Best Honey Baked Cornish Hens Recipes

HONEY ORANGE CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Place game hen halves with skin sides up into a 9x13-inch roasting pan.
• Roast hens in the preheated oven for 35 minutes.
• Stir orange juice, honey, soy sauce, and vinegar together in a small bowl; brush mixture over hens.
• Roast hens for 5 more minutes and baste again with orange juice mixture. Roast until skin is browned and meat is no longer pink inside, about 10 more minutes.

HONEYED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Mix all the ingredients, except the hens, in a blender. Mix until the garlic is completely pureed into it.
• Place the game hens into a seal-able container. Pour the mixture over the game hens and marinade in the fridge for a few hours, or even overnight.
• When you are ready to cook, place them onto a foil lined baking sheet. Pour the remainder of the marinade over the hens.
• Cook in a 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes, these cook very fast when halved. Cook them to a temperature of 165 °F when a thermometer is inserted deep in the thigh,but not touching the bone.

HONEY-BAKED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Twist wing tips of Cornish game hens under backs. Place hen halves, cut sides down, in a shallow roasting pan. Combine the oil, the salt, and the black pepper. Brush mixture over Cornish hens.
• Cover and bake prepared Cornish hens in a 375 degree F oven for 35 minutes.
• In a small saucepan, cook honey over medium heat until bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in the Grand Marnier or orange juice.
• Uncover hens. Brush glaze evenly over the hens. Sprinkle with walnuts. Bake, uncovered, for about 25 minutes more or until hens are tender and no longer pink. Serve each half hen with Wild Rice Dressing and Sauteed Vegetables and garnish with orange peel, if you like. Makes 6 servings.
• Cook one 6-ounce package long-grain-and-wild-rice mix according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, cook 1 cup chopped celery and 2/3 cup chopped onion in 1 tablespoon melted butter or margarine until vegetables are tender, but not brown. Stir in 3/4 cup pecans, 2/3 cup raisins, 4 slices bacon (crisp-cooked, drained and crumbled), and 1/2 teaspoon paprika. Fold mixture into the cooked rice. Makes 6 servings.
• Cut 2 medium yellow summer squash and 2 medium zucchini into 1/8-inch-thick diagonal slices. Cut 1 medium red onion into julienne strips. In a large skillet, cook and stir the yellow squash, zucchini, and red onion in 2 tablespoons hot olive oil for 2 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup dry white wine and 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed. Cook and stir for 3 to 4 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Season with salt and black pepper. Sprinkle with some Parmesan cheese, if you like. Makes 6 servings.

ROASTED CORNISH HENS WITH HONEY MUSTARD GLAZE

Steps:

• Season the hens inside and out with salt and pepper.
• Place equal portions of bay leaves, garlic, thyme and chili flakes inside the cavity of each hen.
• Brush the hens with oil.
• Place, breast side down, on a rack in a roasting pan.
• Cover and roast in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 40 minutes. Check at this point to see if the leg pulls away easily from the body and the meat is no longer pink. If still pink, roast for another 10 to 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the honey, mustard, vinegar, cumin and cilantro in a bowl.
• Brush over the hens.
• Roast uncovered for another 10 minutes to brown the glaze.

ROASTED CORNISH GAME HENS MARINATED IN HONEY AND MUSTARD

Steps:

• Mix the honey, mustard, garlic, 3 tablespoons oil, thyme and cinnamon together in a bowl and set aside. Remove the wing tips from the hens. Roll the hens in the marinade and marinate overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Season the birds inside and out with salt and pepper. Cut the lemon in half and squeeze over each bird. Put a used lemon half in the cavity of each bird. Truss the birds.
• Set a rack in a roasting pan and brush the rack with several tablespoons vegetable oil. Place the birds, breast side down on the oiled rack. Roast for 30 minutes. Turn the birds breast side up, reduce the heat to 350 degrees and roast an additional 15 to 20 minutes or until the hens are cooked through and the skin is brown. Allow the hens to rest 10 minutes before serving.

HONEY-HERB CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Rinse and pat dry hens. Cut out the backbone and split through the breastbone. Trim any excess skin or fat.
• Place oil in a shallow pan and heat oven to 400 degrees.
• In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, honey, thyme, and oregano. Season hens with salt and pepper.
• Once pan is heated, place hens skin side down and brush with half of the honey mixture.
• Bake for 30 minutes. Flip hens and brush with remaining honey mixture. Bake 20-30 minutes longer, or until internal temperature reaches 180 degrees. Place on a platter.
• Drain drippings into a fat separator or skim as much fat as possible. Serve with hens.

HONEY ROASTED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Split hen in half. Wash and pat dry. Sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Brush both sides with 3 Tbs butter.
• Place breast side down on a rack in a shallow pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes.
• Turn. Brush with butter and bake for 25 minutes.
• Mix honey with 1 1/2 Tbs melted butter. Brush half the mixture on the hen. Bake for 15 minutes. Turn and brush with remaining honey mixture. Bake for 15 minutes longer.

BAKED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• In a small bowl combine the 1/2 cup melted butter, onion, celery, bell pepper, mushrooms, garlic, basil, oregano and parsley.
• Season hens inside and out with salt and pepper to taste, then stuff with equal amounts butter/vegetable mixture. Place stuffed birds in a 9x13 inch baking dish, breast side up. Drizzle with 1/4 cup melted butter.
• Cover dish and bake in the preheated oven for 1 1/2 hours. Remove cover and brown at 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).