Best 10 Bajan Roast Game Hens Recipes

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Are you craving a delectable and exotic culinary experience? Look no further! Welcome to the world of Bajan Roast Game Hens, where flavors come alive and tantalize your taste buds. This dish, deeply rooted in the vibrant culture of Barbados, is a true testament to the island's rich culinary heritage. Get ready to embark on a culinary journey that will transport you to the sun-kissed shores of the Caribbean, where aromatic spices dance in harmony with tender game hens, creating a symphony of flavors that will leave you wanting more.

Here are our top 10 tried and tested recipes!

BAJAN ROAST GAME HENS



Bajan Roast Game Hens image

Provided by Moira Hodgson

Categories     dinner

Time 1h

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 13

3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
2 shallots, chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
4 scallions, trimmed and chopped
1 cup chopped Italian parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
1/4 cup ground allspice
About 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice and some to spare
4 tablespoons ( 1/2 stick) softened unsalted butter or olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
6 game hens

Steps:

  • Prepare the "seasoning": mash the garlic, ginger, shallots, jalapeno, scallions, parsley, cilantro and thyme to a paste in a mortar or puree in a food processor. Work in the allspice, most of the lime juice, butter, salt and pepper. Correct the seasonings, add salt, pepper and lime juice to taste.
  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Wash the game hens and blot them dry with paper towels. Loosen the skin on the hens. To do so, start at the neck of each bird and tunnel your fingers under the skin to separate the skin from the breast meat. Work carefully so as not to tear the skin.
  • Spread half of the seasoning mixture under the skins of the game hens. Rub the skin to force the mixture over the thigh and drumstick meat. Spread the remaining seasoning over the breast skin of the birds.
  • Roast the birds until golden brown, 30 to 40 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : @context http, Calories 780, UnsaturatedFat 33 grams, Carbohydrate 10 grams, Fat 55 grams, Fiber 3 grams, Protein 59 grams, SaturatedFat 18 grams, Sodium 934 milligrams, Sugar 2 grams, TransFat 0 grams

ROASTED GAME HENS



Roasted Game Hens image

Provided by Food Network

Categories     main-dish

Yield 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 26

1 1/2 small onions, cut into 6 quarters
6 Cornish game hens
6 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup white wine
1 1/2 lemons, cut into 6 quarters
6 Cornish game hens
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 lemons, cut into 6 quarters
1 1/2 small onions, cut into 6 quarters
6 tablespoons butter, softened
One 2-inch knob fresh ginger, minced
1/4 cup Asian five-spice powder
1/2 cup white wine
12 ounces ricotta
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg yolk, lightly beaten
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
2 small cloves garlic
6 Cornish game hens
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 lemons, cut into 6 quarters
1 1/2 small onions, cut into 6 quarters
1/2 cup white wine

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse the game hens and pat them dry. Season the cavities with salt and pepper and place a quarter lemon and a quarter onion in each cavity. Place the birds, breast side up, in a shallow roasting pan. Dot with butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the white wine into the pan. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the juices run clear when the hen is pierced in the thickest part of the thigh. Remove from the oven and serve with the pan juices spooned over the hens.
  • ROASTED GAME HENS WITH ASIAN SPICE RUB: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rinse the game hens and pat them dry. Season the cavities with salt and pepper and place a quarter lemon and a quarter onion in each cavity. In a small bowl, combine the butter, ginger and five-spice powder. Rub the five-spice mixture onto the hens. Place the birds, breast side up, in a shallow roasting pan. Pour the white wine into the pan. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the juices run clear when the hen is pierced in the thickest part of the thigh. Remove from the oven and serve with the pan juices spooned over the hens. Yield: 6 servings
  • ROASTED GAME HENS STUFFED UNDER THE SKIN WITH HERBED RICOTTA: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the ricotta in a fine sieve and drain for 30 minutes. In a medium bowl, combine the drained ricotta, Parmesan, egg yolk, herbs and lemon zest. Put the garlic clove through a garlic press and into the ricotta. Mix well, adding salt and pepper to taste. Rinse the game hens and pat them dry. Season the cavities with salt and pepper and place a quarter lemon and a quarter onion in each cavity. Loosen the skin on the breasts by sliding your fingers under the skin, being careful not to pierce it. Spoon the ricotta mixture under the skin (about 4 tablespoons of stuffing per bird.) Truss the birds. Place the birds, breast side up, in a shallow roasting pan. Pour the white wine into the pan. Bake for 1 hour, or until the juices run clear when the hen is pierced in the thickest part of the thigh. Remove from the oven and serve with the pan juices spooned over the hens. Yield: 6 servings

