Prepare to embark on a culinary journey that will tantalize your taste buds with our guide to creating the ultimate grilled game hens with blood orange and rosemary. This delectable dish combines the rich, gamey flavor of tender game hens with the vibrant, tangy sweetness of blood oranges and the aromatic fragrance of fresh rosemary. As you follow our carefully crafted recipe, you'll discover the secrets to perfectly grilling your game hens, infusing them with a smoky, charred flavor while retaining their succulent juiciness. We'll also guide you through creating a flavorful marinade that will enhance the hens' natural taste, along with a refreshing salsa made from sweet blood oranges and tangy red onions. Get ready to impress your friends and family with this exquisite dish that will leave them craving for more!
Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!
GRILLED GAME HENS WITH BLOOD ORANGE AND ROSEMARY
Give this grilled game hen recipe a try. The secret ingredient for this marinade is the exotic blood orange. They add a wonderful sweet/tart flavor that's just perfect with the spicy chili sauce and aromatic rosemary.
Provided by Chef John
Categories Meat and Poultry Recipes Chicken Cornish Hen Recipes
Time 3h
Yield 4
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Place game hens in a large bowl; drizzle hens with olive oil and blood orange juice. Sprinkle with chopped rosemary and rosemary sprigs. Add Asian chili paste to hens; season with salt and pepper. Stir chickens in the seasonings and juice to coat. Use your fingers to loosen the skin over the breasts and spread a little of the marinade under the skin.
- Refrigerate with breast sides down for 2 hours to marinate.
- Preheat outdoor grill (preferably charcoal) for medium heat (one layer of coals). Drain chickens and discard marinade.
- Place chickens with breast sides down onto grill and cover with grill lid with the vents open. Cook until breast sides are evenly browned, 7 to 10 minutes. Flip chickens and cook on their backs with cover (vents open) until the juices run clear, hip joints move easily, and meat is no longer pink inside. An instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a thigh reads at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C), 30 to 35 more minutes.
- Close the grill vents on the lid halfway. Flip chickens back onto breasts, close lid, and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 382.5 calories, Carbohydrate 5.6 g, Cholesterol 151 mg, Fat 27.9 g, Fiber 1.3 g, Protein 26.1 g, SaturatedFat 6.8 g, Sodium 233 mg
STEVE RAICHLEN'S GRILLED GAME HENS
Categories Game Poultry Fourth of July Picnic Spring Grill/Barbecue Parade
Yield Makes 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- 1. For the marinade, whisk together all the ingredients except the game hens and lemons in a large bowl.
- 2. Rinse, drain, and halve the hens lengthwise; place in the bowl, coating thoroughly with marinade. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 8 hours (the longer, the better), turning occasionally.
- 3. Preheat the grill, using the three-tier method (see note below ). When ready to cook, oil the grill rack. Remove hens from the marinade and arrange skin-side down on the rack over the hottest section of the grill; cook until the skin starts to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Move the hens to the center section of the grill and continue to cook until the skin is thoroughly browned, 7 to 10 minutes more.
- 4. Turn the hens and move them back to the hottest section of the grill. Brown the second side well, 5 to 7 minutes, then move the pieces back to the center section of the grill to finish cooking. The total cooking time will be about 25 to 35 minutes. When ready, the hens will be crisp and golden-brown outside, and the juices will run clear when the meat is pierced. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.
- Three-Tier Grilling Method:
- Pile 2/3 of the coals on one side of the grill and the remaining 1/3 in the center. Leave a small portion of the grill free of coals. Three-tier grilling gives you a super-hot heat source for searing, a moderately hot heat source for cooking, and an area to place the food if it starts to burn. You control the heat by moving the food from one area to the other.
GRILLED HERBED CORNISH GAME HENS
I found this one in a 2002 issue of Fine Cooking. I am posting here so I don't lose. Sounds easy and delicious.
Provided by TXOLDHAM
Categories Poultry
Time 40m
Yield 4-6 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 7
Steps:
- Heat a grill to high. Remove the backbone of each hen. Turn the hens skin side up and press on the breast bone to flatten. If desired you can cut through the breast to half the hens. Rinse each hen and dry.
- Spread the hens out flat on a large shallow baking sheet and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Bend the wings under the breasts to protect them from burning.
- Pour 1/4 cup of the olive oil into a small bowl and add the garlic, a generous amount of pepper, and all but 1 teaspoon each of the thyme and rosemary. Brush the hens liberally on both sides with the seasoned oil and more pepper.
