Roasted Cornish Hens

By á-41955

Ingredients

• For the Brine:
• 2 whole Cornish hens (1 to 1 1/2 lbs each)
• 10 - 12 cups water
• 3/4 cup sea salt
• 3/4 cup honey
• 1 large bay leaf
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp whole black peppercorns
• Seasonings:
• 1 tbsp dried thyme
• salt and pepper
• 2 small bunches fresh cilantro

Details

Adapted from allrecipe.com

Preparation

Step 1

Bring the brine ingredients to a boil. Allow to cool to room temperature. Place hens in brine, cover and refrigerate overnight or for at least eight hours. Remove the birds from the brine and rinse with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels.

Set oven to 400 degrees F. Place hens in a roasting pan and season liberally with dried thyme, salt and pepper, remembering to also season the cavity. Stuff the cavity of each bird with a handful of fresh cilantro. Roast in oven for 1 hour, rotating 180 degrees halfway through. If you find that the birds are getting too dark too quickly, cover with foil and continue to roast. Remove from the oven, and let rest, covered in foil, for 10 minutes before serving.