ROASTED CITRUS-HERB GAME HEN



Roasted Citrus-Herb Game Hen image

Provided by Giada De Laurentiis

Categories     main-dish

Time 1h5m

Yield 2 servings

Number Of Ingredients 16

2 (1 1/2 to 2-pound) Cornish game hens
1/4 cup olive oil
2 shallots, minced
2 tablespoons orange zest, from 2 medium oranges
2 tablespoons lemon zest, from about 3 lemons
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
2 cups low-sodium chicken stock
2 tablespoons Marsala wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1/4 cup dried cranberries or currants
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

Steps:

  • Place an oven rack in the lower 1/3 of the oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
  • Rinse the game hens and pat dry with paper towels. In a small bowl, mix together the olive oil, shallots, orange zest, lemon zest, thyme, mint, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Rub 2 tablespoons of the zest mixture over the skins of the game hens. Place the remainder of the zest mixture under the skin and into the cavities of the hens. Using kitchen twine, truss the legs together. Place the hens in a shallow 9 by 13-inch baking dish. Add the chicken stock, Marsala wine, lemon juice, orange juice, and cranberries. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the leg juices run clear. Remove the game hens and set aside. Place the flour in a small saucepan. Whisk in the pan juices. Bring the juices to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until slightly thickened. Whisk in the butter and season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
  • To serve, remove the kitchen twine and place the hens on 2 serving plates. Drizzle with the citrus-herb sauce.

HERB-ROASTED GAME HENS



Herb-Roasted Game Hens image

These golden Cornish hens, shown at right, are seasoned with basil, sage and thyme for plenty of flavor. They're simple to prepare yet make any occasion seem special. For a fast finish, serve corn bread stuffing and chunky cinnamon applesauce...or roasted cubed potatoes with pepper and carrots plus instant chocolate pudding for dessert.

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 55m

Yield 2 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 8

2 Cornish game hens (20 to 24 ounces each)
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning

Steps:

  • Place hens, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Spoon over hens. , Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 50-60 minutes or a thermometer reads 180°.

Nutrition Facts :

HERB-ROASTED CORNISH GAME HENS



Herb-Roasted Cornish Game Hens image

Think of this recipe as a dinner-party building block: People-pleasing and delicious, it will become your signature dish.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Healthy Recipes     Gluten-Free Recipes

Number Of Ingredients 10

1/4 cup parsley leaves, packed
2 tablespoons rosemary leaves
2 tablespoons thyme leaves
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 lemon, ends trimmed, cut into wedges and seeded
1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt, plus more for sprinkling
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for sprinkling
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
6 1/2 pound Cornish game hens
4 tablespoons butter, softened

Steps:

  • Place parsley, rosemary, thyme, garlic, lemon, salt, and pepper in a food processor. Blend until finely chopped. With machine running, add olive oil.
  • Loosen skin from the hens. Put 1 tablespoon of herb mixture under skin of each hen, smoothing to cover breasts. Place the birds on a large rimmed baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.
  • Remove hens from refrigerator and bring to room temperature (about 1 hour). Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • Place hens on a clean rimmed baking sheet (it's okay if they touch). Brush butter over surface of hens and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast in oven, rotating pan once until golden brown and cooked through (meat thermometer should read 165 degrees when placed in the thigh), about 50 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and let stand at least 15 minutes before placing on individual plates. No carving necessary!

LEMON HERB GAME HENS



Lemon Herb Game Hens image

My mom made game hens for my dad once a week. When my sister and I were little we would try to sneak some of the chicken from his plate. For this dish, use whatever herbs you have on hand. If you have some in the garden, even better! -Meagan Meyer, Irving, Texas

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Dinner

Time 1h35m

Yield 6 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 11

6 Cornish game hens (20 to 24 ounces each )
3 medium lemons
1 whole garlic bulb, separated into 18 cloves
3/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 cup coarsly chopped fresh basil
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 375°. Place hens in a roasting pan. Cut 1-1/2 lemons into six wedges. Rub a lemon wedge over each hen; place wedges in roasting pan. Peel and cut garlic cloves in half. Rub cut side of a garlic half over each hen; place in cavity with five additional garlic halves. Rub 2 tablespoons oil over each hen; sprinkle with onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper., In a small bowl, mix basil, rosemary and thyme. Sprinkle half over hens; place remaining herbs in cavities. Cut remaining lemons into 12 slices; place over hens. Roast 1-1/4-1-1/2 hours or until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 170°. ,

Nutrition Facts : Calories 956 calories, Fat 76g fat (17g saturated fat), Cholesterol 351mg cholesterol, Sodium 568mg sodium, Carbohydrate 6g carbohydrate (1g sugars, Fiber 1g fiber), Protein 61g protein.

