Master Recipe
Grill-Roasted Cornish Hens (Master Recipe)
NOTE: Most supermarket game hens have very little flavor and
really benefit from brining. Mix 4 quarts water with 3/4 cup kosher salt
or 1/2
cup table salt and refrigerate the birds in this mixture for 6 to 8
hours. Drain and rinse turkey recipe for details and omit the salt in step 2
below. Either of the chicken flavor variations may be adapted to
the hens as long as you divide the flavoring mixture evenly between
the two birds. Serves four.
2 3-inch wood chunks or 2 cups wood chips and heavy-duty aluminum foil
2 Cornish game hens (about 3 pounds total), giblets discarded, hens rinsed and patted dry with paper towels, skin pricked (see figure 29), legs tied (see figure 30), and wings tucked (see figure 31)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Salt and ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Soak wood chunks in cold water to cover for 1 hour and drain, or place wood chips on 18-inch square of aluminum foil, seal to make packet, and use fork to create about six holes to allow smoke to escape (see figures 5 and 6).
2. Brush hens, including cavity, with butter, and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Meanwhile, fill chimney with charcoal briquettes and light. Transfer hot coals from chimney to one side of kettle grill, piling them up in a mound three briquettes high. Keep bottom vents halfway open. When coals are covered with light gray ash, lay wood chunks or packet with chips on top of charcoal. Put cooking grate in place, open grill lid vents halfway and place lid on grill, turning lid so that vents are opposite wood chunks or chips to draw smoke through grill. Let grate heat for 5 minutes, clean with wire brush, and position hens, breast side down, on grate opposite fire. (Initial temperature will be about 375 degrees.) Grill-roast hens, covered, for about 30 minutes.
4. Using heavy-duty tongs, remove hens from grill and place them in large roasting pan. Working as quickly as possible, remove grill rack, push foil packet aside, if using, add 12 more briquettes, stir them into pile, return foil packet, if using, and place grill rack back in position. Return hens, breast side up, to grill so that sides of hens that were facing away from fire are now facing coals. Quickly replace lid and continue grill-roasting until instant-read thermometer inserted into thigh registers between 165 and 170 degrees, about 30 minutes longer. Remove hens from grill, let rest for 10 minutes, carve, and serve.
VARIATION:
Grill-Roasted Cornish Hens on a Gas Grill
Follow Grill-Roasted Cornish Hens Master Recipe, making the following changes: Place foil tray with soaked wood chips (see figures 7 through 10) of primary burner (see figure 11). Turn all burners to high and preheat with lid down until chips are smoking heavily, about 20 minutes. Leave primary burner on high and turn off other burner. (If using grill with three burners, turn off middle burner and turn others to medium.) Grill-roast, turning as directed, for 40 to 50 minutes. (Temperature inside grill should be 350 to 375 degrees; adjust lit burner as necessary.)