Brined Stuffed Game Hens Recipes

HERB-BRINED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine the salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, sage, garlic, thyme, rosemary and 1 quart water. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir until salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove from the heat. Add the cold water to cool the brine to room temperature., Place a turkey-sized oven roasting bag inside a second roasting bag; add hens. Carefully pour cooled brine into bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible; seal bags and turn to coat. Place in a roasting pan. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours, turning occasionally. Drain and discard brine; pat hens dry., Meanwhile, place the peppercorns and garlic in a food processor; cover and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the butter, 3 tablespoons olive oil and herbs; cover and process until smooth. With fingers, carefully loosen skin from hens; rub half the butter mixture under skin. Secure skin to underside of breast with toothpicks; tie drumsticks together. Rub remaining butter mixture over skin., In a 15x10x1-in. baking pan, toss the Brussels sprouts and onions with remaining olive oil, salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer. Place hens, breast side up, on top of the vegetables. Bake at 450° until thermometer inserted in breast reads 165°, 35-40 minutes. Cover loosely with foil if hens brown too quickly., Remove hens and vegetables to a serving platter; cover and let stand for 10 minutes before carving. If desired, garnish with additional herbs.

BRINED STUFFED GAME HENS

Steps:

• Heat all brine ingredients until simmering then remove from heat.
• After brine has cooled, add two cleaned game hens, then place in refrigerator for at least 12 hours.
• After brining, rinse birds well.
• Sauté butter, onion, celery seed and sage until onion is nearly translucent.
• Stir in breadcrumbs and let cool slightly.
• Stuff the game hens and lay them on their backs in a roasting pan.
• Roast at 350 degrees for one hour or until juice runs clear when hen is pricked.
• If darker skin is desired, cook bird at 500 degrees for final ten minutes.
• Most people can only eat a half of a game bird at a sitting, so you can cut the birds in half before serving.
• NOTE: If you use table salt instead of Kosher salt, USE HALF AS MUCH, as table salt is MUCH saltier, and your bird will be inedible.
• Any kind of heavy bread will do, we use Ezekiel bread in our household, as we are allergic to wheat flour.

ROASTED GAME HENS STUFFED UNDER THE SKIN WITH HERBED RICOTTA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put the ricotta in a fine sieve and drain for 30 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine the drained ricotta, Parmesan, egg yolk, herbs, and lemon zest. Put the garlic cloves through a garlic press and add to the mixture. Combine well, adding the salt and pepper to taste.
• Rinse the game hens and pat them dry. Season the cavities with salt and pepper and place a lemon quarter and an onion quarter in each cavity.
• Loosen the skin on the breasts by sliding your fingers under the skin, being careful not to pierce it. Spoon the ricotta mixture under the skin (about 4 tablespoons of stuffing per bird). Truss the birds.
• Place the birds, breast side up, in a shallow roasting pan. Pour the white wine into the pan. Bake for 1 hour, or until the juices run clear when the hen is pierced in the thickest part of the thigh. Remove from the oven, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let rest 10 minutes. Discard the trussing string and serve with the pan juices spooned over the hens.

CORNISH GAME HENS WITH CORNBREAD STUFFING

Steps:

• In a medium skillet, heat the 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium-low heat. Saute the leeks for 8 to 10 minutes, until softened. Add the apples and cook for 3 minutes more. In a medium bowl combine the leek mixture with the sage, parsley, cornbread and enough broth to moisten. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Stuff the birds with the cornbread mixture and tie the legs of each hen together with kitchen twine. Melt the remaining butter. Brush the birds all over with butter and season with salt and pepper. Put the hens on a rack in a large roasting pan, breast-side up. Roast until an instant read thermometer inserted in the thigh registers 170 degrees F., about 80 minutes. Set the birds aside at room temperature, loosely covered with foil, for 10 minutes before carving. Split the hens in half through the breast with a sharp knife or poultry shears, and keep the stuffing intact. Arrange birds skin-side up, on a platter, garnish with sprigs of herbs and serve.

STUFFED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• In a large skillet or saucepan, saute celery and onion in 2 tablespoons butter until tender. Remove from the heat. Stir in cornbread, bread crumbs, pimientos, broth, egg, poultry seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; mix well. , Stuff each hen with 3/4 cup stuffing. Place extra stuffing in a greased 1-qt. baking dish; refrigerate. Place hens breast side up on a rack in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Cover loosely with foil; bake at 375° for 45 minutes. , Meanwhile, in a saucepan, melt the remaining butter; add garlic, lemon zest, mint and remaining salt and pepper. Brush over hens. Bake 15-30 minutes longer or until a thermometer reads 180° for hens and 165° for stuffing. Bake the extra stuffing, covered, for 30 minutes.

HEATHER'S ROSEMARY CITRUS CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Bring the vegetable broth, 4 1/2 cups of water, the allspice berries, black peppercorns, and kosher salt to a boil in a large pot, stirring to dissolve the salt. Remove the brine from the heat, and set aside to cool. When the brine is cool, place the Cornish hens into the brine and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Remove the game hens from the brine, and pat dry. Discard the brine.
• Place the cut-up grapefruit, orange, lemon, lime, rosemary, and thyme into a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on High for 2 minutes; with tongs, stuff the fruit and herbs into the cavities of the Cornish hens. Slather each hen with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and black pepper. Place the stuffed hens into a roasting dish, breast sides up.
• Roast in the preheated oven until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 1 hour and 45 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). For extra-crispy skin, turn the oven heat up to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C) for the last 15 minutes of cooking. Allow the hens to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

CORNISH GAME HENS WITH RICE STUFFING

Steps:

• Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the almonds, onion, and uncooked wild rice. Saute 5 to 10 minutes. Mix in the water, chicken bouillon cube, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and cook 45 minutes until rice is tender and easily fluffed with a fork.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Season the Cornish game hens inside and out with salt, and stuff with the rice mixture. Place the hens breast side up on a rack in a baking pan. Brush with 1/4 cup melted butter.
• Cover the baking pan, and cook the hens 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Uncover, and continue cooking 1 hour, or until the hens are no longer pink and the juices run clear.

STUFFED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400.
• Season hens inside and out with salt & pepper. Set aside.
• In a small pan, sautee almonds, onions and rice in butter for 5-10 minutes. Stir frequently.
• Add water, boullion, lemon and salt. Bring to a boil to dissolve boullion. Reduce heat, cover and simmer slowly for 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.
• Stir in mushrooms.
• Lightly stuff birds with stuffing.
• Place breast side up in a shallow baking pan. Brush with melted butter and roast uncovered at 400 for 30 minutes.
• Cover and roast an additional hour or until drumstick can be twisted easily in socket.
• Brush with butter during last 15 minutes.
• Serve with white wine.