Insanely Delicious Cornish Game Hens Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is a good brine for Cornish hens? ›

Roast, uncovered, basting frequently with butter for 1 hour (if hen weighs over 1lb 2oz, roast 1 hour and 15 minutes) or until internal temperature on instant read thermometer reaches 180°F when inserted into inner thigh.

The key is giving them a day of rest once out of the brine before cooking. The cornish hens are small and 2 days brine will be too much. over night (approx 8-12 hrs or 1 day I think would be max because after a certain point, the brine will change the chicken's texture and it may taste mushy.

Their flavor is often described as rich and moist with a hint of sweetness. Because they're harvested so young, Cornish hens' meat is exceptionally tender. Their high skin-to-meat ratio makes them remarkably succulent too. Cornish hens are as versatile as conventional chickens, but cook faster and feel more special.

Step 1: Mix together liquid, salt, and sugar (if using) until salt and sugar are fully dissolved. Step 2: Add the protein to the brine, making sure that it is fully submerged. Step 3: Leave the protein in the brine for an hour per pound.

Place hens in a roasting pan, breast sides up. Place 2 thyme sprigs and 1 lemon half in cavity of each hen. Loosen skin from breast, and place remaining thyme and the parsley underneath.

Place in oven and roast for 45 minutes or until meat tested with a digital meat thermometer registers 180 F. Tips: To prevent loss of moisture, let chicken rest for 5 to 8 minutes before carving. To maintain a crispy, crunchy skin, do not tent bird with foil after removal from oven.

An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C). Remove from the oven, cover with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area for 10 minutes before slicing.

Wet brining can affect the texture and flavor of the chicken, so it's generally not recommended to store chicken in a wet brine for longer than 24 hours. Over-brining can result in meat that is too salty and has a mushy texture.

Do you rinse chicken after soaking in brine? ›

Once the chicken is brined, remove it from the solution, rinse off the excess salt, and pat it completely dry, inside and out, with a paper towel. This step is important because it prevents the chicken from steaming in the oven, which results in an unpleasant taste and texture.

The meat is tender and flavorful, and absolutely the best I've ever had! Don't leave the hens in the brine for too long, or the meat will be too salty.

Because of their small size, Cornish hens are perfect as a serving for one person or split in half when served with some delicious sides. I love pairing this easy roasted Cornish hen recipe with my Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Potatoes; Italian Oven Roasted Vegetables; or Brussels sprouts...

A twin pack of slightly larger birds costs $7.55, the N.A.N. article relayed. Cornish hens cost the grower and integrator more to raise. They are slow growing and their feed contains higher protein content throughout the growing cycle.

These Brined Cornish Hens are seriously juicy and delicious! If you've never brined anything before, trying it on smaller birds like these is a great way to start. Have you ever brined anything before? I hadn't, until I was in search of a method to make Cornish hens juicy and delicious.

You should always use a large crystal salt to dry brine - most often this is a high quality kosher salt. Regular table salt has much smaller crystals and it is too easy to over salt or for the salt to fall off your meat.

We recommend using Diamond Crystal kosher salt to brine as it has a clean taste and is free of additives that can change the final flavor. Sugar, although not a must, is a fantastic brining add-in. Sugars add flavor and facilitate browning.

Pat Cornish Hen dry and season liberally with dry brine over a sheet pan with a rack ( juices will come out of the hen because of the dry brine). Dry brine Cornish Hen for 4 hours.