoal grill or oven broiler.
• If charcoal broiling, place the hens, skin sides down, on the grill. When the skins are nicely browned, turn the hens and cook for about 15 minutes, brushing with the oil every 5 minutes. Then turn over onto the skin sides for about 5 minutes, or until done.
• If using the oven broiler, lay the hens in a shallow baking dish. Place the dish about 5 inches from the source of heat. Cook for 10 minutes, brushing the hens with the oil. Turn the pieces and continue broiling for about 10 minutes more. Baste often until cooked through and browned.
• Pour on melted butter if desired. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

STEVE RAICHLEN'S GRILLED GAME HENS

Steps:

• 1. For the marinade, whisk together all the ingredients except the game hens and lemons in a large bowl.
• 2. Rinse, drain, and halve the hens lengthwise; place in the bowl, coating thoroughly with marinade. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 8 hours (the longer, the better), turning occasionally.
• 3. Preheat the grill, using the three-tier method (see note below ). When ready to cook, oil the grill rack. Remove hens from the marinade and arrange skin-side down on the rack over the hottest section of the grill; cook until the skin starts to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Move the hens to the center section of the grill and continue to cook until the skin is thoroughly browned, 7 to 10 minutes more.
• 4. Turn the hens and move them back to the hottest section of the grill. Brown the second side well, 5 to 7 minutes, then move the pieces back to the center section of the grill to finish cooking. The total cooking time will be about 25 to 35 minutes. When ready, the hens will be crisp and golden-brown outside, and the juices will run clear when the meat is pierced. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
• Three-Tier Grilling Method:
• Pile 2/3 of the coals on one side of the grill and the remaining 1/3 in the center. Leave a small portion of the grill free of coals. Three-tier grilling gives you a super-hot heat source for searing, a moderately hot heat source for cooking, and an area to place the food if it starts to burn. You control the heat by moving the food from one area to the other.

GRILLED GAME HENS

Steps:

• Place hens in a large resealable plastic bag. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Pour half into bag; add the hens. Seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade. , Drain and discard marinade from hens. Place hens in a 13x9-in. disposable aluminum pan. Pour reserved marinade over hens; cover pan. , Grill, covered, over medium-hot heat for 35-40 minutes or until a thermometer reads 180° and meat juices run clear, basting frequently. Place hens directly over heat for the last 3-4 minutes of cooking time, turning once.

BARBECUED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Rub Cornish hens with butter; sprinkle salt and pepper inside cavity and over skin. Place on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 30 minutes., Meanwhile, combine the remaining ingredients in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Baste hens with sauce. Bake 45 minutes longer or until juices run clear and a thermometer reads 180°, basting frequently.

GRILLED GAME HEN WITH MOROCCAN SPICES

Steps:

• Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Stir curry powder, coriander, cumin and cayenne in heavy small skillet over medium-low heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add garlic to skillet; mix into spices.
• Using fingertips, loosen skin of game hen pieces. Rub spice paste onto meat under skin. Sprinkle outside of pieces with salt and pepper.
• Place hen pieces on grill. Cover with foil and grill 10 minutes. Uncover; turn pieces over. Cover and continue to grill until golden brown, cooked through and juices run clear when hen is pierced with small knife, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes for breast pieces and 15 minutes for leg-thigh pieces. Serve hot or at room temperature.

BARBECUED VIETNAMESE 5-SPICE CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• For Hens: Halve the hens through the breast. Flatten the breasts with the palm of your hand.
• In a mortar or food processor, pound or mince the garlic, shallots and sugar. Add the salt, pepper, five-spice powder, fish sauce, soy sauce and sherry. Mix thoroughly. Pour the mixture over the hens. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
• Prepare a fire in a barbecue. Let the coals burn down to medium-hot. Set the hens skin-side down on the rack and grill over medium-hot coals for 15 minutes. Turn and grill for 15 minutes longer, or until they are thoroughly cooked and the skin is crisp and browned. Serve with Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce.
• For Dipping Sauce: In a mortar, pound the garlic, chile pepper and sugar into a paste. (Or blend in a food processor or blender.) Transfer the mixture to a bowl and add the fish sauce, lime juice and water; stir to blend. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes, or until ready to serve. Strain into dipping saucers. Yields about 3/4 cup.

GRILLED GAME HENS WITH BLOOD ORANGE AND ROSEMARY

Steps:

• Place game hens in a large bowl; drizzle hens with olive oil and blood orange juice. Sprinkle with chopped rosemary and rosemary sprigs. Add Asian chili paste to hens; season with salt and pepper. Stir chickens in the seasonings and juice to coat. Use your fingers to loosen the skin over the breasts and spread a little of the marinade under the skin.
• Refrigerate with breast sides down for 2 hours to marinate.
• Preheat outdoor grill (preferably charcoal) for medium heat (one layer of coals). Drain chickens and discard marinade.
• Place chickens with breast sides down onto grill and cover with grill lid with the vents open. Cook until breast sides are evenly browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Flip chickens and cook on their backs with cover (vents open) until the juices run clear, hip joints move easily, and meat is no longer pink inside. An instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh reads at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C), 30 to 35 more minutes.
• Close the grill vents on the lid halfway. Flip chickens back onto breasts, close lid, and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes.