topic Re: ANY CORNISH HEN TIPS? in Recipes

ANY CORNISH HEN TIPS?

Tinkrbl44 — Sat, 30 Apr 2022 22:13:19 GMT

I bought a couple on sale yesterday and they are thawing. In a conversation with the meat dept manager, I'd asked him about any "tips" he had. I was surprised to learn that he'd had a few customers complain to him that in the roasting process, by the time the body was cooked, the little drumsticks were charred and inedible. "Don't overcook them" was his comment.

Huh? So, maybe stuffing them is a bad idea?

It's been ages since I've prepared them, and really don't recall what I did to them.

So ....if you want the end result to be a crispy-ish skin covering .... what would you suggest?

(TIA to all that make suggestions)

Re: ANY CORNISH HEN TIPS?

gizmogal — Fri, 06 May 2022 20:27:03 GMT

Perdue has provided a cooking guide for Cornish hens. Perhaps it will be helpful since it's not specific recipes but more of a prep and cooking guide with some tips for different cooking methods.

I'll bet your little hens come out terrific. Bon appetit!

Re: ANY CORNISH HEN TIPS?

Desertdi — Sat, 30 Apr 2022 22:30:52 GMT

I used to split and broil them. Those wings have no meat on them anyway...

Re: ANY CORNISH HEN TIPS?

kittyloo — Sat, 30 Apr 2022 22:31:37 GMT

@Tinkrbl44 i remember as a kid, in the '60's, these were always served when the parents were having company over.

they were stuffed with wild rice pilaf, and basted with a mixture of red currant jelley and melted butter.

always a hit.

Re: ANY CORNISH HEN TIPS?

patbz — Sat, 30 Apr 2022 22:44:23 GMT

We always do them on Cornish hen sized Spaneks ( available on Amazon). Bake in a preheated oven over a cake pan filled with water and bash with butter: divine!

Re: ANY CORNISH HEN TIPS?

Jersey Born — Sat, 30 Apr 2022 23:59:47 GMT

My mother used to bake cornish hens in the oven after spreading a mixture of apricot preserves, apricot brandy, and garlic powder on the skin. They were so delicious! Wish I had the exact proportions to attempt it myself. Perhaps I will just give it a try one day. Good luck to you! Perhaps cooking it longer on a lower temperature? I am sure the Food Network has cooking times for their different recipes. Let us know how it works out for you.

Re: ANY CORNISH HEN TIPS?

Mz iMac — Sun, 01 May 2022 00:34:43 GMT

I cut my CH in half. I also cut the "butt" off & trash it.

I then wash the halves. Dry w/paper towels.

I take a roasting fork & poke holes all over the halves.

Place in a roasting pan & season w/sea salt, pepper, Accent.

Then I pour Teriyaki Sauce over the halves.

Last but not least, I pour Italian salad dressing over the 2 halves.

Sprinkle paprika over the halves<------optional

I rub both halves to mix all of the seasonings all over the hens.

I cover the hens inside the roasting pan w/aluminum foil & place in the fridge overnight.

I have a convection counter top oven...........

Set temp to 325 degrees. (regular oven-350 degrees)

Set timer to 1 1/2 hours

Remove chicken from fridge

Use the juices from the pan & baste the chicken.

Put in oven

After 30 minutes, baste chicken.

Every 10 minutes or so, check chicken until you get the desire "brownish" color you want.

The color I like takes 1 hour. May take a little longer in a regular oven.

=======================================

The one time I cooked cornish hens whole was when I rotisseried (sp) it. My apt & the hallways smelled really good! The hens came out extra juicy. Now my oven cleanup was a 2 hour chore. NEVER, EVER AGAIN!!!!!

Re: ANY CORNISH HEN TIPS?

Mz iMac — Sun, 01 May 2022 00:43:17 GMT

PART II

Sometimes I BBQ the hens.

Instead of using Italian dressing, I pour/brush BBQ sauce over the halves.

I do not set in fridge overnight.

After 30 minutes, I pou/brushr more BBQ sauce over the halves.

Re: ANY CORNISH HEN TIPS?

KingstonsMom — Sun, 01 May 2022 00:52:24 GMT

@Jersey Born wrote:
My mother used to bake cornish hens in the oven after spreading a mixture of apricot preserves, apricot brandy, and garlic powder on the skin. They were so delicious! Wish I had the exact proportions to attempt it myself. Perhaps I will just give it a try one day. Good luck to you! Perhaps cooking it longer on a lower temperature? I am sure the Food Network has cooking times for their different recipes. Let us know how it works out for you.

