Best 9 Brandy Jellied Cornish Game Hens Recipes

SAVORY CORNISH HENS WITH A BRANDY CURRANT GLAZE

Steps:

• Prepare the Hens -- Just rinse them well, inside and out, drain and pat try. Then add 1/4 cup butter, parsley, thyme, salt and pepper in a small bowl and melt the butter in the microwave for just a few seconds. Add in the oranges and onion quarters and toss well.
• Stuffing -- Add the orange, onion, butter and herb mix to the cavity of the hens.
• Skin -- Brush each of the hens with 1/4 cup of butter (not melted) and season with salt and pepper.
• Bake -- Place each of the hens on a couple of the onions slices in a small oven proof pan. The onion slices just make a natural baking rack so they don't sit directly on the pan itself. Bake at 425 for 10 minute and then reduce to 350 for about 20-30 minutes uncovered. NOTE: One reviewer wrote they were swimming in butter, but if you bake the hens on the onions used as a rack as suggested, they are not sitting in butter. The butter flavors the inside and outside, and remember, it is for 2 nice size birds. Also, the onions will absorb most of the butter and the natural juices will end up in the sauce at the end.
• NOTE: I used around a 1 3/4 - 2 1/2 lb hen, and then can take anywhere from 30-45 minutes. So just check and have your meat thermometer handy. This is one time when it really helps. I take mine out at 160, as it continues to cook once removed. The last time I cooked 4 for dinner they took 40 minutes. But just check to be sure.
• Glaze -- As the hens back, in a small measuring cup add the garlic, brandy and jelly and just heat until melted. You can also do this on the stove, but the microwave is easier, quicker and just a small cup to clean out vs another pot. Baste frequently with the glaze as the chicken cook.
• Sauce -- No I love the sauce for this but it is optional. Remove the chickens to a plate and cover with foil to let them rest. Bring the pan to the stove on medium heat and add the wine to deglaze. Get all the good dripping off the bottom of the pan. Add the broth and cook 3-4 minutes. Right before serving, just add the butter to thicken the sauce and serve with the chicken. This isn't a thick gravy, just a nice light sauce over the chicken.

ROASTED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a small mixing bowl, stir together salt, lemon pepper, dried basil and poultry seasoning. Rub olive oil all over the hens and season each with the salt mixture. Place the hens on a baking sheet pan with plenty of space between them. You may need to use 2 pans. Loosely stuff the cavities of each hen with some green bell pepper, celery and onion. Roast the hens in the preheated oven for about 1 hour or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F and the juices run clear. Remove the hens from the oven, loosely tent with foil and let rest 10 minutes before carving or serving.

BRANDY JELLIED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 375°F.
• Combine parsley, shallot, garlic, salt, pepper and 1/4 cup of butter. Stuff half of mixture into cavity of each hen and secure legs with kitchen twine.
• Place hens in pan breast side up and rub with the other 1/4 cup butter.
• Bake for approximately 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine jelly and brandy and cook over low heat until the jelly melts.
• After hens have cooked 30 minutes, pour the jelly mixture over the hens and cook another 30 minutes, basting frequently.

GLAZED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Place hens, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake, uncovered, 30 minutes. , In a small bowl, combine spreadable fruit and orange juice. Spoon some of the apricot mixture over the hens. Bake until golden brown and juices run clear, 30-35 minutes, basting several times with remaining apricot mixture. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

APRICOT-GLAZED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray a cookie sheet generously with cooking spray.
• Combine apricot preserves, Sriracha, Worcestershire, and butter in a small pot and melt over medium heat. Stir constantly to prevent from sticking.
• Clean hens and pat dry with paper towels. Coat outsides and insides with oil. Season with mango-habanero seasoning; insert sprigs of basil inside of the hens.
• Place hens on the prepared cookie sheet and cover with foil.
• Cook in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Remove foil and baste with apricot glaze. Put back in the oven and cook until no longer pink in the centers, about 15 minutes more. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone, should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

