I just picked up two Cornish Game Hens, a little less than 1 1/2 lbs
each and I want to roast them and serve them for tonight's dinner.

The last time, I left them in the oven too long and I do not want to
make the same mistake today.

How long should they be roasted and at what temperature? I will not
stuff them.

Thank you for your help, MS

>Margaret Suran wrote:
>
>I just picked up two Cornish Game Hens, a little less than 1 1/2 lbs
>each and I want to roast them and serve them for tonight's dinner.
>
>The last time, I left them in the oven too long and I do not want to
>make the same mistake today.
>
>How long should they be roasted and at what temperature? I will not
>stuff them.
>
>Thank you for your help, MS

Preheat oven to 450F, place trussed, seasoned hens on a rack in a pan and cook
for about 30 minutes or until thermometer says 170F. Let rest 10 minutes then
slice in half.


---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
Sheldon
````````````
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."

"PENMART01" > wrote in message
...
> >Margaret Suran wrote:
> >
> >I just picked up two Cornish Game Hens, a little less than 1 1/2 lbs
> >each and I want to roast them and serve them for tonight's dinner.
> >
> >The last time, I left them in the oven too long and I do not want to
> >make the same mistake today.
> >
> >How long should they be roasted and at what temperature? I will not
> >stuff them.
> >
> >Thank you for your help, MS
>
> Preheat oven to 450F, place trussed, seasoned hens on a rack in a pan and
cook
> for about 30 minutes or until thermometer says 170F. Let rest 10 minutes
then
> slice in half.
>
>
> ---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
> ---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
> Sheldon
> ````````````
> "Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."
>

You two are making me hungry! I haven't had a Cornish Hen in so long! My
former husband refused to eat anything that he had to pick apart - which
included peel & eat shrimp, Crab claws or Lobster tail. God forbid I hand
him a bird on the bone!

kili

kilikini wrote:

> You two are making me hungry! I haven't had a Cornish Hen in so long! My
> former husband refused to eat anything that he had to pick apart - which
> included peel & eat shrimp, Crab claws or Lobster tail. God forbid I hand
> him a bird on the bone!
>
> kili
>
>

My husband was just the opposite. He loved anything he could pick up
with his fingers and eat, unpeeled shrimp, Stone Crabs and any kind of
poultry on the bone. We also considered Asparagus and Pommes Frites
to be finger foods, because that is the way it was eaten at informal
meals when we were children. Erich died in 1991 and I seldom make
Rock Cornish Hens any more.

Victor Borge, the great Danish comic pianist popularized the little
birds when he bought a farm and raised them. They were smaller at
that time, or at least I think so, just a pound and now they are as
large as two pounds. MS

"kilikini" > wrote in message
...
:
: "PENMART01" > wrote in message
: ...
: > >Margaret Suran wrote:
: > >
: > >I just picked up two Cornish Game Hens, a little less than 1
1/2 lbs
: > >each and I want to roast them and serve them for tonight's
dinner.
: > >
: > >The last time, I left them in the oven too long and I do not
want to
: > >make the same mistake today.
: > >
: > >How long should they be roasted and at what temperature? I
will not
: > >stuff them.
: > >
: > >Thank you for your help, MS
: >
: > Preheat oven to 450F, place trussed, seasoned hens on a rack
in a pan and
: cook
: > for about 30 minutes or until thermometer says 170F. Let
rest 10 minutes
: then
: > slice in half.
: >
: >
: > ---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
: > ---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
: > Sheldon
: > ````````````
: > "Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without
tribulation."
: >
:
: You two are making me hungry! I haven't had a Cornish Hen in
so long! My
: former husband refused to eat anything that he had to pick
apart - which
: included peel & eat shrimp, Crab claws or Lobster tail. God
forbid I hand
: him a bird on the bone!
:
: kili
:
: ================

Ooooooohhhhhhh, yeah baby, I haven't tried Cornish Hens in the
Rotisserie yet... I did chicken breasts in it tonight. I'm
planning on making a bunch of chicken salad with it tomorrow.
Yumm! I've got to start inviting bunches of people over during
the next couple of months so that I can get the freezers emptied
out before we move!

--
Cyndi
<Remove a "b" to reply>

kilikini wrote in rec.food.cooking

>
> You two are making me hungry! I haven't had a Cornish Hen in so long!
> My former husband refused to eat anything that he had to pick apart -
> which included peel & eat shrimp, Crab claws or Lobster tail. God
> forbid I hand him a bird on the bone!
>
> kili
>
>
Hey Kili, what are you doing here girl/
Get, go on back to abf. 8o}


--
BigDog
To E-mail me, you know what to do.

"BigDog" > wrote in message
...
> kilikini wrote in rec.food.cooking
>
> >
> > You two are making me hungry! I haven't had a Cornish Hen in so long!
> > My former husband refused to eat anything that he had to pick apart -
> > which included peel & eat shrimp, Crab claws or Lobster tail. God
> > forbid I hand him a bird on the bone!
> >
> > kili
> >
> >
> Hey Kili, what are you doing here girl/
> Get, go on back to abf. 8o}
>
>
> --
> BigDog
> To E-mail me, you know what to do.

I subscribe to more than one Newsgroup, ya know! Hmpf. LOL

kili

PENMART01 wrote:
>>Margaret Suran wrote:
>>
>>I just picked up two Cornish Game Hens, a little less than 1 1/2 lbs
>>each and I want to roast them and serve them for tonight's dinner.
>>
>>The last time, I left them in the oven too long and I do not want to
>>make the same mistake today.
>>
>>How long should they be roasted and at what temperature? I will not
>>stuff them.
>>
>>Thank you for your help, MS
>
>
> Preheat oven to 450F, place trussed, seasoned hens on a rack in a pan and cook
> for about 30 minutes or until thermometer says 170F. Let rest 10 minutes then
> slice in half.
>
>
Thank you. Last time I roasted them for more than an hour, first at
400 degrees, then at 300 degrees. No wonder they were all dried out.

MS

Margaret Suran wrote:
> No wonder they were all dried out.

Did you brine them? That always helps.

--
John Gaughan
http://www.johngaughan.net/

Margaret Suran wrote:

> Thank you. Last time I roasted them for more than an hour, first at
> 400 degrees, then at 300 degrees. No wonder they were all dried out.

Margaret, do you have a probe thermometer?

nancy

Nancy Young wrote:
> Margaret Suran wrote:
>
>
>>Thank you. Last time I roasted them for more than an hour, first at
>>400 degrees, then at 300 degrees. No wonder they were all dried out.
>
>
> Margaret, do you have a probe thermometer?
>
> nancy

Nancy, I don't even know what a Probe Thermometer is. Please, don't
tell me it is a rectal thermometer, to take the chickens'
temperature. ) MS

Margaret Suran wrote:
>
> Nancy Young wrote:

> > Margaret, do you have a probe thermometer?

> Nancy, I don't even know what a Probe Thermometer is. Please, don't
> tell me it is a rectal thermometer, to take the chickens'
> temperature. ) MS

(laughing!!!) Well, you'll find out soon enough.

nancy

Margaret Suran > wrote in
:

>
>
> PENMART01 wrote:
>>>Margaret Suran wrote:
>>>
>>>I just picked up two Cornish Game Hens, a little less than 1 1/2 lbs
>>>each and I want to roast them and serve them for tonight's dinner.
>>>
>>>The last time, I left them in the oven too long and I do not want to
>>>make the same mistake today.
>>>
>>>How long should they be roasted and at what temperature? I will not
>>>stuff them.
>>>
>>>Thank you for your help, MS
>>
>>
>> Preheat oven to 450F, place trussed, seasoned hens on a rack in a pan
>> and cook for about 30 minutes or until thermometer says 170F. Let
>> rest 10 minutes then slice in half.
>>
>>
> Thank you. Last time I roasted them for more than an hour, first at
> 400 degrees, then at 300 degrees. No wonder they were all dried out.
>
> MS
>
>

You can make up a moist stuffing mix....cut the hens in half and bake them
on top of the stuffing mix (skin side up)... very nice that way. Hell
Cornish Hens are nice just about any way.

--
Once during Prohibition I was forced to live for days on nothing but food
and water.
--------
FIELDS, W. C.

In article >, hahabogus
> wrote:

> You can make up a moist stuffing mix....cut the hens in half and bake
> them on top of the stuffing mix (skin side up)... very nice that way.
> Hell Cornish Hens are nice just about any way.

Am I the only person who doesn't like them? Been a long time since I've
prepared one, though I ate one recently. I didn't find it as flavorful
as a good chicken - and a lot of bone for the amount of meat on it.
What am I missing?
--
-Barb, <www.jamlady.eboard.com> updated 3-29-04.

>Am I the only person who doesn't like them? Been a long time since I've
>prepared one, though I ate one recently. I didn't find it as flavorful
>as a good chicken - and a lot of bone for the amount of meat on it.
>What am I missing?
>--
>-Barb

I don't like them either, they contain a very high percentage of bone and fat
to meat... they're kinda greasy and not very flavorful... definately not nearly
as economical as 'regular' chicken either (cornish game hens are in fact
chicken, hybridized). Serving half a bird is really skimpy, more a young
child's portion. I rarely make them... last time musta been at least five
years ago.

chicken
Rock Cornish hen, also called Rock Cornish game hen , is a hybrid of Cornish
and White Rock chickens. These miniature chickens weigh up to 2 1/2 pounds and
are 4 to 6 weeks old. Because of the relatively small amount of meat to bone,
each hen is usually just enough for one serving. Rock Cornish hens are best
broiled or roasted.

© Copyright Barron's Educational Services, Inc. 1995
based on THE FOOD LOVER'S COMPANION, 2nd edition, by Sharon Tyler Herbst.
---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
Sheldon
````````````
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."

Melba's Jammin' wrote:
>
> In article >, hahabogus
> > wrote:
>
> > You can make up a moist stuffing mix....cut the hens in half and bake
> > them on top of the stuffing mix (skin side up)... very nice that way.
> > Hell Cornish Hens are nice just about any way.
>
> Am I the only person who doesn't like them? Been a long time since I've
> prepared one, though I ate one recently. I didn't find it as flavorful
> as a good chicken - and a lot of bone for the amount of meat on it.
> What am I missing?
> --
> -Barb, <www.jamlady.eboard.com> updated 3-29-04.

Well, I think they're better than chicken. But they
are chicken, just very young chicken. I've always
found them juicier - especially the breast meat, which
I don't care for on chicken or turkey because it's
always dry and has little flavor. Also, I find the
game hen meat to be very flavorful compared to regular
chicken. You must have gotten a bad one or a poorly
prepared one. And, of course the meat to bone ratio
is going to be low because they're small. That's just
the way things are. But I like them better than chicken
so I don't worry about that.

Kate
--
Kate Connally
“If I were as old as I feel, I’d be dead already.”
Goldfish: “The wholesome snack that smiles back,
Until you bite their heads off.”
What if the hokey pokey really *is* what it's all about?

Melba's Jammin' wrote:
> In article >, hahabogus
> > wrote:
>
>
>>You can make up a moist stuffing mix....cut the hens in half and bake
>>them on top of the stuffing mix (skin side up)... very nice that way.
>>Hell Cornish Hens are nice just about any way.
>
>
> Am I the only person who doesn't like them? Been a long time since I've
> prepared one, though I ate one recently. I didn't find it as flavorful
> as a good chicken - and a lot of bone for the amount of meat on it.
> What am I missing?

I used to make a stuffing with white bread, onions and chicken livers.
If I served whole chickens, I would put the stuffing inside the
bird, otherwise I served quartered pieces of the chicken, with the
bread stuffing on the side. I would allow a bird and a half for each
guest. Cranberries or lingonberries go well with that dish.

Barbara, where do you buy your Cornish Hens? Never get one that is or
has been frozen. The free range are best and all I do with it is rub
butter all over the skin and inside the cavity and then crush one or
two garlic cloves and rub that all over the butter.

Yesterday's chickens came out especially good, because I roasted them,
per instructions, for a short time, thirty minutes of less, in a hot
oven. The skin was crisp, the meat was tender and juicy and there
were enough brown particles on the bottom of the pot to make a
flavorful gravy, with the addition of a small amount of chicken stock.
Before today, I used to follow the recipe that calls for one hour at
350 degrees and that produced much drier meat. We only ate half, so we
still have enough left overs for tonight.

