Description
Cornish game hens split in half, soaked in an olive oil, soy, Worcestershire and garlic brinerade, grill roasted over indirect heat, then seared crisp over the flames.
Ingredients
Hens
- 2 Cornish game hens
Brinerade
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Instructions
- Split the hens: With kitchen shears or a heavy chef's knife, cut down one side of the backbone, open the hen up, then cut it in half through the middle of the breast.
- Brinerate: Whisk the brinerade ingredients until the sugar dissolves. Put the hen halves in a gallon zip-top bag, pour in the brinerade, squeeze out the air, and seal. Refrigerate for 1 to 4 hours, turning the bag every hour or so.
- Prepare the grill: Preheat the grill with all burners on high for 15 minutes. Brush the grate clean and wipe it with an oiled paper towel. Then turn off all but the two outer burners for indirect high heat.
- Grill roast the hens: Remove the hens from the brinerade and pat dry. Put them skin side down over the unlit burners, close the lid, and cook for 20 minutes. Flip skin side up and cook until the thickest part of the breast reaches 160°F, 5 to 15 minutes more.
- Sear: Move the hens over the lit burners and sear for 2 to 3 minutes per side, until the skin is browned and crisp.
- Rest and serve: Let the hens rest for 10 minutes, then serve half a hen per person.
Notes
Equipment: A grill (I use a Weber Summit 650) and a gallon zip-top bag. See my grill roasted chicken pieces basic technique for more about the technique.
Kitchen shears are the best tool for splitting hens. Aim slightly off-center so you don't have to cut through the keel bone under the breast, and squeeze hard.
Go by temperature, not time - the hens often take longer than recipes say.
Plan on half a hen per person, or a whole hen for big eaters. This makes enough brinerade for 2 hens; for more, double the brinerade and use two bags.
Other brinerades: Try the brinerade from my Thai Butterflied Chicken or my Greek Rotisserie Boneless Leg of Lamb.
Adapted from Cook's Illustrated, "Don't Marinate, Brinerate".
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Brinerate: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 40 minutes