Best 5 Alton Browns Spatchcocked Game Hen Recipes

CORNISH GAME HEN WITH BACON AND ONIONS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Wrap a brick in aluminum foil and place into the oven to heat.
• Place the game hen breast side down on a cutting board. Using scissors or poultry shears, cut from the neck to the tailbone to remove the backbone. Once you remove the backbone you will be able to see the inside of the bird. Make a small slit in the cartilage at the base of the breastbone to reveal the keel bone. Grab the bird with both hands on the ribs and open up like a book, facing down towards the cutting board. Remove the keel bone. Cut small slits in the skin of the bird behind the legs and tuck the drumsticks into them in order to hold them in place. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Fry the bacon in a 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat. Once crisp, remove the bacon from the skillet and reserve. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan. Immediately add the two birds to the pan, skin side down. Add the onions to the pan around the edges. Top the birds with the brick and allow to remain on the heat for 5 minutes. Place the pan into the oven and cook 10 to 15 minutes or until the thigh meat reaches 170 degrees F. Remove from the oven and allow the bird to rest for 5 minutes before serving with the onions and bacon.

CORNISH GAME HEN: SPATCHCOCK HEN

Steps:

• Heat a panini press on high.
• Place the game hen, breast-side down, on a cutting board. Using kitchen shears, cut from the neck to the tailbone to remove the backbone. Once you remove the backbone you will be able to see the inside of the bird. Make a small slit in the cartilage at the base of the breastbone to reveal the keel bone. Grab the bird with both hands on the ribs and open up like a book, facing down towards the cutting board. Remove the keel bone. Cut small slits in the skin of the bird behind the legs and tuck the drumsticks into them in order to hold them in place. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Coat the bottom of the panini press with nonstick cooking spray. Place the bird, skin-side up, onto the press, coat the skin side with nonstick cooking spray and close the lid. Top the press with a 10-pound weight and cook until the skin is golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Allow to rest 3 minutes before serving.

SPATCHCOCKED AND ROASTED CORNISH GAME HEN WITH GREEN MOJO AND MASHED CITRUS SWEET POTATOES

Steps:

• For the Cornish game hen: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Set a wire rack over a baking sheet.
• Toast the coriander and cumin seeds in a small skillet over medium heat until fragrant, a few minutes. Grind in a spice grinder. Combine half of the ground spices, the garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Reserve the remaining ground spices.
• Pat the hen dry with paper towels and season all over with the spice mixture. Drizzle with olive oil and place, skin-side up, on the prepared baking sheet. Roast until cooked through, 35 to 45 minutes. Cut the hen in half.
• For the green mojo: Combine the olive oil, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, serrano and the reserved ground cumin and coriander in a high-powered blender. Blend until bright green and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
• Pour the sauce over the hen and serve with Mashed Citrus Sweet Potatoes.
• Place the sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover by 1 inch with water. Bring to a boil over high heat and season with salt. Turn down the heat and simmer until the potatoes are cooked through, 10 to 15 minutes. Strain the potatoes, then add them back to the pot to dry. Mash the potatoes in the pan. Add the chicken stock, honey, thyme, lemon zest and juice and orange zest and juice. Add more chicken stock if needed. Season with salt and pepper.

ALTON BROWN'S SPATCHCOCKED GAME HEN

Steps:

• Preheat a panini press on high.
• Place the game hen breast side down on a cutting board. Using scissors or poultry shears, remove the backbone by cutting down each side of it. Flatten the bird (Alton says to make a small slit in the cartilage at the base of the breastbone then grab the bird with both hands on the ribs and open up like a book, facing down towards the cutting board. Remove the keel bone.) You may (but don't have to) cut small slits in the skin of the bird behind the legs and tuck the drumsticks into them in order to hold them in place. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.
• Spray both the top and bottom of the panini press with cooking spray and put the hen, skin side up onto the press; spray the skin side with cooking spray and close the lid, and squeeze HARD. Top the press with a brick or two or other heavy weights (10 pounds) and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until the skin is golden brown.
• Allow to rest 3 minutes before serving.

MEDIEVAL GAME HEN POT PIE - ALTON BROWN

Steps:

• In a small pot, combine 2 cups water with honey and salt. Heat just until honey and salt are dissolved. Add 1/2 lb ice and stir. When completely cool, add game hen and soak 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Whisk together flour and salt. Set aside.
• In a large pot, combine milk, water and lard. Bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and dump in the dry ingredients. Stir until it forms a loose dough.
• Turn dough out onto a board, and as soon as it is cool enough, begin to knead. Knead until it forms a smooth dough, then set aside to cool for at least 5 minutes.
• Using scissors or shears, cut through the skin along either side of the breast and remove the skin from over the breast. Stuff the cavity with the dried fruit, then tie the legs together with butcher's twine. Place bird on a sheet of parchment and trace around the bird, about 1/2" larger than the bird's shape. Set bird and parchment aside.
• Cut dough in half, then cut one half in half again. Turn the parchment over so the pencil is on the underside. Using the heel of your hand, spread one of the smaller lumps of dough out to fill the shape you traced. Set aside, then repeat with the other small piece of dough; leave it on the parchment. Take the larger piece of dough, using bench flour as needed to prevent sticking, and roll out into a piece about 4" wide by 12" long by 1/2" thick.
• Beat egg yolk and water together to form egg wash. Brush the base piece with egg wash. Scatter thyme sprigs over base, then top with the game hen. Place the long "wall" piece of dough around the game hen, crimping it to the bottom, then overlapping and pinching the two ends together. Sprinkle the breast of the game hen with the allspice, black pepper, cumin and paprika. Brush the top edge of the wall with egg wash, top with the remaining piece of dough and crimp to seal. Brush all exposed dough with egg wash.
• Transfer parchment to a baking sheet, and place in preheated oven. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes.
• Remove from oven and allow to rest 15 minutes before carving. Remove the top of the crust with a serrated or electric knife before extracting and carving the hen for service.