Grilled Cornish Hens
Easy and quick to cook, these grilled Cornish hens have so much natural flavor all they need is a little salt, pepper, a dash of garlic powder, and a light glaze made with honey and fresh lemon.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 4 cornish game hens 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 lbs each
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1-1/2 teaspoons salt
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 4 lemon wedges
For the glaze:
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat a gas or charcoal grill to medium-high heat (about 400°F).
- Make the glaze by combining the honey and lemon juice in a small bowl. Set aside.
- To prepare the hens, place them breast side down on a cutting board. Use a pair of poultry shears to remove the backbone by cutting straight down either side of it from the cavity to the neck.
- Once the backbone is removed, lay the hens skin side up and flatten them by pressing firmly on the breastbone with the heel of your hand.
- Combine the olive oil, salt, garlic powder and a few grinds of black pepper in a small bowl. Brush the hens on both sides with the mixture and set aside.
- Once the grill is preheated, oil the grates and add the hens, skin side up. Cover the grill and cook for 6 to 8 minutes (see notes).
- Using tongs and a large spatula, turn the hens skin side down, cover again and continue cooking until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 160°F, 6 to 8 minutes longer.
- Turn the hens skin side up again and brush liberally with the honey-lemon glaze.
- Leave on the grill for 1 additional minute, then transfer the hens to a serving platter and allow to rest for at least 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Because cornish hens vary in size and grill temperatures are considerably less reliable than ovens, it's important to keep a close eye on your hens while they cook. Be prepared to move them around a bit to tame any flare-ups and check their internal temperature after a total of 12 minutes cooking time. You can always put them back on the grill if they're not quite done, but there's no fixing an overcooked bird.