Smoked Cornish Game Hens

By mdyess

Ingredients

• This recipe is for four Cornish game hens, and will feed 6 to 8 people. These
• go along nicely with a variety of grille<:L vegetabl~ and a cold Rasta salad.
• Brine Ingredients
• Three pints water
• One pint apple juice
• One -third cup canning salt
• Two tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon dill weed, dry
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• Combine the brine ingredients and bring to a boil. Remove the
• brine from the heat and chill down to 36 to 40 degrees
• Fahrenheit.

Preparation

Step 1

Prepare the game hens by cutting along each side of the backbone, removing it from the carcass. Push down on the
breast to flatten, and then remove the ribs if you like.
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.
Allow the birds to rest for half an hour after smoking before
splitting through the breasts and serving.
Optionally, the game hens can be indirect grilled, or grilled over
medium low heat 45 to 75 minutes, or until 175 degrees is
reached.