Prepare to tantalize your taste buds with a culinary journey featuring grilled game hens infused with a harmonious blend of citrus, ginger, and soy. This article presents a collection of delectable recipes that will elevate your dining experience. Embark on a culinary adventure as we explore the art of preparing succulent game hens, showcasing various marinades, rubs, and cooking techniques. Discover the perfect balance of tangy citrus, aromatic ginger, and savory soy, creating a symphony of flavors that will leave you craving more. Whether you prefer a classic grilled game hen with a zesty citrus marinade or a more adventurous Asian-inspired dish with a ginger-soy glaze, this article has something for every palate. Unleash your inner chef and embark on a culinary expedition that will leave your taste buds exhilarated.
Here are our top 9 tried and tested recipes!
TUSCAN GRILLED CORNISH HENS
Steps:
- Sprinkle the Cornish hens with 1 teaspoon salt on each side.
- Combine the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a ceramic or glass dish just large enough to hold the flattened hens. Add the hens, and turn to coat. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight, turning once or twice.
- When ready to grill, prepare a hot charcoal fire on one side of a grill (or turn a gas grill on low heat). Spread 1/4 of the coals across the other side of the grill. Place the hens on the cooler side skin-side up and weigh them down with a gratin dish with a foil-wrapped brick inside.
- Cook for 12 minutes, until the underside is golden brown. Turn the hens skin-side down, weigh them down again, and cook for another 12 minutes until the skin is golden brown and the hens are cooked through.
- Place the lemon halves on the cool side of the grill, cut-side down, for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Remove the Cornish hens and lemons to a plate or cutting board, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Cut the hens in half, sprinkle with fleur de sel, and serve with the grilled lemon halves.
GRILLED GAME HENS
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
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 :
ROASTED CITRUS-HERB GAME HEN
Provided by Giada De Laurentiis
Categories main-dish
Time 1h5m
Yield 2 servings
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Place an oven rack in the lower 1/3 of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Rinse the game hens and pat dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, shallots, orange zest, lemon zest, thyme, mint, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Rub 2 tablespoons of the zest mixture over the skins of the game hens. Place the remainder of the zest mixture under the skin and into the cavities of the hens. Using kitchen twine, truss the legs together. Place the hens in a shallow 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Add the chicken stock, Marsala wine, lemon juice, orange juice, and cranberries. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the leg juices run clear. Remove the game hens and set aside. Place the flour in a small saucepan. Whisk in the pan juices. Bring the juices to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until slightly thickened. Whisk in the butter and season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
- To serve, remove the kitchen twine and place the hens on 2 serving plates. Drizzle with the citrus-herb sauce.
GRILLED CORNISH HENS
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
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.
ORANGE GLAZED CORNISH HEN
Marinate the hens for at least an hour. While they're marinating in the refrigerator, start making the sauce.
Provided by JDP4445
Categories Meat and Poultry Recipes Chicken Cornish Hen Recipes
Time 2h15m
Yield 2
Number Of Ingredients 15
Steps:
- Mix olive oil, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, lemon zest and juice, orange zest and juice, garlic, salt, and black pepper together in a large resealable bag. Add hens, seal bag, and coat hens with marinade. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, flipping the bag 1 or 2 times to redistribute marinade.
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (230 degrees C).
- Mix orange juice, soy sauce, honey, 1/4 cup Dijon mustard, onion, ginger, and black pepper together in a bowl.
- Remove hens from marinade and transfer to a roasting pan, discarding leftover marinade.
- Roast hens in the preheated oven for 50 minutes. Brush hens with orange glaze and roast for 5 more minutes. Flip hens, brush with more glaze, and roast until meat is no longer pink in the center, about 5 more minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted near the bone should read 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
Nutrition Facts : Calories 1234.6 calories, Carbohydrate 129.2 g, Cholesterol 302 mg, Fat 56.4 g, Fiber 6.7 g, Protein 59.6 g, SaturatedFat 13.7 g, Sodium 5663 mg, Sugar 100.3 g
GRILLED CORNISH GAME HENS
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
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 WITH MOROCCAN SPICES
Posting for ZWT6, a recipe from Steven Raichlen's "The BBQ Bible". Heres a dish for the poultry lovers that's fairly bursting with Moroccan spice flavors. Cumin, ginger, paprika and cilantro combine to transform a commonplace bird into a flame-cooked triumph. Time doesn't include the marinating time.
