Cornish Hen On Pellet Smoker Food

TRAEGER SMOKED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Fire up your Traeger or other wood-pellet grill according to factory instructions and preheat to 275°.
• Rub down your hens with the oil, and then coat liberally with your choice of rub. Our recommended rubs are listed below in the products section, but any of your favorite rubs will do.
• Place the hens breast side down on the grill, and smoke for 30 minutes at 275°.
• Flip the hens over so they are breast-side up, and turn the grill up to 400°. Cook at 400° until 165° internal temperature.
• Pull and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

SMOKED CORNISH GAME HENS

Steps:

• Combine the brine ingredients and bring to a boil. Remove the brine from the heat and chill down to 36 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Prepare the game hens by cutting along each side of the backbone, removing it from the carcass. Push down on the breast to flatten, and then remove the ribs if you like.
• Marinate the game hens in the fridge overnight. Remove the birds from the brine and pat dry with paper towels.
• Smoke the Cornish game hens at 225 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 to 4 hours, or until the thigh temperature reaches 175 degrees. Allow the birds to rest for half an hour after smoking before splitting through the breasts and serving.
• Optionally, the game hens can be indirect grilled, or grilled over medium low heat 45 to 75 minutes, or until 175 degrees is reached.