Thai Grilled Cornish Hens Recipes

THAI GRILLED CHICKEN: SMOKED SOY-HONEY-RUM CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Put all of the ingredients, except the hens, in an 8-quart stockpot; stir to dissolve the salt and the honey.
• Put the Cornish game hens in the brine making sure the birds are fully submerged.
• Refrigerate 12-24 hours.
• Remove the birds from the brine and pat them dry with paper towel. Discard the brine.
• Tie the legs of each bird together. Smoke them using your favorite method and equipment, following the manufacturer's instructions. See post for tips.

THAI GRILLED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• 1. For the Hens: Working with 1 hen at a time, place hens breast side down on cutting board and use kitchen shears to cut through bones on either side of backbones; discard backbones. Flip hens and press on breastbones to flatten. Trim any excess fat and skin.
• 2. Pulse cilantro leaves and stems, garlic, sugar, pepper, coriander, and salt in food processor until finely chopped, 10 to 15 pulses; transfer to small bowl. Add fish sauce and stir until marinade has consistency of loose paste.
• 3. Rub hens all over with marinade. Transfer hens and any excess marinade to 1-gallon zipper-lock bag and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours, flipping bag halfway through marinating.
• 5B. FOR A GAS GRILL: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn off other burner(s). Adjust primary burner (or, if using three-burner grill, primary burner and second burner) as needed to maintain grill temperature between 400 and 450 degrees. 6. Clean and oil cooking grate. Remove hens from bag, leaving any marinade that sticks to hens in place. Tuck wingtips behind backs and turn legs so drumsticks face inward toward breasts. Place hens, skin side up, on cooler side of grill (if using charcoal, arrange hens so that legs and thighs are facing coals). Cover and cook until skin is browned and breasts register 145 to 150 degrees, 30 to 35 minutes, rotating hens halfway through cooking. 7. Using tongs, carefully flip hens skin side down and move to hotter side of grill. Cover and cook until skin is crisp, deeply browned, and charred in spots and breasts register 160 degrees, 3 to 5 minutes, being careful to avoid burning. 8. Transfer hens, skin side up, to cutting board; tent with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 minutes. Slice each hen in half or into 4 pieces and serve, passing dipping sauce separately.

GRILLED CURRY CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat grill to 500 degrees F. Place a brick, wrapped in aluminum foil onto the grates of the grill to heat.
• Place the vegetable oil into a 1-quart saucepan and place over high heat. Heat until you see ripples in the in the oil, but do not allow to smoke. Add the fennel, cumin, coriander, mustard seed and paprika. When the seeds begin to pop, remove from the heat and allow to sit for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, transfer the mixture to the carafe of a blender along with the almonds and salt. Pulse until pureed, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender, if necessary.
• Place the hen breast side down on a cutting board. Using scissors or poultry shears, cut from the neck to the tailbone to remove the backbone. Once you remove the backbone you will be able to see the inside of the bird. Make a small slit in the cartilage at the base of the breastbone to reveal the keel bone. Grab the bird with both hands on the ribs and open up like a book, facing down towards the cutting board. Remove the keel bone. Cut small slits in the skin of the bird behind the legs and tuck the drumsticks into them in order to hold them in place. Place the birds into a baking dish and pour over the puree. Rub the puree onto the birds until thoroughly coated.
• Place the birds onto the middle of the grill, skin side down and cover evenly with the brick. Close the lid and cook for 10 minutes. If using a gas grill with multiple zones, decrease the middle flame to low. After 10 minutes, turn the birds over, replace the brick and continue to cook until a thermometer inserted into the thigh reaches 170 degrees F, approximately 8 to 10 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack and allow the bird to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

TUSCAN GRILLED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Sprinkle the Cornish hens with 1 teaspoon salt on each side.
• Combine the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a ceramic or glass dish just large enough to hold the flattened hens. Add the hens, and turn to coat. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight, turning once or twice.
• When ready to grill, prepare a hot charcoal fire on one side of a grill (or turn a gas grill on low heat). Spread 1/4 of the coals across the other side of the grill. Place the hens on the cooler side skin-side up and weigh them down with a gratin dish with a foil-wrapped brick inside.
• Cook for 12 minutes, until the underside is golden brown. Turn the hens skin-side down, weigh them down again, and cook for another 12 minutes until the skin is golden brown and the hens are cooked through.
• Place the lemon halves on the cool side of the grill, cut-side down, for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Remove the Cornish hens and lemons to a plate or cutting board, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Cut the hens in half, sprinkle with fleur de sel, and serve with the grilled lemon halves.

