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Note: Prepare aheadthis recipe takes 5 hours of marinating time.
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Let me start by saying you are going to love this dish.
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After only minutes of cooking my wife was salivating over the thought of these Cornish hens (I was too).
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Start by preparing your Cornish hens.
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With your kitchen scissors, remove the backbone from the Cornish hen, and discard it or freeze it to be used in making a stock.
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To do this place it breast side down on your cutting board, take your scissors and cut alongside the backbone, on both sides, and remove it.
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With your hands, apply a bit of pressure and split the chicken to flatten it a bit.
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Add all of the other ingredients into a small mixing bowl, and mix well to form a loose paste.
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Now get some kitchen rubber gloves on if you have them, otherwise, dont worry about it.
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Start rubbing that paste all over the Cornish hens.
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Make sure you get in and under the skin.
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Place the hens in a Ziplock bag, seal the bag, place it in the refrigerator, and let them marinate for at least five hours.
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Before grilling, remove the hens from the refrigerator and let them sit on the counter for at least 30 minutes to take any of the chill off.
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Put your charcoal into your grill.
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Clean and lightly oil the grill grate, and preheat the grill with the coals.
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Once grill is hot add the hens, skin side up, and let them cook, uncovered for about 10 minutes.
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Then cover the grill and let them cook another 15 minutes.
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Then turn the hens over.
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Cook again, uncovered for another 10 minutes.
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If the coals begin to fire up, simply cover the grill, and then continue managing the heat.
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Your goal is to get a nice and crispy skin, without burning it, as well as maintain a juicy hen.
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You will be shooting for about 170 F on a meat thermometer.
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Once they are fully cooked, remove them from the grill, put them onto a platter and let them rest for about 10 minutes.
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This will allow those hens to trap in all of that moisture, and be perfect at serving.
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Then carve and serve!