CORNISH GAME HENS WITH GARLIC AND ROSEMARY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F. Pat hens dry with paper towels. Season cavities lightly with salt and pepper. Place 1 lemon wedge and 1 rosemary sprig in cavity of each hen. Rub hens with 1 tablespoon oil. Season outside of hens lightly with salt and pepper. Arrange in heavy large roasting pan. Scatter garlic around hens.
• Roast hens 25 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Pour wine, broth and remaining 2 tablespoons oil over hens. Continue roasting until hens are golden brown and juices run clear when thigh is pierced at thickest part, basting every 10 minutes with pan juices, about 25 minutes longer.
• Transfer hens to platter, pouring any juices from cavity into roasting pan. Tent hens with foil to keep warm. Transfer pan juices and garlic to heavy medium saucepan. Boil until reduced to sauce consistency, about 6 minutes.
• Cut hens in half lengthwise. Arrange on plates. Spoon sauce and garlic around hens. Garnish with additional rosemary sprigs and serve.

BRANDY-BUTTERED CORNISH GAME HENS WITH PECAN STUFFING

Steps:

• Remove the giblets from the hens, reserve for another use. Rinse hens with cold water and pat dry. Sprinkle cavity of each with salt and pepper. Secure neck skin to back with a toothpick and lift wing tips up and over back so they are tucked under hen. Lightly stuff cavity of hen with the pecan stuffing; close the cavity and secure with toothpicks. Tie leg ends to tail with a string.
• Brush hens with butter and sprinkle generously with pepper. Combine the remaining butter with the brandy.
• Place hens breast side up in a large shallow baking pan. Bake at 350°F degree for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on the size of the hens. Baste every 10 minutes with brandy mixture.
• For Pecan Stuffing: Combine the apple juice, brandy, and butter in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat stirring occasionally until the butter melts. Add the stuffing mix and pecans stirring lightly--- stuff Cornish hens.

HERB-BRINED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine the salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, sage, garlic, thyme, rosemary and 1 quart water. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir until salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove from the heat. Add the cold water to cool the brine to room temperature., Place a turkey-sized oven roasting bag inside a second roasting bag; add hens. Carefully pour cooled brine into bag. Squeeze out as much air as possible; seal bags and turn to coat. Place in a roasting pan. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours, turning occasionally. Drain and discard brine; pat hens dry., Meanwhile, place the peppercorns and garlic in a food processor; cover and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add the butter, 3 tablespoons olive oil and herbs; cover and process until smooth. With fingers, carefully loosen skin from hens; rub half the butter mixture under skin. Secure skin to underside of breast with toothpicks; tie drumsticks together. Rub remaining butter mixture over skin., In a 15x10x1-in. baking pan, toss the Brussels sprouts and onions with remaining olive oil, salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer. Place hens, breast side up, on top of the vegetables. Bake at 450° until thermometer inserted in breast reads 165°, 35-40 minutes. Cover loosely with foil if hens brown too quickly., Remove hens and vegetables to a serving platter; cover and let stand for 10 minutes before carving. If desired, garnish with additional herbs.

CORNISH GAME HENS WITH GARLIC AND ROSEMARY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
• Rub hens with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Lightly season hens with salt and pepper. Place 1 lemon wedge and 1 sprig rosemary in cavity of each hen. Arrange in a large, heavy roasting pan, and arrange garlic cloves around hens. Roast in preheated oven for 25 minutes.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). In a mixing bowl, whisk together wine, chicken broth, and remaining 2 tablespoons of oil; pour over hens. Continue roasting about 25 minutes longer, or until hens are golden brown and juices run clear. Baste with pan juices every 10 minutes.
• Transfer hens to a platter, pouring any cavity juices into the roasting pan. Tent hens with aluminum foil to keep warm. Transfer pan juices and garlic cloves to a medium saucepan and boil until liquids reduce to a sauce consistency, about 6 minutes. Cut hens in half lengthwise and arrange on plates. Spoon sauce and garlic around hens. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, and serve.