Wine Can Cornish Hens - Zimmy's Nook

Wine Can Cornish Hens.

Marinated with Calabrese peppers, cilantro, parsley, garlic, Dijon, lemon zest and juice, salt and pepper and olive oil.

I cooked two hens on Pinot Grigio cans and 2 two on Shiraz cans to see if there was a difference in flavour… both Elaine and I agreed there was! We enjoyed the Pinot Grigio more with this marinade.

Ingredients

3 Calabrese peppers in oil
2 tablespoons of the flavoured oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup parsley leaves
½ cilantro leaves and tender stems
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Zest of one lemon
Juice of one lemon
½ cup of olive oil
4 cans (each 250 mL) white wine (Pinot Grigio)
4 Cornish hens, 1 ½ lbs (680 g) each (remove neck from cavity)

Preparation

In a mini food processor, blend together the peppers, oil, garlic, parsley, cilantro, salt, pepper, Dijon, lemon zest & juice. Then in a slow stream while the food processor is running, add the olive oil. Coat Cornish hens well with the marinade, cover and refrigerate for 2-4 hours.

Pour out half of each can of wine, into a glass for sipping while you cook.

Preheat grill to med-high heat with lid closed.

Carefully work 1 can into the cavity of each hen as far as it will go. Place all the hens in a solid-bottomed high heat resistant pan, such as a cast-iron pan. Reserve excess marinade.

Place the pan on one side of the grill and close the lid. Turn down the heat on the side with hens to low and cook with the indirect high heat of the other side of the grill for 15 minutes. The grill temperature should be between 400°F – 425°F

Rotate the pan to cook hens evenly. Baste with reserved marinade.

Close lid and cook until hens are browned, and internal temperature reaches 160°F. (45-60 minutes total).

Cover the hens with foil and let rest for 8-10 minutes (temperature will come to 165°F) before carefully sliding hens off cans.

Chefs note: Keep the grill lid closed! Yes, the birds are cute and you’ll want to take lots of pictures, but the skin will never crisp up with the lid open!

Prep time: 10 minutes
Inactivate time: 2 hours
Cook time: 1 hour
Total time: 3 hours, 10 minutes
Serves 4