Dry brining is a fantastic way to add extra moisture to lean meats like these cornish hens. Start brining just after lunch, and your hens will be perfectly seasoned in time for dinner.
Molasses-Glazed Cornish Hens
2014-11-11 21:57:20
Yield: 6 servings
Dry Brine and Hens
- 1 1⁄2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1⁄2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
- 3 Cornish hens (11⁄2 to 2 pounds each)
Glaze
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon molasses or sorghum
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- FIRST In a small bowl, stir together salt, sugar, and Chinese five-spice for dry brine. Set aside. To remove backbones from hens, cut along both sides of backbones with kitchen shears. Discard backbones. Flip hens over; cut along breastbones into halves. Place halves on a rimmed baking sheet; rub with salt mixture. Refrigerate, skin side up, 4 to 6 hours.
- NEXT Preheat oven to 450°. While oven preheats, let hens stand at room temperature. In a small bowl, stir together vinegar, olive oil, and molasses or sorghum for glaze. Set aside. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil; top with a wire rack. Place hens on rack, skin side up. Brush with glaze, and sprinkle evenly with pepper. Loosely cover with foil.
- LAST Roast 15 minutes; uncover, and roast until a meat thermometer inserted in thickest portion reads 170°, 10 to 15 minutes more. (Loosely cover with foil to prevent excess browning, if necessary.) Let stand 10 minutes before serving. If not serving immediately, loosely cover with foil.
Taste of the South https://tasteofthesouthmagazine.com/
Recipe by Gena Knox