Barbara, next time you come to visit, I will make one for you. Of
course, you will miss dinner at the Mocca. )

MS

Margaret Suran wrote:

> I just picked up two Cornish Game Hens, a little less than 1 1/2 lbs
> each and I want to roast them and serve them for tonight's dinner.
>
> The last time, I left them in the oven too long and I do not want to
> make the same mistake today.
>
> How long should they be roasted and at what temperature? I will not
> stuff them.
>
> Thank you for your help, MS

It's difficult to give a time because there are so many variables.
Here are a few places where it can go wrong:
* oven temperature inaccurate
* bird very cold when put into oven
* bird very warm
* Pan has high sides and shields bird from air movement
* pan with bird in top part of oven.
* pan with bird in bottom part of oven

And more besides.

Cornish hens are small and the meat isn't very thick. It will cook
rather quickly and then it will sit and dehydrate thereafter as long
as you let it.

The best way to cook them is the way they're done by professionals.
They don't guess. Cook at a relatively low temperature (275F to 325F)
until the meat in the thigh is 155F to 160F. Let it rest for about 10
minutes and eat. A quick-read thermometer is the tool to have.
Relatively inexpensive and useful for everything from meats to bread.

Any other index will give you uneven results. From occasion to
occasion, the birds will turn out different using any index but
temperature. That old "twist the leg" approach is ok if you do it
often. But if it's an infrequent dinner item, you're just guessing.

But I wouldn't be cooking it any longer than about 40 minutes (at the
outside), depending on the size of the little critter.

Pastorio

Thank you all for your posts.

We just finished eating dinner and the little chickens came out done
just right, juicy with a crispy skin. With it I made a green salad
with vinegar and oil and I cubed two medium sized baking potatoes and
sprinkled some oil over the raw cubes. I stuck them into the oven
about ten minutes before the chickens and they were nicely baked by
the time I served dinner.

Cantaloupe melon for dessert. After two huge Passover meals, I am
trying to lose a few pounds.

Happy Easter to all, Margaret

>Margaret Suran
>
>Thank you all for your posts.
>
>We just finished eating dinner and the little chickens came out done
>just right,

There were various methods posted, which did you use?


