Roasted Cornish Game Hens Recipe
If you’re hosting a smaller Thanksgiving gathering this year or need a special meal to serve at a dinner party, these ultra moist and succulent roasted Cornish game hens are a fantastic option!
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Makes: 4 - 8 servings
Ingredients
Cornish Game Hens
- 4 cornish game hens
- Kosher salt
- Freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 head of garlic
- 8 sprigs thyme
- 2 medium shallots, halved lengthwise
Maple-Herb Glaze
- 1 1/2 sticks (6 oz) salted butter
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh sage leaves
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Prep the hens. First, remove any giblets from the cavity of the cornish game hens and make sure they’re completely defrosted (if using frozen hens). Place them on a large cutting board and pat them very dry with paper towels, inside and out. Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and liberally season all over (front and back and inside) with kosher salt and black pepper (about 2 teaspoons salt per bird) and really rub it into the skin of each bird. Transfer uncovered to the fridge for 8 hours.
- Remove hens from the fridge 1 hour before you plan to cook.
- Make the glaze. Combine the butter, maple syrup, dijon, and herbs in a small saucepan. Simmer over medium-low heat until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes. Stir in the pepper and cool slightly.
- Preheat an oven to 400 F.
- Stuff the hens. Stuff the cavity of each hen with 2-3 cloves of garlic, 1/2 a shallot, and 2 sprigs of thyme. Tuck the wings behind the breasts and use a piece of kitchen twine to truss the legs together. Drizzle with the olive oil and work it into the skin. Place the hens in a roasting pan or braiser.
- Roast and baste the hens. Place the hens in the oven. After the first 25 minutes, baste the hens with the glaze every 5 minutes or so. The hens are done when the thickest part of meat not touching bone registers at 165 F, about 55-65 minutes total cooking. Let the hens rest for 15-20 minutes before serving.
- You can use the drippings to make my foolproof gravy.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.5 henCalories: 517kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 39gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 227mgSodium: 160mgPotassium: 590mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 292IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 53mgIron: 2mg
