Cornish game hens

B

bbqjoe

Guest
I am thinking about doing something with cornish game hens for friday nights special.
I have never ordered or been in a restaurant that served them.

I'm Looking for ideas on prep as well as presentration. Obviously, I'm sure they will be taking a ride on the carousel. (Smoker)

Whatcha got guys?
 
They're just little chickens. Treat them that way.

I once had them in a restaurant that served them butterflied on top of a bed of sausage/corn bread stuffing with garlic mashed potatoes, steamed green beans with candied almonds, corn and cranberry sauce. It was billed like a mini-thanksgiving dinner and very good.
 
Joe, I butterfly them and remove the backbone completly. Season with salt and pepper, throw them into the smoker at 275-300 degrees.
I have a honey-mustard-curry sauce I use to finish them with.
I will post the recipe if you are interested.
 
I inject mine with a sweet wine, the cheaper the better, I smoke them with cherry wood, I think the sweeter wood compilments the wine in the bird well. I dont sauce mine I like the natural flavor of the bird to come through. I've done them whole and butterflied I think they look better on the plate whole, kind of like a thanksgiving feast shrunk down on my plate. Rock game hens are good also a little bigger means more meat.
 
I know this is blasphemy.....I cook em in a big toaster over that has a rotiserie...i have a little pan in the bottom for a few wood chips and then to catch the drippings...just butter them up well, shove some garlic, onion, celery and parsley in their backside and rotate for a couple of hours.
 
I've seasoned them up and cooked them in a turkey fryer.
 
chad said:
I've seasoned them up and cooked them in a turkey fryer.
Click to expand...

Chad, how long aprox. do you cook the cornish hens in the deep fryer? We have done reg fryers but haven't tried the little guys in the turkey fryer.

Joe, maybe you could make a "reverse meal" Fry the bird whole, smoke the french fries.
 
qman said:
Chad, how long aprox. do you cook the cornish hens in the deep fryer? We have done reg fryers but haven't tried the little guys in the turkey fryer.

Joe, maybe you could make a "reverse meal" Fry the bird whole, smoke the french fries.
Click to expand...

I used the 26qt. turkey fryer - I did 3 or 4 at a time. They actually take longer than you'd expect...I don't remember the timing exactly but I think I started checking internal temps at 7 minutes or so.

I injected them like I do turkey and seasoned under the skin.
 
BrooklynQ said:
Smoked french fries - would they be crispy?
Click to expand...

I have not actually done that, but I think I would smoke them a while, then allow to cool, then dunk in the fry-o-layter for a minute or so- sort of like the two-step frying method.
 
Smokey fries?????
JFC! Don't this group beat all!!!
The most creative bunch of people anywhere.
I'm gonna give a whack. I'll let you know how they come out.
 
Not to be a spoil sport, but wouldn't seasoning the fries with smoked salt serve the purpose? And to stay on topic, I don't know chit about those cryovacced pigeons.
 
Kevin said:
Not to be a spoil sport, but wouldn't seasoning the fries with smoked salt serve the purpose? And to stay on topic, I don't know chit about those cryovacced pigeons.
Click to expand...

Probably, Kevin, but then we could not brag about them being authentic BBq, cooked low-and-slow. And you can't drink many beers while sprinkling seasoned salt:-D
 
bbqjoe said:
Smokey fries?????
JFC! Don't this group beat all!!!
The most creative bunch of people anywhere.
I'm gonna give a whack. I'll let you know how they come out.
Click to expand...


LMAO! I bet the porous potato flesh absorbs a TON of smoke and I'll bet the best way to do them would be a combination of frying and smoking.

Let us know!
 
Since there's precious little meat to begin with, how about a potato-based stuffing instead. Maybe, then, one would make a decent meal. I've done it with turkey, chicken and and duck with good results.
 
Scrapping the Game hen idea.
Going to do smoked BBQ meatloaf instead.
 
bbqjoe said:
Scrapping the Game hen idea.
Going to do smoked BBQ meatloaf instead.
Click to expand...

Hey Joe, you like garlic, try the Sriracha meatloaf. Good stuff I tells ya. If nothing else, make one loaf for yourself to sample.
 
bbqjoe said:
Scrapping the Game hen idea.
Going to do smoked BBQ meatloaf instead.
Click to expand...

HUH?

Cornish Chickies are great!
We have done them in a Dutch Oven--wonderful.:lol:
I smoke them, whole and butterflied--wonderful.:lol:

We went to a "Medieval" theme place in Orlando a few years ago. The ones with real jousting and all of that. Cornish for the meat dish--wonderful.:lol:

They cook up so easy and are moist and tasty.

Large ones halved or small ones whole with rice and veggies (smoked asparagus works great) would be on the top of my list to buy if offered!

But, meatloaf might work also :redface:

Your "nickel" for sure.

TIM
 
I like to butterfly them, then smoke 'em at about 300 for 45mins to an hour. Being a South Carolina boy, I like to marinate them and finish them in a Carolina Mustard sauce.
 
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