Provided by diner524
Categories Poultry
Time 30m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 12
Steps:
- Remove and dicard the fat just inside the body cavities of the game hens. Remove any packages of giblets. Rinse the hens, inside and out, under cold running water, then drain and blot dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Cut each game hen lenghtwise in half with poultry shears. Place birds in a large, deep nonreactive bowl or baking dish and set aside while you make the marinade.
- Combine the onion, parsley, cilantro, lemon juice, oil, salt, cumin, paprika, ginger and pepper in a small bowl and whisk to mix. Pour the mixture over the game hens, turning them to thoroughly coat. Cover and let marinade in the refrigerate for 1 to 8 hours, (the longer the better) turning the birds occasionally.
- Preheat the grill, one area for high heat and another area for medium heat.
- When ready to cook, oil the grill grate. Remove the game hens from the marinade and arrange, skin side down, on the grate over the hotter section of the grill 3-5 minutes and then move to medium heat for another 5-7 minutes Using tongs turn the hens over (skin side up) and onto the high heat area and cook 3-5 minutes and then move over to the medium heat and continue cooking for 5-7 minutes or until juices run clear.
- Transfer the hens to serving plates and serve immediately, garnished with lemon wedges.
PLUM-GLAZED CORNISH HENS
Save this recipe for your best company. I often sprinkle the hens with toasted coconut for extra flavor. -Annie Tompkins, Deltona, Florida
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 1h50m
Yield 4-6 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Arrange orange slices in two greased 13x9-in. baking dishes. Top with game hens; sprinkle with pepper. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 45 minutes. , Meanwhile, place plums in a food processor; cover and process until smooth. Set aside. In a large skillet, saute onion in butter until tender; stir in lemonade concentrate, chili sauce, soy sauce, mustard, ginger, Worcestershire sauce and plums. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set 1 cup of sauce aside. Spoon remaining sauce over hens., Bake 30-45 minutes longer or until a thermometer reads 180°, basting occasionally with pan drippings. Sprinkle with coconut if desired. Serve with reserved plum sauce.
Nutrition Facts :
STEVE RAICHLEN'S GRILLED GAME HENS
Categories Game Poultry Fourth of July Picnic Spring Grill/Barbecue Parade
Yield Makes 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
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:
- Choose Small to Medium-Sized Birds: Select game hens around 1 to 2 pounds each for optimal grilling results.
- Prepare the Hens: Rinse the game hens thoroughly inside and out, then pat dry. Remove any excess fat and spatchcock the hens by cutting along the backbone and flattening them.
- Marinate for Flavor: Create a flavorful marinade using citrus juices, ginger, soy sauce, and your favorite herbs and spices. Allow the hens to marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to overnight.
- Preheat Your Grill: Ensure your grill is preheated to medium-high heat (around 400°F) before grilling the hens.
- Grill the Hens Indirectly: Place the hens on a well-oiled grill grate over indirect heat. This helps prevent flare-ups and ensures even cooking.
- Baste Regularly: Brush the hens with the reserved marinade or a mixture of melted butter and herbs throughout the grilling process.
- Check for Doneness: Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the hens. The hens are cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh.
- Let the Hens Rest: Once the hens are cooked, remove them from the grill and let them rest for 5-10 minutes before serving. This allows the juices to redistribute, resulting in more tender meat.
Conclusion:
Grilled game hens with citrus-ginger-soy marinade offer a flavorful and succulent main course perfect for outdoor grilling. By following these tips, you can create a delicious and memorable meal that will impress your family and friends. Enhance your grilling experience with these essential techniques and enjoy the unique flavors of grilled game hens with every bite. Remember to experiment with different marinades and grilling methods to find your favorite combinations and create a dish that reflects your culinary preferences. So, fire up your grill, gather your ingredients, and indulge in the delightful taste of grilled game hens!
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