cornish game hens on med egg...help!

mookie

I have 4 cornish game hens that I want to grill tonight or tomorrow...been trying to read other posts, but still have questions. Can I grill that many on a medium egg? Obviously can't spatchcock! Direct or indirect? Grill set up? Best recipes? I tried getting ideas from other posts, but when I clicked on them (like JJ's), it would say "file not found." Also, I am thinking of an asian marinade, and using mesquite chips...would that be a conflict in flavors? As you can see, I'm still a newbie...

Richard Fl

You might pre-set the hens on the medium to see where they will fit, also be careful of lowering the dome with the thermometer in it. Sometimes they hit the meat and break. Take the thermometer out if the fit is too tight.
Here is one I like.

http://www.eggheadforum.com/index.php?option=com_simpleboard&func=view&id=496936&catid=1

Here is a marinade/baste I like for duck, but will work just as well with cornish.






INGREDIENTS:
8 Duck, Thighs
Marinade:
1 Cup Soy Sauce
2 Tbs Dry Sherry
2 Tbs Turbindo Suigar
3 Tbs Honey
2-3 Tbs Hoisin Sauce
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1 Tbs Sesame Oil
1 Tsp Chinese 5-Spice Powder
1/2 Tsp Cayenne Pepper.
Smoke: (In A Foil Pouch)
1 Tbs Celestial Seasonings, Orange Spice, Black Tea
1 Tbs Oolong Tea
1 Tbs Green Tea

NibbleMeThis

Not sure about the size but here is one recipe that I have used and like:

Ingredients
2 24 oz cornish hens
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Fresh ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 garlic

Instructions
Thaw birds. Mix all other ingredients and marinade chicken for 1-2 hours. Bake at 350 for about an hour, basting and flipping the birds. When juices run clear, done.

I would just do them indirect at the 350 until the thighs hit 170-175.

NibbleMeThis

and here's the other one we like. Like you said, I doubt you'll be able to fit that many on a medium if they are spatchcocked.

Spatchcocked Cornish Game Hens
I improvised this from a variety of techniques and it was the juiciest, most flavorful cornish hens I have ever had!

Ingredients

2 ea Cornish Game Hens thawed
1 gallon Water
1/2 cup Salt non-ionized salt
1/4 cup Sugar
1 tablespoon Garlic minced
1 ea Bay leaf
1 tablespoon Pickling spice available in most grocery stores
1 teaspoon Poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon Black pepper fresh cracked
2 tablespoon Lemon juice
2 tablespoon Charlie Vargas Rendevous dry rub see notes for substitution

Wash hens and set aside.

Brine The Birds (this step ensures a juicy bird, every time....don't skip it)
Make a brine by mixing the water, salt, sugar, garlic, bay leaf, and pickling spice. Be sure that the sugar and salt are disolved. Place birds in the brine in a lidded tupperware container and refrigerate for 6-8 hours. (HINT: You can use the brining time to help thaw the birds)

Spatchcock The Birds
Take the birds out and discard the brine. Remove the spine by using kitchen shears to cut just to one side of the spine, starting at the chickens arse and repeat on the other side. Discard the spine. Break the birds breast by putting your thumbs on the breast bone (external side) and bending the bird backwards. The birds will now lay flat (butterflied).

Season The Birds
Season both sides of the birds with poultry seasoning and pepper.

Grill the Birds
Place the birds under a bright light and ask it was last Thursday night....oh wait. I mean, place the butterflied birds flat, boneside down, on a medium high grill. (If you like crispy skin spritz the outside with olive oil spray). Grill them until the backsides are crispy brown or carmelized (nice word for almost burnt in some spots). This should take about 30 minutes but I go by the color. Flip the birds and grill until the front sides are golden brown. Flip them back over and grill until the hens reach an internal temp of 165 degrees in the deep part of the thighs. (If you don't have an internal thermometer, it is when the leg and thigh give you a nice limp handshake or move easily.)

Season the Birds....Again
Baste both sides of the bird with lemon juice and then season with the Rendevous dry rub (you can order it online, but in a pinch you could use Emerils Essence or any poultry dry rub). Remove from grill and let the birds rest for 5 minutes. Cut each bird in half at the breast bone (or what is left of it) and serve with rice pilaf.

gdenby

I happen to just have done that last week. I just rubbed them w. DP Ragin' River, and put 1/4 Meyer lemon in each. Smoked with some cherry, direct except for some mini-pie pans for the drippings, raised, dome about 350. Had to sguffle them about 25 minutes into the cook, as the ones in the back were cooking faster.

Celtic Wolf

4 should fit on a Medium. Hell two on my large are lonely and on my XL they look like I cooked a chick.

Indirect 325.

Wash and coat with a generous amount of Granulated Garlic and Tbsp of Tarragon inside and out per bird.

Place over a drip pan (you'll want the juice)

Prepare in a sauce pan low heat a baste of 1/2 cup chicken stock, 1/2 white wine (any old cheap white will do), 1/2 stick of melted butter, and 1 tbsp of Tarragon.

In another sauce pan simmer the pieces parts in water to make a stock. You can add some chicken stock for more flavor.

About every 15 minutes baste the birds with the mixture till they are done (170 internal).

Use the juice in the drip pan and the stock to make gravy.

Gunnar

Sold me...cut & pasted...that really sounds good!

mookie

Thanks, you guys. Things went fairly well, although I was under a time crunch and my egg wouldn't go above 300! Never had THAT problem before. The hens came out great, although I did have a slight problem with them not being done...(after I thought they were) gulp! Oh well...still getting used to cooking with the platesetter!