Roasted Cornish Game Hen
← meats
From the kitchen of: Alicia Wingren
Thanks to Allie for the inspiration!
Ingredients
2 1/2 pound Cornish game hens
1 tablespoons rosemary leaves
1 tablespoons thyme leaves
1 cloves garlic, peeled
1 lemon, zested & juiced
3/4 teaspoons coarse salt, plus more for sprinkling
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for sprinkling
2 Tbsp butter, softened
mirepoix
1-2 quartered large onion, four stalks of celery, four carrots (doesn't have to be exact!)
chicken broth to taste
Method
Mix thyme, garlic, lemon juice, 1/8 zest minced finely, salt, and pepper in a mixing bowl, use a fork to combine with softened butter.
Pat the birds dry with a paper towel. Work about half the butter mixture under the skin of each hen, smoothing to cover breasts. Rub any additional herb butter on the outside. Place the birds on a large rimmed baking sheet, on a rack, loosely cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
Remove hens from refrigerator about an hour before ready to cook so they will come up to room temp. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place a mirepoix on a clean rimmed baking sheet, then a roasting rack, then the birds (it's okay if they touch). Season hens generously with salt and pepper. Roast in oven, rotate the pan at the 20 minute mark, roast until golden brown and cooked through (meat thermometer should read 165 degrees when placed in the thigh), about 40 minutes.
Place birds on serving platter in a warm oven to allow them to rest while you make gravy!
Gravy:
scrape up mirepoix, fond, and drippings and place in narrow sauce pan over medium heat, blend with immersion blender, add broth to create desired thickness, taste and add S&P as necessary.
Serve birds with mashed potatoes and gravy. Green Bean Casserole and sweet potatoes are also yummy sides.
