4 to 8 servings
YouTube instructional video is at the bottom.
What you’ll need
4- or 5-pounds Cornish hens (4 hens)
Salted butter
Seasonings
Salt
Black pepper
Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning
Chef Paul’s poultry magic
1 yellow onion
Garlic
Fresh or dried thyme
Fresh or dried oregano
Tools you’ll need.
10 by 14-inch roasting pan
Pastry brush
Food processor
Food ties
Large clear plastic bag
Meat thermometer
Preparation of ingredients
Seasonings
Step 1- Chop 1 yellow onion into medium-sized pieces. Press 3 cloves of garlic using a garlic press or you can chop 3 cloves of garlic until minced.
Herbs
Note– If you are using dried thyme or oregano, you can skip this step.
Step 2- Remove the leaves from the stem of the fresh thyme and oregano by gliding your index and thumb down the stems. Once done you should have 1 tablespoon thyme leaves and 3 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves. Chop the thyme and oregano leaves separately until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Onion and garlic marinade
Step 3- In a food processor, add chopped yellow onion, pressed or chopped garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s creole seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon chef Paul’s poultry magic, 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano. If you are using dried thyme and oregano add 2 teaspoons each. Blend for 1 minute and set aside.
Cornish hens
Step 4- Rinse each Cornish hen off with cold water. Pat hens dry with napkins. Remove any contents from each of the hen’s cavities. Trim off any excessive skin with a knife. Most of the excessive skin will be located outside of the hen’s cavity. There also maybe excessive skin at the forward portion of the hen as well. Once done take your finger and carefully lift the skin from the breasts of each hen. You can start from the back part of the breast which is located right above the hens’ cavity.
Marinating the Cornish hens
Step 5- Add the hens and the onion and garlic marinade into a large bowl. You can also add 1 tablespoon hickory liquid smoke as well. Coat the marinade on to each hen. Also make sure you add some of the marinade under the skin of the breast of each hen as well. Add the hens and marinade into a large clear plastic bag. You can also use large storage bags if then hens can fit into the bags. Tie the end of the clear plastic bag and place the bag into an airtight container or bowl that can fit the bag with the hens inside. Place into fridge for 4 hours or overnight.
Final preparation and baking the hens
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Note- Baking times vary depending on the size of the hen, the roasting pan and your oven. Use a meat thermometer to monitor the hen’s internal temperature.
Step 6-Remove each hen individually from the bag. Tie the legs and the wings of the hen toward the hen’s body cavity by taking two food ties and place them underneath the hen’s backbone and wrapping them around the hen’s body cavity and tying them. Picture demonstrations are below.
Step 7- Place the hens into a roasting pan along with all the contents of the marinade. Next pour 1/2 cup water and shake the roasting pan to make everything even. Add 4 or 5 tablespoons cubed salted butter around the roasting pan.
Step 8- Place into a preheated 350-degree oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes. After 30 minutes take a pastry brush and dip it into the pan juices and brush each hen. From there place it back into the oven for 30 minutes.
Turn temperature on your oven up from 350 to 425 degrees.
Step 9- After the 30 minutes is up you should be at the hour mark. Take a pastry brush and dip it into the pan juices and brush each hen. At this point insert a meat thermometer into the hen’s thigh. Internal temp should be 165 degrees. It needs more baking time. Place back into the oven for 15 minutes on 425-degrees.
Step 10- Remove the hens from the oven. Insert a meat thermometer into each of the hen’s thighs. Internal temp should be 180 degrees. Cut the food ties from each hen using kitchen scissors. Over pan with aluminum foil and let cool for 30 minutes before serving.
YouTube instructional video
