Roast Stuffed Cornish Game Hens

By norsegal8

Brining the birds breast-side down ensures that the meatiest portions are fully submerged. Pouring a little water into the roasting pan at the 25 minute mark, once the birds have been turned, both prevents them from smoking during cooking and makes instant “jus,” eliminating the need to deglaze the pan over two burners. To enrich the flavor of the jus to use as a sauce, pour it into a small saucepan, spoon off the fat that collects on the surface, and simmer it with a little vermouth or white wine. To view the wild rice stuffing recipe without registering, click here.

Ingredients

• 2 cups kosher salt or 1 cup table salt
• 6 Cornish game hens (each less than 1 1/2 pounds if possible), trimmed of extra fat, giblets removed, rinsed well
• 6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup dry vermouth or white wine
• 1 recipe stuffing (see related recipes), heated until very hot

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

1. Dissolve salt in 5 quarts cold water in small clean bucket or large bowl. Add hens breast side down; refrigerate 2 to 3 hours. Remove, rinse thoroughly, pat dry, and prick skin all over breast and legs with point of a paring knife.

2. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Whisk balsamic vinegar and oil in small bowl; set aside. Spoon 1/2 cup hot stuffing into cavity of each hen; tie its legs together with 6-inch piece of kitchen twine. Leaving as much space as possible between each bird, arrange them breast side down and wings facing out, on large (at least 19-by-13–inch) wire rack, set over equally large roasting or jelly-roll pan. Roast until backs are golden brown, about 25 minutes. Remove pan from oven, brush bird backs with vinegar and oil glaze (re-blending before each bird), turn hens breast side up and wings facing out, and brush breast and leg area with additional glaze. Returned pan to oven, add 1 cup water, roast until meat thermometer inserted into the stuffed cavity registers about 150 degrees, about 15 to 20 minutes longer. Remove pan from oven again, brush birds with re-blended glaze, return pan to oven, add another 1/2 cup water to pan and increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Roast until birds are spotty brown and cavity registers 160 degrees, 5 to 10 minutes longer, depending on bird size. Remove birds from oven, brush with remaining glaze, and rest for 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, pour hen “jus” from roasting pan into small saucepan, spoon off excess fat, add vermouth or wine, and simmer over medium-high heat until flavors blend, 2 to 3 minutes. Drizzle about 1/4 cup sauce over each hen and serve, passing remaining sauce separately.