GRILLED CORNISH GAME HENS WITH JAMAICAN BASTING SAUCE

Steps:

• Basting sauce instructions; In a small bowl, stir together ginger, onions, garlic, orange zest and juice, lime zest and juice, sugar, soy sauce, salt and pepper, cinnamon, and cloves; add the oil. Mix wel and then let stand 10 minutes (or cover and refrigerate up to 2 days).
• About 10 minutes ahead, preheat gas grill or about 1/2 hour ahead, light charcoal briquettes.
• Use poultry shears to or knife to cut hens in half, cutting through the breast and backbones.
• Grill hens, covered over low to medium heat until golden brown, turning as needed to prevent burning; Basting with sauce during grilling; reduce temperature or transfer hens away from direct heat and finish cooking with indirect heat; Grill until no longer pink at the bone, about 40 to 45 minutes (stop basting at least 10 minutes before cooking time is up to avoid contaminating cooked chicken with raw chicken juices). Discard leftover basting sauce.
• To use sauce as marinade; arrange hens in dish, cover with sauce, cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours, Grill as directed.

GRILLED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the butter, onions, parsley, ginger, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. , Rub mixture under the skin and over the top of each game hen. Sprinkle remaining salt and pepper inside the hen cavities. , Using long-handled tongs, moisten a paper towel with cooking oil and lightly coat the grill rack. Prepare grill for indirect heat, using a drip pan. , Place hens breast side up over drip pan; grill, covered, over indirect medium heat for 45-60 minutes or until a thermometer reads 180° and the meat juices run clear.

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.

GRILLED CORNISH HENS WITH MARJORAM AND GARLIC

Steps:

• Split the hens down the back. Wipe them dry with paper towels and squeeze the juice of one of the lemons over the hens. Sprinkle them with oil and pepper and marinate for two hours or overnight.
• Preheat coals.
• Meanwhile, bring the hens to room temperature if they have been refrigerated overnight. Simmer the garlic in water to cover for 20 minutes or until tender.
• Mash the garlic into a puree with a fork. Chop the marjoram and add, with the juice of the remaining lemon, to puree. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
• Season the hens to taste with salt and grill until cooked. Cool slightly and spread with the garlic puree. Serve hot or cold.

THAI-CURRIED GAME HENS

Steps:

• heat 1 T oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. add curry paste and tomato paste and stir until fragrant, about 3 minutes. add coconut milk, broth, mushrooms, kaffir limes leaves, fish sauce, and brown sugar; bring to simmer. remove from heat. add cherry tomatoes. season sauce with salt and pepper.
• preheat oven to 350 degrees F. heat 2 T oil in large nonstick skiller over high heat. sprinkle hens with salt and pepper. add hens to skiller and cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side. transfer hens to 13x9 inch pyrex. pour sauce over. bake uncovered until hens are cooked through, about 35 minute transfer hens to shallow serving bowl; tent with foil. skim fat from sauce. pour sauce over hens. garnich with basil and chilies, if desired.

GRILLED CORNISH HENS WITH COCONUT CURRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Cook shallots in oil in a wide 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Add curry paste and cook, mashing paste to combine with oil and stirring constantly, 3 minutes (paste will begin sticking to bottom of pot). Add coconut milk, brown sugar, and salt and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 3 cups, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat, then stir in fish sauce and cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes. Reserve 1 1/2 cups curry sauce (for serving) in a bowl and chill, covered.
• Trim and discard any excess fat from hens (to prevent flare-ups on grill), then rinse and pat dry. Coat hens well with remaining curry sauce in a large bowl, then divide hens between 2 large sealable plastic bags and seal bags, pressing out excess air. Marinate hens, chilled, at least 12 and up to 24 hours.
• Let hens stand at room temperature 30 minutes before grilling.
• Prepare grill for cooking over medium-hot charcoal (moderate heat for gas). (If using a charcoal grill, open vents on bottom of grill, then light charcoal. When Charcoal turns grayish white (about 15 minutes from lighting), hold your hand 5 inches above grill rack to determine heat for charcoal as follows: Hot: When you can hold your hand there for 1 to 2 seconds; Medium-hot: 3 to 4 seconds; Low: 5 to 6 seconds. If using a gas grill, preheat burners on high, covered, 10 minutes, then, if necessary, reduce to heat specified in recipe.)
• Remove hens from marinade, shaking off excess, and transfer to a large platter. Discard marinade. Season hens with salt, then grill, starting with skin sides down, covered only if using a gas grill, on lightly oiled grill rack, turning occasionally to prevent overbrowning, until cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes total.
• Heat reserved curry sauce in a small saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until hot. Serve hens with curry sauce.