Description
Simple, juicy rotisserie Cornish game hens, salted overnight and spit-roasted at high heat - the "little chickens" of my youth.
Ingredients
- 4 Cornish game hens, 1 to 2 pounds each (mine were about 1 1/2 pounds each)
- 6 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt (1 1/2 teaspoons per hen)
- 1 cup homemade chicken stock (optional, for the pan sauce)
Instructions
- Pre-salt the hens: One day before cooking, rinse and dry the hens. Carefully run your finger under the skin on the breast to loosen it. Sprinkle each bird all over with 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt - some inside the cavity, some under the loosened breast skin, and the rest on the outside, concentrating on the thick part of the breasts and the legs. Put the hens in a pan with a little space around them, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.
- Truss and spit the hens: One hour before cooking, take the hens out of the refrigerator. Truss the hens and put them on the spit in two sets of two - the first bird feet first, then the second bird breast first, so the necks of the two hens are touching. Secure each pair with a set of spit forks. Let sit at room temperature while you prepare the grill.
- Prepare the grill: Set up your grill for rotisserie cooking at high heat. On my Weber Summit, that means turning the two outer burners and the infrared rotisserie burner to high, with the drip pans in the middle, over the unlit burners.
- Cook the hens: Put the spit on the grill, put the drip pans under the hens, and start the spit spinning. Cook with the lid closed for 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the size of the hens (35 minutes for my 1 1/2 pound hens). Check the temperature after 20 minutes, and every 10 minutes after that - you want 160°F to 165°F in the breast, and 170°F to 180°F in the thigh. Remove the spit from the grill (wear gloves!), and remove the hens from the spit. Cover with foil, and let rest for 15 minutes.
- Make a pan sauce (optional): If the drippings aren't burnt, skim off the fat and scrape the drippings into a small saucepan. Add 1 cup of chicken stock and bring to a simmer, adding any juices from the resting and carving. Simmer until slightly thickened, then season with salt and pepper. (If the drippings are burnt or sooty, skip them and just reduce some stock with the carving juices.)
- Carve and serve: Cut the hens in half with a chef's knife - split along the backbone through the cavity, then turn the hen over and split through the breast. Half a hen is a good serving for an adult; one hen for a big eater.
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
Equipment: A grill with a rotisserie attachment (I use a Weber Summit 650 with an infrared rotisserie burner) and 2 aluminum foil drip pans. Four sets of spit forks help. See my rotisserie poultry overview for trussing and setup details.
Brine instead of salting: If you don't have time for the overnight salting, use a wet brine instead - see my Brined and Herb Rubbed Cornish Game Hens recipe.
Herbs: Slip a small piece of thyme under the breast skin, as in the Zuni Cafe Cookbook.
Spice rub: Use your favorite spice rub instead of just salt, getting it under the breast skin and in the cavity.
Marinade: Skip the salting and use your favorite marinade. Steven Raichlen recommends an herb, mustard and lemon marinade in How to Grill.
Watch your hands with the hot spit! Use oven mitts or (preferably) welding gloves.
Fresh hens are best, but frozen hens work - thaw them in the refrigerator before the salting step.
Are Cornish game hens really a game bird? No, they're just a young chicken.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Dry brine: 24 hours
- Cook Time: 45 minutes