Pineapple Butt Cornish Hens

BlueSmoke

I wanted to make beer butt hens yesterday, but the cans are all too big. I bought a six-pack of single serving pineapple juices and used them instead. I poured half of each can into a spray bottle, then set the tiny little fellers on just like you'd do their bigger cousins with a can o' suds. I sprayed them with the leftover juice on the half hour, and after 2 hours at 300º they were a beautiful golden brown. I'm thinking of cleaning the cans up and saving them, so next time I can make beer butt hens.

Vegas Slim

BlueSmoke, well HOW DID THEY TASTE???:)

Ca_rnivore

BlueSmoke,[p]Good job! I like the idea. I just spatchcocked a couple of gamehens this last weekend. Very good, just like the
"big" chickens![p]--Kevin

Gretl

Hi Ken,
I use the small pineapple juice cans for beer-butt birds. They work great, wash up well in the dishwasher a time or two, and are much easier to remove from a roasted bird. This can size is also common for tomato paste. Just FYI.[p]I ASSUME they were great-tasting birds![p]Cheers,
Gretl[p]p.s. This recipe is why I buy pineapple juice. It was posted by Zip a couple of years back and is a real keeper. My only change is that I use fresh grated ginger and finely minced onions instead of the powder. I also reward the chef (moi) with some EXTRA Jim Beam. Wild Turkey. Whatever.

---

Posted by Zip on July 19, 2000 at 21:58:43:[p] The recipe is a lot like the "Huli Huli Chicken". Last night I used
boneless thighs and let them soak for three hours. I cooked them direct at
350° - 375° turning frequently and basting with the leftover marinade. It
guess it took about 25 minutes to cook 'em. I took them off when they were
very brown and a little charred. Once off the egg, I put them in a pan and
covered with tin foil and allowed to sit for about 10 minutes. I then cut
'em up and drizzled a little more of the marinade over the strips and
served over rice. A little steamed cabbage and some Texas Pete or Franks
hot sauce is nice too![p] 1/2 cup of dark brown sugar
1/4 cup bourbon - I used Jim Beam
1 1/2 tsp of ginger powder
1 Tbls of minced garlic
1 1/2 Tbls onion powder
1 tsp of coriander
3 oz pineapple juice
1/2 cup soy sauce[p] Mix ingredients well and pour about half over the chicken pieces in a
Ziplock back. Squeeze the air out and marinate in the icebox for several
hours. The remaining marinade needs to be simmered for about 10 minutes
and allowed to reduce by 1/3. It will be somewhat syrupy once reduced. I
used the reduced sauce to baste the chicken while it cooked and then added
a little more once it was done and cut up. I have some small squeeze
bottles that I use to apply it while it was cooking as to not cross
contaminate. There are several versions of this floating around, so I just
tasted as I added to the soy - sugar - ginger base.[p] I hope you enjoy it as much as we did![p] Zip[p]

BlueSmoke

Gretl,
I was so impressed with my cleverness I forgot the most important part: they tasted as delicious as they looked. And I should have known someone, especially someone with your ingenuity would have come up with the technique.[p]I'm saving Zip's recipe: looks like a good one to have on hand.