HOISIN-ROASTED GAME HENS



Hoisin-Roasted Game Hens image

Hoisin, which is a blend of soybeans, garlic, chiles, and spices, makes a sweet-and-tangy glaze for roasted Cornish game hens.

Provided by Martha Stewart

Categories     Food & Cooking     Healthy Recipes     Gluten-Free Recipes

Time 1h15m

Number Of Ingredients 6

4 Cornish game hens (each about 2 pounds), rinsed and patted dry
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger (2-inch piece)
2 fresh red chiles, seeded and minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1 bunch fresh cilantro, rinsed well and drained
1/2 cup hoisin, plus more for basting

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place hens in a roasting pan. Mix together garlic, ginger, and chiles in a small bowl. Rub garlic mixture over hens and under skin; stuff cavities with cilantro sprigs. Tie legs of each hen together with kitchen twine. Cover; refrigerate 20 minutes.
  • Remove hens from refrigerator, and brush with 1/2 cup hoisin. Roast 35 to 40 minutes, basting occasionally with extra hoisin. Remove from oven, and serve hot.

HERB-ROASTED GAME HENS



Herb-Roasted Game Hens image

These golden Cornish hens, shown at right, are seasoned with basil, sage and thyme for plenty of flavor. They're simple to prepare yet make any occasion seem special. For a fast finish, serve corn bread stuffing and chunky cinnamon applesauce...or roasted cubed potatoes with pepper and carrots plus instant chocolate pudding for dessert.

Provided by Allrecipes Member

Time 55m

Yield 2

Number Of Ingredients 8

2 whole birds Cornish game hens
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
2 garlic clove (blank)s garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon rubbed sage
½ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning

Steps:

  • Place hens, breast side up, on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Brush over hens. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 50-60 minutes or until juices run clear.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 781.8 calories, Carbohydrate 1.8 g, Cholesterol 369.9 mg, Fat 58.7 g, Fiber 0.6 g, Protein 58.1 g, SaturatedFat 20.4 g, Sodium 831.9 mg, Sugar 0.1 g

ROAST GAME HENS WITH SHERRY, GINGER AND LIME



Roast Game Hens with Sherry, Ginger and Lime image

Provided by John Vincent Serra

Yield Serves 4

Number Of Ingredients 9

1/2 cup canned low-salt chicken broth
1/4 cup dry Sherry
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
4 1 1/4-pound Cornish game hens, rinsed, patted dry
4 bacon slices
2 tablespoons dried rosemary

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 400°F. Boil first 6 ingredients in heavy medium saucepan until reduced to 3/4 cup, about 2 minutes.
  • Arrange Cornish game hens in roasting pan. Place 1 bacon slice and some rosemary into each hen cavity; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until golden brown and cooked through, basting often with Sherry mixture, about 1 hour. Transfer Cornish game hens to platter.

ROAST CORNISH GAME HEN WITH SPICY FRUIT SALSA



Roast Cornish Game Hen with Spicy Fruit Salsa image

Categories     Game     Poultry     Bake     Christmas     Picnic     Super Bowl     Quick & Easy     Winter     Thyme     Bon Appétit

Yield 2 servings; can be doubled

Number Of Ingredients 6

3/4 cup bottled fruit salsa
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 1 3/4-pound Cornish game hen, split in half along backbone

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 450°F. Mix first 3 ingredients in medium bowl. Transfer 3 tablespoons salsa mixture to small bowl and stir in oil and allspice. Place hen halves on rack set on baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; brush with oil mixture. Roast until juices run clear when thigh is pierced, about 25 minutes. Transfer hen halves to plates. Spoon remaining salsa mixture on top.

Tips:

  • Choose the right game hens. Look for plump hens with a healthy sheen. Avoid hens that look thin or have bruises.
  • Prepare the hens properly. Rinse the hens inside and out and pat them dry. Remove any excess fat or skin.
  • Use a flavorful marinade. Marinating the hens helps to tenderize them and add flavor. You can use a variety of marinades, such as a simple olive oil and herb marinade or a more complex marinade with spices and citrus.
  • Roast the hens at a high temperature. This will help to brown the skin and keep the hens moist.
  • Baste the hens regularly. Basting the hens helps to keep them moist and prevents them from drying out.
  • Let the hens rest before carving. This allows the juices to redistribute throughout the meat, making it more tender and flavorful.

Conclusion:

Bajan roast game hens are a delicious and easy-to-make dish that is perfect for a special occasion. By following these tips, you can ensure that your hens are cooked to perfection.

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