FOIL WRAPPED GRILLED CORNISH HENS RECIPES

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.

Steps:

• Pat each hen dry with a paper towel.
• Pull the skin away from the breast meat using your finger, being careful not to tear it.
• Put ½ tbsp butter on each side of breast meat in each bird.
• Place half a sprig’s worth of rosemary in along with the butter.
• Place ¼ tsp of thyme in along with the butter.
• Coat each bird with a dry rub.
• Cover with plastic and place in refrigerator for at least one hour.
• Prepare smoker to 275°F.
• Arrange hens on grates and close the smoker.
• Cook hens to 160°F internal temperature at the thickest part of breast and thigh, around 1 hour
• Increase smoker temperature to 300°F.
• Glaze each bird with BBQ sauce - optional.
• Continue to glaze the hens until their internal temperature reaches 165°F, around 20 - 30 mins.
• Remove from smoker, tent with foil and let rest at least 15 minutes.
• Serve whole or carved.