Glazed Cornish Hens Recipes

CONTEST-WINNING ORANGE-GLAZED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to at 350°. Tie legs of each hen together; turn wing tips under backs. Place on a greased rack in a roasting pan. Brush with butter; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour., Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine the remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until thickened, 15 minutes. Spoon over hens. Bake until a thermometer reads 170°, about 15 minutes longer.

GLAZED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Place hens, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes. , In a small bowl, combine spreadable fruit and orange juice. Spoon some of the apricot mixture over the hens. Bake until golden brown and juices run clear, 30-35 minutes, basting several times with remaining apricot mixture. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

HOISIN-GLAZED CORNISH HEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a very deep pot, bring enough oil to fill the pot by 2/3 of the way. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F.
• Add the hen slowly to the oil and fry for 8 to 10 minutes on each side until golden brown and have reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
• Remove the hen from the oil and drain on a paper towel.
• Whisk together in a large bowl, the hoisin, honey, red pepper flakes, and the scallions. Brush mixture over the cooked hen on both sides and reserve the extra sauce for dipping.
• Place in oven for about 7 minutes. Take out. Flip over and brush reserved hoisin sauce on flipped side. Place in oven for another 7 minutes.

ORANGE-CRANBERRY GLAZED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 475 degrees F. Cut the hens in half with kitchen shears, removing the backbone and cutting through the middle of the breastbone. Divide the onion, oranges and rosemary sprigs between 2 rimmed baking sheets. Arrange the hens skin-side up on the baking sheets and season all over with salt and pepper. Set aside at room temperature, 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the orange juice, cranberries, maple syrup, 1 teaspoon coriander, the chile powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, mashing the cranberries as they start to burst, until the mixture is thickened and reduced to about 3/4 cup, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and season with salt. Set aside.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and add the chopped rosemary, garlic and the remaining 2 teaspoons coriander. Cook 30 seconds, then remove from the heat.
• Pat the hens dry with paper towels, then brush with the flavored butter. Roast the hens until the skin is browned and a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165 degrees F, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and switch to the broiler setting. Brush the hens with the orange-cranberry sauce, then broil, one baking sheet at a time, until glazed and dark brown in spots, 2 to 3 minutes.

GLAZED CORNISH HENS WITH POMEGRANATE-RICE STUFFING

Steps:

• Mix the cinnamon, 4 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl; sprinkle all over the hens and inside the cavities. Place the hens on a rack set on a rimmed baking sheet and refrigerate, uncovered, at least 2 hours or overnight. Meanwhile, soak the grape leaves in water 1 hour.
• Bring the chicken broth and 2 cups water to a boil in a saucepan; add the rice blend and cook as the label directs. Drain and rinse under cold water.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallot, garlic, ginger and cumin and cook, stirring, until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat; add the cooked rice, pomegranate seeds, and chopped parsley and cilantro; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Add the egg yolks and stir to combine.
• Make the glaze: Bring the orange juice and pomegranate molasses to a boil in a small skillet over medium heat. Cook until reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and swirl in the remaining 2 tablespoons butter.
• Fill the cavity of each hen with about 1/2 cup of the rice mixture (reserve the rest); tie the legs together with twine. Roast 20 minutes, then brush with the pomegranate glaze. Continue roasting, glazing every 10 minutes, until a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165 degrees F to 170 degrees F, 1 hour to 1 hour, 10 minutes. (Rotate the hens halfway through cooking; if the skin gets too dark, cover loosely with foil.)
• Meanwhile, drain the grape leaves and pat dry. Use some of the leaves to line a 9-inch pie dish. Fill with the reserved rice mixture and drizzle with 2 tablespoons water. Cover with the remaining grape leaves, shiny side up, then cover with foil. (If you aren't using grape leaves, spoon the rice into a pie dish, sprinkle with water and cover with foil.) After the hens have roasted about 20 minutes, transfer the rice to the oven and cook until heated through, about 45 minutes.
• Transfer the hens to a platter and add some parsley and cilantro sprigs and pomegranate seeds. Peel the grape leaves off the top of the rice and serve alongside the hens.

GLAZED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Place hens, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes.
• In a small bowl, combine spreadable fruit and orange juice. Spoon some of the apricot mixture over the hens.
• Bake 30-35 minutes longer or until golden brown and juices run clear, basting several times with remaining apricot mixture.
• Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

MAPLE-GLAZED CORNISH GAME HENS WITH CARROTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Stir together maple syrup and cumin; season with salt and pepper. Using kitchen twine, tie hen legs together, then tuck wing tips underneath. Place hens on a rimmed baking sheet and rub with 1 teaspoon oil; season with salt and pepper.
• Roast 10 minutes. Remove sheet from oven and add carrots, onion, garlic, and thyme. Toss vegetables with 2 teaspoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast 20 minutes.
• Brush hens with maple mixture. Continue to roast, brushing twice more, until juices run clear when hens are pierced between breast and leg or an instant-read thermometer inserted in thickest part of a thigh (avoiding bone) registers 165 degrees, about 15 minutes. Transfer hens to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes. Meanwhile, toss vegetables with lemon juice. Carve hens and serve with vegetables.