---= BOYCOTT FRENCH--GERMAN (belgium) =---
---= Move UNITED NATIONS To Paris =---
Sheldon
````````````
"Life would be devoid of all meaning were it without tribulation."

PENMART01 wrote:
>>Margaret Suran
>>
>>Thank you all for your posts.
>>
>>We just finished eating dinner and the little chickens came out done
>>just right,
>
>
> There were various methods posted, which did you use?
>
I used the one you posted. It sounded good to start with and easy,
too. I do not brine, because I try to stay away from Sodium and I did
not want to start butterflying the little birds.

I have saved the recipe for next time. Thank you.

Margaret Suran > wrote in message >...
> I just picked up two Cornish Game Hens, a little less than 1 1/2 lbs
> each and I want to roast them and serve them for tonight's dinner.
>
> The last time, I left them in the oven too long and I do not want to
> make the same mistake today.
>
> How long should they be roasted and at what temperature? I will not
> stuff them.
>
> Thank you for your help, MS

I generally roast gamehens at 350 F for approximately an hour, and
baste them often as they cook. I put olive oil in the roasting pan
first,then put a whole, peeled clove of garlic in and spread the olive
oil in a thin layer over the bottom of the roasting pan with it. A
sprinkle of Balsamic vinegar also makes a nice basting juice as the
bird roasts. After Roasting, I cut them apart and have half for
dinner, then the other half for lunch or dinner the following day.
Delish!

Melissa

Melissa Houle wrote:
>
> Margaret Suran > wrote in message >...
> > I just picked up two Cornish Game Hens, a little less than 1 1/2 lbs
> > each and I want to roast them and serve them for tonight's dinner.
> >
> > The last time, I left them in the oven too long and I do not want to
> > make the same mistake today.
> >
> > How long should they be roasted and at what temperature? I will not
> > stuff them.
> >
> > Thank you for your help, MS
>
> I generally roast gamehens at 350 F for approximately an hour, and
> baste them often as they cook. I put olive oil in the roasting pan
> first,then put a whole, peeled clove of garlic in and spread the olive
> oil in a thin layer over the bottom of the roasting pan with it. A
> sprinkle of Balsamic vinegar also makes a nice basting juice as the
> bird roasts. After Roasting, I cut them apart and have half for
> dinner, then the other half for lunch or dinner the following day.
> Delish!
>
> Melissa

This sounds right to me. I used to roast cornish
hens all the time and it was 350F for 1 hour.
I don't do them anymore because they're so expensive
these days.
Kate
--
Kate Connally
“If I were as old as I feel, I’d be dead already.”
Goldfish: “The wholesome snack that smiles back,
Until you bite their heads off.”
What if the hokey pokey really *is* what it's all about?

Kate Connally > wrote in message >...
> Melissa Houle wrote:
> >
> SNIP> >
> > I generally roast gamehens at 350 F for approximately an hour, and
> > baste them often as they cook. I put olive oil in the roasting pan
> > first,then put a whole, peeled clove of garlic in and spread the olive
> > oil in a thin layer over the bottom of the roasting pan with it. A
> > sprinkle of Balsamic vinegar also makes a nice basting juice as the
> > bird roasts. After Roasting, I cut them apart and have half for
> > dinner, then the other half for lunch or dinner the following day.
> > Delish!
> >
> > Melissa
>
> This sounds right to me. I used to roast cornish
> hens all the time and it was 350F for 1 hour.
> I don't do them anymore because they're so expensive
> these days.
> Kate

Interesting... I find them one of the more economic meats I cook. I
go to Costco, and get a package of six frozen game hens at a time,
which is about $12.50 $13.00. So we're talking about $2.25 ish per
bird, and I can get two meals off one of them. This seems like a good
value to me, especially when compared to the price of beef and lamb,
these days.

Another favorite way to cook them is with little baby pearl onions,
carrots and potatoes all in the roasting pan together. This has the
added advantage on cutting down the number of dishes you have to wash
after supper.

Melissa

Melissa Houle wrote:
>
> Kate Connally > wrote in message >...
> > Melissa Houle wrote:
> > >
> > SNIP> >
> > > I generally roast gamehens at 350 F for approximately an hour, and
> > > baste them often as they cook. I put olive oil in the roasting pan
> > > first,then put a whole, peeled clove of garlic in and spread the olive
> > > oil in a thin layer over the bottom of the roasting pan with it. A
> > > sprinkle of Balsamic vinegar also makes a nice basting juice as the
> > > bird roasts. After Roasting, I cut them apart and have half for
> > > dinner, then the other half for lunch or dinner the following day.
> > > Delish!
> > >
> > > Melissa
> >
> > This sounds right to me. I used to roast cornish
> > hens all the time and it was 350F for 1 hour.
> > I don't do them anymore because they're so expensive
> > these days.
> > Kate
>
> Interesting... I find them one of the more economic meats I cook. I
> go to Costco, and get a package of six frozen game hens at a time,
> which is about $12.50 $13.00. So we're talking about $2.25 ish per
> bird, and I can get two meals off one of them. This seems like a good
> value to me, especially when compared to the price of beef and lamb,
> these days.

Well, I don't shop at places like that so I have to go with
the supermarket price. We have Sam's Club but for me it's not
worth the membership price because I wouldn't shop there that
often. They don't have much that I want to buy and I don't like
have to go to more than one store for my grocery shopping as I
don't have the energy. Also, I don't have room in my freezer to
store 6 game hens (or even five it I eat one right away).

I remember when I would get a game hen for about $1 or $1.50
now they're about 4 bucks a piece - maybe more - I haven't
looked in a while.

> Another favorite way to cook them is with little baby pearl onions,
> carrots and potatoes all in the roasting pan together. This has the
> added advantage on cutting down the number of dishes you have to wash
> after supper.

I have a killer recipe for game hens stuffed with a curried
rice stuffing (it has almonds and dried apricots in it - yum)
so I splurge once in a while for company and make them.

Kate

--
Kate Connally
“If I were as old as I feel, I’d be dead already.”
Goldfish: “The wholesome snack that smiles back,
Until you bite their heads off.”
What if the hokey pokey really *is* what it's all about?

Margaret Suran > wrote:

> I just picked up two Cornish Game Hens, a little less than 1 1/2 lbs
> each and I want to roast them and serve them for tonight's dinner.

For the future, scratch the idea and make Cornish Game hens under press
instead, substituting them for the usual poussins - a much better use of
'em, AFAIC. Takes about 5 minutes per side for birds of that size. If
you want to find real poussins, a still better bet - fresh even rather
than frozen - you might want to check out either Saul's or Eli's Zabar's
offerings (HA!), chances are they might have them.

Victor