Smoking cornish game hens

I highly recommend using the brine ingredients in this smoked chicken brine and letting the hens soak for 24 hours. No fancy ingredients required!

Simply use a mix of the following spices that you probably already have on hand:. See recipe card for more details on resting. Soaking the hens in a brine helps keep the bird moist and juicy! Breast side down is often recommended, so the juices naturally rest in the breast meat as it cooks. However, breast side up is also perfectly fine and still results in a juicy bird! Pecan, apple or cherry are the best choice for smoking cornish hens or chicken.

Marinate hens in smoked chicken brine for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator, 24 hours preferred in a large bowl or pot, I used my 8 Qt. Instant Pot , pot covered with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Once hens have soaked, remove birds and pat dry with a paper towel, and let sit at room temperature for minutes so it will cook evenly and not dry out while smoking.

Discard brine. Once smoker has preheated, place hens directly on the smoking rack and close lid, smoking for 1. After 1. This will help give it a crispier skin. See final cooking steps below.

Cornish hens are ready to serve! If desired, garnish with a small handful of fresh herb sprigs like parsley! Anything you would like! For this batch of grilled Cornish hens, I mixed it up a bit and used:. You can, but I typically do not. As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Nutrition data provided here is only an estimate. If you are tracking these things for medical purposes please consult an outside, trusted source. My Traeger doesn't have a fire door. When I use my Camp Chef, I typically cook with it closed unless I'm doing something like burgers or hot dogs or trying to crisp up chicken skin.

Jump to Recipe. Continue to Content. Cornish game hens are not actually specifically female birds. They are either female or male broiler chickens. Broiler chickens are bred specifically for their meat. They reach slaughter weight at a younger age and have more of that delicious meat than other types of chickens. Once they make their way to the butcher, they weigh in at less than two pounds and they have developed relatively large breasts in just a short period of time. You only need a few simple ingredients to get some killer smoked Cornish game hens off your Traeger.

The Cornish hens are rubbed with a simple dry rub and stuffed with citrus and garlic to help infuse some flavors into the meat. In a small bowl, combine the garlic powder, salt, and pepper and mix thoroughly. Rub olive oil on the Cornish game hens. Be sure olive oil coats every crevice of the bird. Sprinkle the dry rub over the Cornish game hens, including inside the cavity as well.

Smash the garlic cloves just enough to break them open, they should remain mostly intact. Stuff the smashed garlic cloves in the cavity of the Cornish game hens along with the lemon slices. This will help to infuse flavors into the meat from inside the cavity as well.

Cover the birds and allow them to rest in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours. The longer that you can leave them in the fridge, the more the flavors will infuse into the meat. I love this trusty Traeger Pro Once the smoker is up to temperature, place the hens on the grill. Smoke them for 45 to 60 minutes. Remove the smoked Cornish game hens from the Traeger. Cover the birds with foil and allow them to rest for 10 minutes. These can be served whole as an entire bird for each person, which makes for a fun family dinner!

SmokedBBQSource is supported by its readers. We may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you i f you buy through a link on this page. Learn more. Cornish game hens are a quick and easy meal that will make any dinner time seem like a special occasion. These little birds take on a whole new flavor profile when prepared in a smoker, and are a nice change up to chicken or holiday turkey. Cornish game hens are essentially small, mature chickens. Their quick maturity results in a heartier flavor with large breasts and fatty skin, giving the cornish game hens a juicy texture that can be lacking in bigger chickens.

Cornish game hens must weigh between one and two pounds, and must be slaughtered before five weeks of age. They can be male or female. The grocery butcher may be able to source these for you as well. Using your finger, gently pull the skin away from the breast being careful not to tear it. Put a tablespoon of butter between the skin and the meat of each bird, placing half a teaspoon on each breast side.

If you have any herbs leftover, go ahead and put them in the main cavity of the bird for added aromatics during cooking. Sprinkle each bird with rub to coat, cover in plastic and place in the refrigerator for one hour. Cornish game hens cook relatively quickly, so you want to keep an eye on internal temperature. I check the thigh meat and deep in the breast meat as well.