HONEY ORANGE CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place game hen halves with skin sides up into a 9x13-inch roasting pan.
• Roast hens in the preheated oven for 35 minutes.
• Stir orange juice, honey, soy sauce, and vinegar together in a small bowl; brush mixture over hens.
• Roast hens for 5 more minutes and baste again with orange juice mixture. Roast until skin is browned and meat is no longer pink inside, about 10 more minutes.

GLAZED CORNISH GAME HENS WITH APRICOT PISTACHIO DRESSING

Steps:

• Brining the hens before roasting improves their flavor: Dissolve 2 cups of kosher salt in a clean bucket filled with 5 quarts of water. Add prepared hens and soak for 2 hours. Rinse thoroughly; pat dry.
• Adjust oven rack to upper middle position, and heat oven to 450 degrees.
• Heat oil in a large skillet. Saute onions until softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in apricots, then spread mixture onto a large (about 18-by-12-inch) lipped cookie sheet. Lay hens over the mixture. Mix jam and vinegar, and brush all but a few tablespoons over hens.
• Bake hens, brushing 2 or 3 times with remaining jam mixture and accumulated pan juices, until hens are golden brown and juices run clear, about 45 minutes. Turn heat from bake to broil, then cook until hens are spotty brown, watching carefully so they don't burn, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Transfer hens to a large platter with tongs, then cut in half at the breastbone to create individual servings.
• Return apricot dressing to the oven and broil to evaporate some of the excess liquid, about 5 minutes longer. Stir in pistachios and parsley. Spoon in a mound next to hens.

GLAZED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• * A 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pound rock cornish hen should take 1 to 2 days to thaw in the refrigerator. Do not thaw at room temperature.
• Preheat oven to 350°F Rinse Hens inside and outside with cold water, pat dry with paper towels. Place 1 onion wedge and 1 lemon wedge in cavity of each hen. Tuck wings under hens. Tie legs together with cotton string (if you have it). Place hens on meat rack in shallow roasting pan (if no rack crumple aluminum foil and place in roasting pan and sit hens on it). Spread butter evenly over hens; sprinkle with salt if desired. Roast 45 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine orange jam, lemon juice and lemon peel in small bowl. Brush half mixture over hens; roast 15 minutes. Brush hens with remaining mixture; roast 15 minutes more or until hens are glazed, juices run clear when hens are pierced with long handled fork and internal temperature reaches 180°F
• Cut string; discard. Remove onion and lemon wedges from cavities; discard.

SWEET AND SPICY GLAZED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine juice, jerk seasoning and oil. Rinse halved hens and pat dry with paper towels. Put the hens in a zip-top bag and pour in the marinade. Turn hens in the bag to coat evenly. Close the bag and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Remove the hens from the marinade and place in a roasting pan, breast-side up. Pour the remaining marinade over the hens. Roast for 40 to 45 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown.
• Garnish with cilantro.

ORANGE GLAZED CORNISH HEN

Steps:

• Mix olive oil, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, lemon zest and juice, orange zest and juice, garlic, salt, and black pepper together in a large resealable bag. Add hens, seal bag, and coat hens with marinade. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, flipping the bag 1 or 2 times to redistribute marinade.
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Mix orange juice, soy sauce, honey, 1/4 cup Dijon mustard, onion, ginger, and black pepper together in a bowl.
• Remove hens from marinade and transfer to a roasting pan, discarding leftover marinade.
• Roast hens in the preheated oven for 50 minutes. Brush hens with orange glaze and roast for 5 more minutes. Flip hens, brush with more glaze, and roast until meat is no longer pink in the center, about 5 more minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

ASIAN GLAZED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Combine first 7 ingredients in a large heavy duty zip-top plastic bag; add hens. Seal and chill 8 hours.
• Remove hens from marinade, reserving marinade. Tie ends of legs together, if desired, and place on a lightly greased rack in a roasting pan. bring marinade to a boil in a small saucepan, remove from heat.
• Bake hens at 400º for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until hens are done, basting occasionally with marinade. Cover hens loosely with aluminum foil after 1 hour to prevent browning, if necessary.
• Remove hens from oven, and cover with foil; let stand 5 minutes.

