Traeger Smoked Cornish Hens - Grilled Cornish Game Hens Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take to cook Cornish game hens on a pellet grill? ›

When ready to cook, set Traeger temperature to 375°F and preheat, lid closed for 15 minutes. Roast the hens for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the juices run clear and the internal temperature of the thigh, when read on an instant-read meat thermometer, is 165°F.

Marinate the game hens in the fridge overnight. Remove the birds from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Smoke the Cornish game hens at 225 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 to 4 hours, or until the thigh temperature reaches 175 degrees.

Some Cornish game hens come with giblets and some do not. If yours does, you need to remove them from the cavity before cooking. After we rub them down with oil, I place the Cornish hens in a 9x13 baking dish, I combine the seasonings in a small bowl, and I season both sides.

Cornish Hens Tastier And More Tender

That quality, however, may be a reflection of the age of the mass-market Cornish hens. The USDA currently defines Rock Cornish and Cornish game hens as "an immature chicken younger than five weeks old ... of either sex, with a ready-to-cook carcass weight of two pounds or less."

Roast, uncovered, basting frequently with butter for 1 hour (if hen weighs over 1lb 2oz, roast 1 hour and 15 minutes) or until internal temperature on instant read thermometer reaches 180°F when inserted into inner thigh.

handling in production and marketing. included. they are usually killed by the time they are six weeks old. Allow one-half square foot per bird.

Smoker temperature - 250°F. Smoking time - 30 to 45 minutes/pound. Finished temperature - 165°F.

Bake in preheated 450 degree Fahrenheit oven for 20 minutes. Once 20 minutes is up, reduce the oven temperature to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and continue to bake for another 40 – 50 minutes (until skin is crispy and light brown and the meat, when cut into, is no longer pink).

The distinct game flavor of either birds or animals will be milder after soaking the meat overnight in the refrigerator in either a salt or vinegar solution.

Color and packaging. Fresh raw chicken should have a pink hue to it with fat parts being white. If the color fades, it's looking yellow or gray in color, has mold or a different color tinge, it's no longer safe to eat.

Why is my Cornish hen tough? ›

One of the primary contributors to tough chicken meat is the age of the bird at the time of slaughter, Knight said. “As the [bird] gets older the muscle fibers become tough,” he said. “So a 2-year-old hen or 3-year-old farm rooster is going to be tough.”

Cornish hens cost the grower and integrator more to raise. They are slow growing and their feed contains higher protein content throughout the growing cycle.

Their flavor is often described as rich and moist with a hint of sweetness. Because they're harvested so young, Cornish hens' meat is exceptionally tender. Their high skin-to-meat ratio makes them remarkably succulent too. Cornish hens are as versatile as conventional chickens, but cook faster and feel more special.

Cornish game hen (also Rock Cornish game hen) is the USDA-approved name for a particular variety of broiler chicken, produced from a cross between the Cornish and White Plymouth Rock chicken breeds, that is served young and immature, weighing no more than two pounds (900 g) ready to cook.

Carefully place them breast side down directly on the grates of the pellet grill or in a grill basket. Coat the hens with grapeseed oil spray and cook at 375*F for 60+ minutes until the internal tempearture reaches at least 165*F. If you prefer, you can carefully rotate them after 30 minutes of cook time.

The Cornish Game Hen is a Jumbo Cornish X Rock female. To get the single consumption sized bird, you would butcher them at 3.5-4 weeks of age. Otherwise, you may let them grow out to 8-10 weeks of age for a larger meat bird.

Properly sealed in air-tight packaging, frozen birds may be stored in the freezer for 7 or 10 months. Refrigerator Defrosting: To thaw, place frozen bird in the refrigerator and let set for at least 24 hours. Once thawed, cook within a day or two.