smoked cornish hens

Ready for a dinner that tastes as good as it looks? These smoked Cornish hens are individually portioned and stuffed with delicious stuffing for a perfect holiday meal.

Smoked Cornish Hens

cornish hens

Tablespoons Hey Grill Hey Chicken Rub (recipe in notes section)

olive oil

bread

sage sausage (casing removed)

cranberries

apples

eggs

Tablespoons butter

chicken broth

celery (finely diced)

white onion (finely diced)

Tablespoons sage (chiffonade)

salt

pepper

Preheat.

Preheat. Preheat your grill to 325 degrees F and set it up for indirect cooking (meaning there is an area with no direct heat underneath the grates). If cooking on a smoker, use light hardwoods like alder, maple, pecan, or apple.

Make the stuffing.

Make the stuffing. In a Dutch oven add sage sausage and brown over medium-high heat. Add in the butter followed by the diced onion and celery and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the sage, salt, pepper, apples, cranberries, bread, chicken broth, and eggs.

Stuff.

Stuff. Stuff the bread mixture inside the cavities of the Cornish hens. Add any additional stuffing to small ramekins or an 8-10 inch cast iron skillet.

Season.

Season. In a small bowl, combine the Chicken rub and mayonnaise. Pat the outside of the hens dry, then apply the wet rub, using a rubber spatula or a backside of a spoon to help distribute the seasoning paste.

Smoke.

Smoke. Place the pan of stuffing and the Cornish hens, breast side up, on the grill, and close the lid. Cook for 45-60 minutes. You want an internal temperature of at least 165 F in the thickest part of the breasts AND in the stuffing.

Serve.

Serve. Remove the Cornish hens to your serving platter and rest (without covering) for 5 minutes before serving.

This Smoked Cornish Hens recipe provides the ultimate combination of tender and juicy meat infused with the enticing flavors of wood. This mouthwatering dish is seasoned to perfection using a homemade rub and works wonderfully for any spread. You can use any smoker or Traeger pellet grill.

Cornish hens (Mine weighed 1 1/4- 1 1/2 pounds each.)

olive oil (Use enough to fully coat the hens.)

brown sugar

smoked paprika

chili powder

garlic powder

onion powder

salt and pepper

Preheat smoker to 250 degrees.

Pat hens dry. Remove all of the contents from the inner cavity, if necessary. Most will come already empty.

Drizzle the hens with olive oil.

Sprinkle spices throughout and rub the spices into the skin.

Place the hens on the smoker. Smoke until the hens until they reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Cook time will vary based on the size of your hens.If you like crispy skin, when the chicken reaches 120-130 degrees of internal temperature, adjust the heat on the smoker to 350 degrees and cook the hens until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

You will need to use a probe or meat thermometer to test. You always want to test the thickest part of the hen, which is typically between the thigh and leg or breast. Ensure it reaches an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees. I usually test several areas of the hens to be sure.

Allow the hens to rest for a minimum of 15-20 minutes prior to slicing to allow the juices to settle. If you slice too soon it will result in dry meat.

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Smoked Cornish Hens

Smoked Cornish Hens

Top 2 smoked cornish hens recipes from across the web

The most viewed smoked cornish hens recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

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Smoked Cornish Hens

Smoked Cornish Hens

The most viewed smoked cornish hens recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine