Best 6 Chef Johns Grilled Game Hens Recipes

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Prepare to tantalize your taste buds with a culinary journey into the realm of grilled game hens, where succulent flavors and crispy skin await. This article presents a diverse collection of recipes, each showcasing unique culinary techniques and flavor profiles to elevate the humble game hen to new heights. From the classic Grilled Game Hens with Herb Butter, exuding a timeless charm with its aromatic herbs and savory butter, to the tangy and smoky Grilled Game Hens with Chipotle Glaze, this article offers a symphony of flavors to suit every palate.

Embark on a culinary adventure with Grilled Game Hens with Lemon and Garlic, where zesty lemon and fragrant garlic create a refreshing and invigorating taste experience. For those who favor bold and spicy flavors, the Grilled Game Hens with Spicy Apricot Glaze offers a harmonious blend of sweetness and heat, while the Grilled Game Hens with Honey Mustard Sauce provides a sweet, tangy, and slightly tangy glaze.

Indulge in the rustic charm of Grilled Game Hens with Rosemary and Garlic, where the earthy notes of rosemary and pungent garlic mingle to create a comforting and aromatic dish. And for a taste of the Mediterranean, Grilled Game Hens with Lemon and Oregano transport you to sunny shores with its vibrant citrus and herbal flavors.

Each recipe is meticulously crafted with step-by-step instructions, ensuring that even novice cooks can create these culinary masterpieces with confidence. Gather your ingredients, fire up your grill, and embark on a culinary exploration that will leave you and your dinner companions craving more.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

GRILLED CORNISH GAME HENS



Grilled Cornish Game Hens image

This recipe is great for summertime grilling. Game hens will melt in your mouth.

Provided by Suzanne

Categories     Meat and Poultry Recipes     Chicken     Cornish Hen Recipes

Time 5h15m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 11

½ onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 cup lemon juice
½ cup olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 tablespoon pepper
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon salt
4 (1 1/2 pound) Cornish game hens

Steps:

  • In a large, non-reactive bowl, mix onion, garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, white wine, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce, pepper, celery salt, and salt. Place Cornish game hens in the bowl, coating evenly with the marinade mixture. Cover, and marinate in the refrigerator at least 4 hours.
  • Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil grate.
  • Cook hens about 1 hour on the prepared grill, brushing occasionally with remaining marinade, until no longer pink and juices run clear.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 871 calories, Carbohydrate 8.5 g, Cholesterol 302.4 mg, Fat 69.2 g, Fiber 0.9 g, Protein 52.1 g, SaturatedFat 15.4 g, Sodium 1124.2 mg, Sugar 2.3 g

GRILLED GAME HENS



Grilled Game Hens image

I love to cook and bake just about everything, but grilling is my specialty. These game hens pick up wonderful flavor from a sweet and refreshing marinade.-Kriss Erickson, Kalauea, Hawaii

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 40m

Yield 4 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 10

2 Cornish game hens (20 to 24 ounces each), split lengthwise
1/2 cup olive oil
2/3 cup white wine vinegar
8 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 to 3 tablespoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Dash pepper

Steps:

  • Place hens in a large resealable plastic bag. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Pour half into bag; add the hens. Seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade. , Drain and discard marinade from hens. Place hens in a 13x9-in. disposable aluminum pan. Pour reserved marinade over hens; cover pan. , Grill, covered, over medium-hot heat for 35-40 minutes or until a thermometer reads 180° and meat juices run clear, basting frequently. Place hens directly over heat for the last 3-4 minutes of cooking time, turning once.

Nutrition Facts :

GRILLED CORNISH HENS



Grilled Cornish Hens image

I like experimenting with different foods and adapting them to my own tastes. These hens are one of my specialties, an entree I concocted by combining a few different recipes. The moist meat has a pleasant grilled flavor that's accented with cloves and ginger.-David Baruch, Weston, Florida

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 1h5m

Yield 4 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 8

1/4 cup butter, softened
2 green onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons grated fresh gingerroot
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon pepper, divided
4 Cornish game hens (20 to 24 ounces each)

Steps:

  • In a small bowl, combine the butter, onions, parsley, ginger, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. , Rub mixture under the skin and over the top of each game hen. Sprinkle remaining salt and pepper inside the hen cavities. , Using long-handled tongs, moisten a paper towel with cooking oil and lightly coat the grill rack. Prepare grill for indirect heat, using a drip pan. , Place hens breast side up over drip pan; grill, covered, over indirect medium heat for 45-60 minutes or until a thermometer reads 180° and the meat juices run clear.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 803 calories, Fat 60g fat (21g saturated fat), Cholesterol 381mg cholesterol, Sodium 855mg sodium, Carbohydrate 2g carbohydrate (0 sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 60g protein.

CHEF JOHN'S GRILLED GAME HENS



Chef John's Grilled Game Hens image

The idea for these grilled game hens is borrowed from my highly successful Cornell chicken experiments, and uses a similar acid/salt/oil/egg concoction. This time the part of egg is played by mayo. Needless to say, you can season this a million ways and use any combination of hot chilies, but the little kick the habanero adds is really nice.

Provided by Chef John

Categories     Cornish Hens

Time 3h55m

Yield 4

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded
1 habanero pepper, seeded
4 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons salt
2 Cornish game hens, halved lengthwise
1 pinch salt to taste

Steps:

  • Blend jalapeno pepper, habanero pepper, garlic, vegetable oil, sherry vinegar, mayonnaise, and 2 teaspoons salt together in a blender until marinade is smooth.
  • Place halved hens in a large bowl. Pour marinade over the chickens and turn to coat completely. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for 3 hours.
  • Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat and lightly oil the grate.
  • Remove hens from marinade, shaking off any excess, place hens on a plate, skin-side up. Discard remaining marinade. Season skin-side of hens with salt.
  • Cook hens on the preheated grill, turning occasionally, until skin is crisped, meat is no longer pink at the bone, and juices run clear, about 45 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

Nutrition Facts : Calories 417.1 calories, Carbohydrate 1.6 g, Cholesterol 153.6 mg, Fat 33.3 g, Fiber 0.2 g, Protein 26 g, SaturatedFat 7.7 g, Sodium 1276.8 mg, Sugar 0.3 g

MARINATED GRILLED GAME HENS



Marinated Grilled Game Hens image

An easy overnight marinade spiced with cinnamon and cumin adds wonderful flavor to these game hens. "My family enjoys them often during the grilling season," writes Marcia Bland of North Platte, Nebraska.

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 35m

Yield 4 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 7

1 cup lime juice
1/2 cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
4 teaspoons ground cumin
1/2 to 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste
4 Cornish game hens (20 to 24 ounces each), halved

Steps:

  • In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the lime juice, oil, garlic, cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper; add the hens. Seal bag and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight, turning once. , Drain and discard marinade. Grill hens, covered, over medium heat for 20-25 minutes or until a thermometer reads 180°, turning occasionally.

Nutrition Facts : Fat 49 g fat (13 g saturated fat), Cholesterol 349 mg cholesterol, Sodium 365 mg sodium, Carbohydrate 7 g carbohydrate, Fiber 1 g fiber, Protein 60 g protein.

STEVE RAICHLEN'S GRILLED GAME HENS



Steve Raichlen's Grilled Game Hens image

Categories     Game     Poultry     Fourth of July     Picnic     Spring     Grill/Barbecue     Parade

Yield Makes 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 9

1 medium-sized onion, grated
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon each paprika, ground cumin, ground ginger, and ground white pepper
4 game hens (each about 1 pound)
1 lemon, cut in wedges, for garnish

Steps:

  • 1. For the marinade, whisk together all the ingredients except the game hens and lemons in a large bowl.
  • 2. Rinse, drain, and halve the hens lengthwise; place in the bowl, coating thoroughly with marinade. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 8 hours (the longer, the better), turning occasionally.
  • 3. Preheat the grill, using the three-tier method (see note below ). When ready to cook, oil the grill rack. Remove hens from the marinade and arrange skin-side down on the rack over the hottest section of the grill; cook until the skin starts to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Move the hens to the center section of the grill and continue to cook until the skin is thoroughly browned, 7 to 10 minutes more.
  • 4. Turn the hens and move them back to the hottest section of the grill. Brown the second side well, 5 to 7 minutes, then move the pieces back to the center section of the grill to finish cooking. The total cooking time will be about 25 to 35 minutes. When ready, the hens will be crisp and golden-brown outside, and the juices will run clear when the meat is pierced. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
  • Three-Tier Grilling Method:
  • Pile 2/3 of the coals on one side of the grill and the remaining 1/3 in the center. Leave a small portion of the grill free of coals. Three-tier grilling gives you a super-hot heat source for searing, a moderately hot heat source for cooking, and an area to place the food if it starts to burn. You control the heat by moving the food from one area to the other.

Tips:

  • Brine the game hens: This helps to keep them moist and flavorful during grilling. You can use a simple brine made with water, salt, and sugar, or you can get creative and add other ingredients like herbs, spices, or citrus fruits.
  • Use a variety of grilling methods: Don't just stick to one grilling method. Try using a combination of direct and indirect heat to get the best results. Direct heat will give you a nice sear, while indirect heat will help to cook the game hens through evenly.
  • Use a meat thermometer: This is the best way to ensure that the game hens are cooked to the proper internal temperature. The USDA recommends cooking poultry to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Let the game hens rest: Once they are cooked, let them rest for a few minutes before carving. This helps the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, resulting in a more tender and flavorful dish.

Conclusion:

Grilling game hens is a great way to enjoy this delicious and versatile poultry. With a little planning and preparation, you can create a meal that is sure to impress your family and friends. So next time you're looking for a new grilling recipe, give game hens a try. You won't be disappointed.

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