Spatchcocked Cornish Game Hens
Spatchcocked Cornish Game Hens are the juiciest and most flavorful cornish hens you will ever have.
Spatchcocked Cornish Game Hens are the juiciest and most flavorful cornish hens you will ever have.
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 gallon water
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 2 ea cornish game hens thawed
- 1/2 cup salt non-ionized salt
- 1 ea bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon pickling spice available in most grocery stores
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper fresh cracked
- 2 tablespoon charlie vargas rendevous dry rub see notes for substitution
- Carbohydrate 63.2399975021637 g
- Cholesterol 169.68 mg
- Fat 24.7729162500168 g
- Fiber 9.77529999823883 g
- Protein 33.0036500002601 g
- Saturated Fat 6.90203025000299 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (733g)
- Sodium 133.250125000693 mg
- Sugar 53.4646975039248 g
- Trans Fat 2.07522225000508 g
- Calories 582 calories
Step-by-step
- Wash hens and set aside.
- Make a brine by mixing the water, salt, sugar, garlic, bay leaf, and pickling spice. Be sure that the sugar and salt are disolved. Place birds in the brine in a lidded tupperware container and refrigerate for 6-8 hours. (HINT: You can use the brining time to help thaw the birds)
- Take the birds out and discard the brine. Remove the spine by using kitchen shears to cut just to one side of the spine, starting at the chickens arse and repeat on the other side. Discard the spine. Break the birds breast by putting your thumbs on the breast bone (external side) and bending the bird backwards. The birds will now lay flat (butterflied).
- Season both sides of the birds with poultry seasoning and pepper.
- Place the birds under a bright light and ask it was last Thursday night....oh wait. I mean, place the butterflied birds flat, boneside down, on a medium high grill. (If you like crispy skin spritz the outside with olive oil spray). Grill them until the backsides are crispy brown or carmelized (nice word for almost burnt in some spots). This should take about 30 minutes but I go by the color. Flip the birds and grill until the front sides are golden brown. Flip them back over and grill until the hens reach an internal temp of 165 degrees in the deep part of the thighs. (If you don't have an internal thermometer, it is when the leg and thigh give you a nice limp handshake or move easily.)
- Baste both sides of the bird with lemon juice and then season with the Rendevous dry rub (you can order it online, but in a pinch you could use Emerils Essence or any poultry dry rub). Remove from grill and let the birds rest for 5 minutes. Cut each bird in half at the breast bone (or what is left of it) and serve with rice pilaf.
Removing the backbone and flattening poultry fundamentally changes how heat transfers to the meat. Whole birds trap air inside the cavity, creating uneven thermal zones where breasts overcook before thighs reach safety. Flattening the carcass exposes all skin to the same radiant and convective heat source.
The Mechanics of Brining
Soaking small poultry in a saline solution alters the protein structure through osmosis. Salt dissolves myosin strands inside the muscle fibers, causing them to untangle and form a matrix that traps water molecules. This chemical change prevents the lean white meat from drying out during high-heat cooking. Dissolve non-ionized salt completely in water alongside sugar, garlic, and pickling spice before submerging the birds for six to eight hours.
Equipment and Cutting Technique
Heavy-duty kitchen shears are mandatory for this task. Cutting parallel to the spine requires shearing through small ribs and cartilage without slipping. Standard utility scissors lack the leverage needed to cut cleanly through bone. Once the spine is discarded, pressing firmly downward on the breastbone snaps the cartilage, allowing the halves to rest completely flat against the cooking grate.
Thermal Management and Doneness
Grilling over medium-high heat requires active visual monitoring rather than strict reliance on timers. Look for deep caramelization on the skin before flipping. Insert an instant-read digital thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh without touching bone. Pull the hens from the heat exactly when internal temperature registers 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Rest the meat for five minutes to allow juices to redistribute evenly throughout the tissue matrix.