- Grill the hens skin side down, uncovered, until the skin develops nice grill marks (rotate a quarter turn after first 3 minutes to create a crosshatch pattern). Turn the hens over and sear on the second side, again uncovered for about 4 minutes. Sprinkle the skin side with the reserved herbs and salt, reduce the heat and close the lid. If using a charcoal grill, move to side of coals to cook indirectly. Cook until the hens are tender and the skin is crisp and golden. A instant-read thermometer inserted into the thick part of the thigh should read 180 degrees, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Put the hens on a large serving platter. Whisk together the remaining 1/4 cup oil and the lemon juice. Serve the hens drizzled with the lemon oil. Serve immediately.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 522, Fat 35, SaturatedFat 5.8, Cholesterol 217.5, Sodium 163.7, Carbohydrate 1.5, Fiber 0.3, Sugar 0.2, Protein 48.1
GRILLED GAME HEN WITH MOROCCAN SPICES
Categories Low Carb Low/No Sugar Wheat/Gluten-Free Spice Summer Grill/Barbecue Bon Appétit
Yield Makes 2 Servings
Number Of Ingredients 6
Steps:
- Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Stir curry powder, coriander, cumin and cayenne in heavy small skillet over medium-low heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add garlic to skillet; mix into spices.
- Using fingertips, loosen skin of game hen pieces. Rub spice paste onto meat under skin. Sprinkle outside of pieces with salt and pepper.
- Place hen pieces on grill. Cover with foil and grill 10 minutes. Uncover; turn pieces over. Cover and continue to grill until golden brown, cooked through and juices run clear when hen is pierced with small knife, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes for breast pieces and 15 minutes for leg-thigh pieces. Serve hot or at room temperature.
CORNISH GAME HENS WITH GARLIC & ROSEMARY
Lemon and rosemary infused hens basted with wine and garlic broth that is incredibly delicious- and easy to do
Provided by Sracampo
Categories Whole Chicken
Time 1h20m
Yield 4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Rub hens with 1 tbsp of olive oil. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Place 1 lemon wedge and 1 sprig of rosemary in each cavity. Arrange in a large roasting pan and arrange garlic cloves around hens. Roast in preheated oven for 25 minutes.
- Reduce oven temp to 350°F (175°C). In mixing bowl combine wine, broth and 2 tbsp of olive oil and pour over hens. Continue roasting about 25 minutes or longer (I cooked total 1 hr 15 min), until hens are golden brown and juices run clear. Baste with pan juices every 10 minutes.
- Transfer hens to platter, pouring cavity juices into the roasting pan. Tent hens to keep warm with tin foil. Transfer pan juices and garlic cloves to saucepan and boil until liquids reduce to a sauce consistency, about 6 minutes. (I mashed garlic). Cut hens in half lengthwise and arrange on plates. Spoon garlic sauce around hens. Garnish with rosemary and serve.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 418.4, Fat 18.4, SaturatedFat 3.5, Cholesterol 217.5, Sodium 231.1, Carbohydrate 9.4, Fiber 1.6, Sugar 0.4, Protein 49.8
GRILLED GAME HENS
I love to cook and bake just about everything, but grilling is my specialty. These game hens pick up wonderful flavor from a sweet and refreshing marinade.-Kriss Erickson, Kalauea, Hawaii
Provided by Taste of Home
Categories Dinner
Time 40m
Yield 4 servings.
Number Of Ingredients 10
Steps:
- Place hens in a large resealable plastic bag. In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Pour half into bag; add the hens. Seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade. , Drain and discard marinade from hens. Place hens in a 13x9-in. disposable aluminum pan. Pour reserved marinade over hens; cover pan. , Grill, covered, over medium-hot heat for 35-40 minutes or until a thermometer reads 180° and meat juices run clear, basting frequently. Place hens directly over heat for the last 3-4 minutes of cooking time, turning once.
Nutrition Facts :
Tips:
- To ensure even cooking, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the game hens. The ideal internal temperature for poultry is 165°F (74°C).
- If you don't have blood oranges, you can substitute regular oranges or grapefruits.
- For a more flavorful marinade, add some minced garlic, chopped fresh herbs, or a splash of white wine.
- If you're short on time, you can skip the marinating step and simply season the game hens with salt, pepper, and rosemary before grilling.
- Be careful not to overcook the game hens, or they will become dry and tough.
Conclusion:
Grilled game hens with blood orange and rosemary is a delicious and elegant dish that is perfect for a special occasion. The blood oranges add a sweet and tangy flavor to the game hens, while the rosemary adds a savory and aromatic touch. This dish is sure to impress your guests and leave them wanting more.
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