Cornish Hens , Cranberry , Orange , Thyme
Best for: A Christmas dinner with individual birds or generous half-hen portions.
Little Cornish hens make a welcoming Christmas platter with crisp skin and a bright cranberry glaze. Orange and thyme give the meal a festive lift without burying the flavor of the birds.
Grill: Indirect heat at 375°F with enough grate space for four flattened hens. Equipment: Large covered grill, poultry shears, saucepan, fine-mesh strainer, brush, instant-read thermometer.
Ingredients
50–70 Minutes Rest: 10 minutes. Total: 1 hour 30–50 minutes.
Hens
- 4 Cornish hens, 1–1 1/4 lb each, thawed and giblets removed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (8.4 g)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
Glaze
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
- 3/4 cup orange juice
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Directions
Preheat the grill to 375°F indirect heat. Pat the hens dry without rinsing; cut along both sides of each backbone with shears, remove the backbones, and press firmly on the breastbones to flatten.
Rub the hens with oil, salt, pepper, and thyme. Place skin-side up over indirect heat with space between them, close the lid, and begin cooking; wash and sanitize tools and surfaces that touched raw poultry.
Meanwhile, combine cranberries, orange juice, honey, mustard, and zest in a saucepan. Simmer on a side burner or stovetop for 10–12 minutes until the berries burst; press through a strainer, discard solids, and stir butter into the glaze.
Reserve half the glaze in a clean bowl for serving. After the hens have cooked 35–40 minutes, brush with some of the remaining glaze; rotate their positions if the grill has hot spots.
Continue cooking and brush once more during the final 10 minutes, allowing 50–70 minutes total. Verify at least 165°F in the thickest breast and innermost thigh of every hen, avoiding bone; shield any darkening skin with foil.
Rest for 10 minutes, then serve whole or halve through the breast for smaller portions. Pass the clean reserved glaze separately and discard any glaze or brush residue that contacted undercooked poultry.
Grilling tip: Flattening the hens helps breasts and thighs cook more evenly and makes better use of grate space.
Shared safety notes: Whole cuts of beef, pork, and lamb are fully cooked at 145°F with a rest of at least 3 minutes. Ground meats cook to 160°F, poultry to 165°F, and seafood to 145°F. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, use within 3–4 days, and reheat leftovers to 165°F.
