Orange Balsamic Rock Cornish Game Hens Recipes

ORANGE-CRANBERRY GLAZED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 475 degrees F. Cut the hens in half with kitchen shears, removing the backbone and cutting through the middle of the breastbone. Divide the onion, oranges and rosemary sprigs between 2 rimmed baking sheets. Arrange the hens skin-side up on the baking sheets and season all over with salt and pepper. Set aside at room temperature, 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the orange juice, cranberries, maple syrup, 1 teaspoon coriander, the chile powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, mashing the cranberries as they start to burst, until the mixture is thickened and reduced to about 3/4 cup, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and season with salt. Set aside.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and add the chopped rosemary, garlic and the remaining 2 teaspoons coriander. Cook 30 seconds, then remove from the heat.
• Pat the hens dry with paper towels, then brush with the flavored butter. Roast the hens until the skin is browned and a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165 degrees F, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and switch to the broiler setting. Brush the hens with the orange-cranberry sauce, then broil, one baking sheet at a time, until glazed and dark brown in spots, 2 to 3 minutes.

ORANGE GLAZED CORNISH HEN

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).

CONTEST-WINNING ORANGE-GLAZED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to at 350°. Tie legs of each hen together; turn wing tips under backs. Place on a greased rack in a roasting pan. Brush with butter; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour., Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine the remaining ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until thickened, 15 minutes. Spoon over hens. Bake until a thermometer reads 170°, about 15 minutes longer.

ORANGE BALSAMIC CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425°.
• Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with foil; set a baking rack in each pan.
• Using poultry shears or a sharp chef's knife, cut along both sides of each hen's backbone and discard.
• Open the birds up and turn skin side up, pressing lightly on the breastbones to flatten them a bit.
• Arrange 3 hens on each baking rack, skin side up, and season liberally with salt and pepper.
• Mix the orange juice concentrate, balsamic vinegar, and oil together; pour evenly over the hens, and sprinkle with rosemary.
• Roast hens for 15 minutes at 425°, then decrease heat to 375° and roast for 30 minutes more, OR until the juices run clear (I'd check doneness with an instant read thermometer).
• Let the hens rest for 5 minutes before serving.

HICKORY SMOKED CORNISH GAME HEN

Steps:

• Whisk together the dry rub, salt and pepper in a small mixing bowl. Season the washed and dried game hens with the rub and arrange on a sheet tray. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium heat, add butter to melt. Once melted, add the shallots and saute until tender. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the chicken broth and orange juice. Bring to a simmer and let reduce down to 1/2 cup, about 10 minutes. It will easily coat the back of a spoon and be slightly syrupy. Once reduced add the apple cider vinegar and hot sauce. Taste for seasoning.
• Prepare your grill/smoker for indirect heat with charcoal and hickory chips. Maintain your temperature at 275 degrees F.
• Arrange the game hens on the grill and cover. Smoke for 40 minutes. Remove the cover and brush the hens with the glaze, making sure to get into all the nooks and crannies. Cover the grill and smoke for an additional 15 minutes. Remove the hens from the grill, to a serving platter and let rest, covered with foil for 15 minutes before serving.

ROASTED CORNISH GAME HENS MARINATED IN HONEY AND MUSTARD

Steps:

• Mix the honey, mustard, garlic, 3 tablespoons oil, thyme and cinnamon together in a bowl and set aside. Remove the wing tips from the hens. Roll the hens in the marinade and marinate overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Season the birds inside and out with salt and pepper. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze over each bird. Put a used lemon half in the cavity of each bird. Truss the birds.
• Set a rack in a roasting pan and brush the rack with several tablespoons vegetable oil. Place the birds, breast side down on the oiled rack. Roast for 30 minutes. Turn the birds breast side up, reduce the heat to 350 degrees and roast an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until the hens are cooked through and the skin is brown. Allow the hens to rest 10 minutes before serving.

ORANGE GLAZED LOVE (CORNISH) HEN

Steps:

• Put all the sauce ingredients into a saucepan. Over medium heat bring it to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer for 1/2 hour. At the same time mix the marinade together, and rub it all the over hens. Marinate for at least 1 hour. Roast hens in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 25 minutes, and then brush with sauce. Finish the hens on a preheated grill for another 7 minutes, turning and brushing with more sauce to glaze.

HONEY ORANGE CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place game hen halves with skin sides up into a 9x13-inch roasting pan.
• Roast hens in the preheated oven for 35 minutes.
• Stir orange juice, honey, soy sauce, and vinegar together in a small bowl; brush mixture over hens.
• Roast hens for 5 more minutes and baste again with orange juice mixture. Roast until skin is browned and meat is no longer pink inside, about 10 more minutes.

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.

CORNISH HEN WITH TART CHERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine sea salt, black pepper, thyme, garlic powder, rosemary, and paprika in a bowl. Place hens on a baking sheet and evenly brush with 5 tablespoons butter. Rub hens with spice mixture.
• Bake hens in preheated oven until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 1 1/2 hours, basting every 1/2 hour with white wine. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C).
• Mix cherries, red wine, orange juice, and brown sugar in a saucepan; bring to a boil for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, stir in 2 tablespoons butter, and cook until sugar is dissolved and butter is melted, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle flour into the sauce; whisk until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Drizzle cherry sauce over cooked hens.