APRICOT-GLAZED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a cookie sheet generously with cooking spray.
• Combine apricot preserves, Sriracha, Worcestershire, and butter in a small pot and melt over medium heat. Stir constantly to prevent from sticking.
• Clean hens and pat dry with paper towels. Coat outsides and insides with oil. Season with mango-habanero seasoning; insert sprigs of basil inside of the hens.
• Place hens on the prepared cookie sheet and cover with foil.
• Cook in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove foil and baste with apricot glaze. Put back in the oven and cook until no longer pink in the centers, about 15 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

GLAZED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Combine 1/4 cup of jelly and cinnamon in a small sauce pan.
• Heat and stir until melted; set aside.
• Place hen halves, skin side up on a rack in a shallow roasting pan; sprinkle with salt.
• Roast in 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.
• Brush with the jelly/cinnamon mixture.
• Roast for 20 to 30 minutes longer or until browned and tender.
• While hens are roasting, cook rice and contents according to the package directions.
• Stir in 2 tablespoons apple jelly, grapes and celery.
• Sprinkle cashews over rice and serve with the hens.

MAHOGANY-GLAZED CORNISH HEN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°. Place hen in a greased shallow roasting pan, skin side up. Combine butter, ginger and orange zest; rub under skin., In a small bowl, whisk preserves, vinegar, soy sauce and mustard. Reserve half of the mixture for basting. Spoon remaining mixture over hen; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour 1/2 cup chicken broth into pan., Roast 20-25 minutes or until a thermometer inserted in thigh reads 180°, adding broth to pan as necessary and basting with remaining glaze halfway through cooking. Serve with pan juices.

CORNISH HENS WITH SWEET VERMOUTH GARLIC GLAZE

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450°F. Pat hens dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast, cut sides down, in a large heavy shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) until just cooked through, about 30 minutes.
• While hens roast, simmer vermouth, garlic, thyme, and 1/2 cup water, uncovered, in a 2-quart heavy saucepan until garlic is soft, about 15 minutes. Discard thyme. Mash garlic into sauce with a fork and simmer until reduced to a glaze (about 3 tablespoons). Brush glaze onto hens and roast 5 minutes more. Pour remaining 1/2 cup water into saucepan, swirling to dissolve any remaining glaze, and reserve.
• Transfer hens to a serving dish and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 5 minutes. Straddle baking pan over 2 burners, then add reserved liquid from saucepan and deglaze baking pan by boiling over moderate heat, scraping up brown bits, until reduced slightly. Season pan juices with salt and pepper and pour over hens.

GLAZED STUFFED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the croutons, water and butter. Loosely stuff into hens. Place breast side up on a rack in a shallow roasting pan; tie drumsticks together., In a small saucepan, combine the glaze ingredients. Bring to a boil. Spoon half over hens. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 1-1/2 hours or until a thermometer reads 180° for hens and 165° for stuffing, basting occasionally with remaining glaze.

GLAZED CORNISH HENS WITH PECAN-RICE STUFFING

Steps:

• Tuck wings under hens; tie drumsticks together. Rub skin with butter; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place hens breast side up in a shallow roasting pan., Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 1 hour. Meanwhile, place apple juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook until reduced by half. Remove from heat. Stir in honey and mustard. Set aside 1/2 cup for serving., Brush hens with apple mixture. Bake, basting occasionally with pan drippings, until a thermometer reads 180°, 25-35 minutes longer. Cover hens loosely with foil if they brown too quickly., For pecan rice, heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add rice, cumin and curry; cook and stir until rice is lightly browned, 2-3 minutes. Stir in broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until rice is tender, 15-20 minutes. Stir in pecans, onions and raisins., Cover hens; let stand 10 minutes before serving. Serve with rice and reserved sauce.

STUFFED CORNISH GAME HENS WITH CRANBERRY GLAZE

Steps:

• Prepare the glaze: Combine cranberries and wine in saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
• Stir in honey and continue to simmer 2 minutes.
• Strain glaze, stir in oil and set aside.
• Prepare the game hens and stuffing: Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat, add onion, celery and cranberries.
• Saute for 3 minutes.
• Add sauteed mixture to the French bread cubes.
• Let cool.
• Stir in chicken broth, parsley, sage, thyme, 1/4 Tsp.
• salt and 1/8 Tsp.
• pepper.
• Stuff game hens with the stuffing and tie drumsticks together with kitchen string.
• Place hens in a roasting pan.
• Brush some of glaze over each game hen and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.
• Place in a preheated 450 degree oven for 20 minutes.
• Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue roasting for 45 minutes longer.
• Baste hens with glaze and sprinkle with salt and pepper (salt& pepper is optional, I didn't do it) twice more during the cooking time.
• Remove hens from oven and let rest 5 minutes.
• Cut strings and serve.