Cornish Game Hens With Pineapple Pepper Sauce Recipes

ROCK CORNISH GAME HENS WITH PINEAPPLE STUFFING FOR GRILL OR OVEN

Steps:

• Rinse hens and pat dry, removing innards; lightly salt and pepper inside and out.
• Sprinkle pineapple chunks lightly with curry powder and stuff hens.
• Truss hens and close cavity. Tie wings to body and legs to tail.
• GRILL: Balance on spit and secure with holding forks. Grill over medium coals or on rotisserie in gas grill set at medium for 45 minutes to 1 hour, basting occasionally with melted butter mixed with lemon juice.
• OR BAKE: Place bird on rack and bake in 325 dg oven for one hour or until tender, covering with foil if becoming too brown. Baste occasionally with butter/lemon mixture.
• I have been told internal temperature should reach 160 dg., but have not tried this method.

PINEAPPLE GLAZED GAME HENS

Steps:

• For the glaze, cook pineapple juice over medium heat until it has reduced to 2 tablespoons. Stir in 2 tablespoons olive oil and curry powder and cook for 1 minute more. Take off heat and stir in vinegar. Preheat the broiler. Cut the hens in half, using either a cleaver or poultry shears, cutting around and discarding the backbones. Use the palm of your hand to flatten the halves slightly. Brush hens with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the hen halves, skin side down, on a broiler pan and broil for about 5 inches from the heat source for 10 minutes. Brush the hens with the glaze. Turn skin side up and broil for 5 minutes. Brush liberally with glaze and continue to broil for about 5 minutes longer, until the thigh meat juices run clear when pierced with a knife and the skin is nicely browned.

PINEAPPLE-STUFFED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Sprinkle insides of hens with 1/4 teaspoon salt; set aside.
• Drain pineapple, reserving juice.
• In a bowl, combine the pineapple, bread cubes, celery and coconut.
• Add 6 Tablespoons butter; toss to coat.
• Loosely stuff hens; tie legs together with kitchen string.
• Place on a rack in a greased shallow roasting pan.
• Place remaining stuffing in a greased 1-1/2 cup baking dish; cover and set aside.
• Add poultry seasoning and remaining salt to remaining butter.
• Spoon some of the butter mixture over hens.
• Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for 40 minutes, basting twice with butter mixture.
• Stir steak sauce and reserved pineapple juice into remaining butter mixture; baste hens.
• Bake reserved stuffing with hens for 30 minutes; baste hens twice.
• Uncover stuffing; baste hens with remaining butter mixture.
• Bake 15-20 minutes longer or until meat themometer reads 185 degrees for hens and 165 degrees for stuffing in hens.
• Remove hens from pan; keep warm.
• Pour drippings into a saucepan; skim fat.
• Combine cornstarch, brown sugar, water and lemon juice until smooth; add to the drippings.
• Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened.
• Serve sauce with hens and stuffing.

ROAST GAME HENS WITH PINEAPPLE GLAZE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange game hens, breast side up, in 13x9x2-inch metal baking pan. Brush hens with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake uncovered 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, whisk crushed pineapple, maple syrup, lemon juice, mustard and soy sauce in medium saucepan to combine. Baste hens with some of pineapple mixture. Continue roasting until meat thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 180°F, basting occasionally with more pineapple mixture, about 45 minutes.
• Transfer roasted game hens to serving platter. Tent with aluminum foil to keep warm. Scrape pan juices into remaining pineapple mixture. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until pineapple sauce is reduced to 2/3 cup, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle hens with chopped fresh parsley. Serve hens warm, passing pineapple sauce separately.