Herbed Cornish Game Hen
Cornish Game Hens are, for lack of a better description, cute, mini-chickens. Being around 2 pounds each, 1 hen will feed two people unless someone is really hungry. Cooks like the size of these birds because they cook up faster, and have incredibly tender meat.Prepare the bird by giving it a quick rinse, and then pat it dry. Sprinkle a little salt into the cavity and rub it in. Fill the cavity with a slice of lemon, a few fresh basil leaves, and a sprig of lavender for a surprise aromatic element.
Ingredients
- 2 Two-pound Cornish hens (approximate weight**)
- 1 ½ tbsp Extra Virgin olive oil
- 1 ½ tbsp bacon grease
- ½ tsp pink salt
- ¼ tsp cracked pepper
- ½ tsp lemon or orange zest
- ¼ tsp thyme
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- 4 medium-sized russet potatoes (cut in half)
- 2 carrots (sliced into four pieces)
- 1 large white onion (chopped)
- ** Ones that are about 1.5 pounds are ideal. Do not go over the 2-pound size for best results.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 450F
- Mix the vegetables with the olive oil so they are fully coated
- Put the bacon grease and all seasonings into a small pan
- Warm
- Once you’ve stuffed the hens, use a pastry brush to cover the hens with the bacon-herb mixture.
- Put the hens in a large casserole dish, surrounded by the vegetables.
- Reduce your oven heat to 400F
- Bake for 1 hour
- Est the meat with a thermometer (it needs to be 165F)
- If the meat is done, but the vegetables need more time, just remove the hens and let them rest, tented with aluminum foil.
- Make sure the hens get 10 minutes of resting before you cut them
- Use your kitchen scissors to cut them in half
Notes
If you wish, make an orange sauce for dipping the meat