Your Mom's recipe reminds me of our favorite, except we use orange marmalade....yum!

Nice crispy skin, so flavorful!

Re: ANY CORNISH HEN TIPS?

Tinkrbl44 — Sun, 01 May 2022 02:45:19 GMT

@Mz iMac

Wow, great information!

One thing that I found a little confusing .... the oven temps varied so much. The Joy of Cooking said 450 degrees, somewhere else said preheat to 425, then put bird in and reduce to 350 degrees ... and a couple other opinions.

And I'm not sure which outcome is the better for what I want.

Since I was hoping for moist and juicy, with a little crispiness to the skin, should the temperature matter more ... or whether I'm using butter or oil on the bird's skin?

Re: ANY CORNISH HEN TIPS?

JeanLouiseFinch — Sun, 01 May 2022 03:07:53 GMT

@Tinkrbl44 wrote:
@Mz iMac

Wow, great information!

One thing that I found a little confusing .... the oven temps varied so much. The Joy of Cooking said 450 degrees, somewhere else said preheat to 425, then put bird in and reduce to 350 degrees ... and a couple other opinions.

And I'm not sure which outcome is the better for what I want.

Since I was hoping for moist and juicy, with a little crispiness to the skin, should the temperature matter more ... or whether I'm using butter or oil on the bird's skin?

@Tinkrbl44 Starting with a very hot oven will seer the skin, to help make it crispy, but you want to turn it down so the meat will cook through but still remain juicy. Later in the roasting time, you may notice certain areas getting too brown and overcooking. Put some foil on and finish the roasting period. And, I'd use butter. It's more flavorful.

Re: ANY CORNISH HEN TIPS?

Mz iMac — Sun, 01 May 2022 04:24:37 GMT

@Tinkrbl44 "should the temperature matter more ... or whether I'm using butter or oil on the bird's skin?"

@Tinkrbl44

I think it's a little of both and/or the type of oven you are using....

Big oven

Counter top oven

Convection or non-convection

A convection oven cooks differently than a regular oven. Convection ovens cooks your food cooks evenly.

As I previously fonted, I have a counter top convection oven. My hens are always juicy when done. Even when I don't fridge overnight.

It's trial & error. What I did when I first got my convection oven I took notes just in case the hens did not come out juicy the first time I baked mine.

What worked for me was the way I "pre-heated."

When marinating overnight, I turn on my oven right before I take the hens out of the fridge.

If I don't marinate, I turn my oven on right before I prep. My prep time is a little less than 5 minutes.

Both times, when I get the desired browness I want, there is plenty of juice left in the pan to make gravy if I wish. It's just enough gravy to cover both halves. Of cource the skin is no longer crispy.

Re: ANY CORNISH HEN TIPS?

Pixie12 — Sun, 01 May 2022 05:53:36 GMT

My sister and I thought having a Cornish hen would be such a treat. We were preteens. Eating like the rich and famous. My mother surprised us with the hens for dinner. Looking at the little bodies on our plates filled us with sadness. We couldn't eat them. I have never wanted one since.

Re: ANY CORNISH HEN TIPS?

JeanLouiseFinch — Sun, 01 May 2022 11:53:12 GMT

@Pixie12 wrote:
My sister and I thought having a Cornish hen would be such a treat. We were preteens. Eating like the rich and famous. My mother surprised us with the hens for dinner. Looking at the little bodies on our plates filled us with sadness. We couldn't eat them. I have never wanted one since.

@Pixie12 I had the same experience soon after DH and I were married. I wanted to impress him. Mind you, I am a meat lover, but that whole little bird sitting on my plate, nope, I couldn't do it. DH had both. I've never made them since either, but today I may be ok with it. I just never think of buying them.

Re: ANY CORNISH HEN TIPS?

Tinkrbl44 — Sun, 01 May 2022 20:26:54 GMT

Just wanted you to know they came out GREAT.

I will try other recipes, but don't think stuffing such a small bird is worth the trouble. The cavities are so small, even fully stuffed wouldn't be a serving .... I think garlic cloves, onions and citrus-something would good to stuff with, and make the meat more flavorful.

Re: ANY CORNISH HEN TIPS?

ECBG — Wed, 04 May 2022 11:56:25 GMT

Stuffing always yeilds moist results.

You could cook them in a bag to keep them moist, or constantly baste.

Use a lower heat like 325 degrees, not 350.