Has anyone tried baking Cornish game hens using the low-temp, long bake
method from the famous Mimi's Sticky Chicken recipe (250 degrees for 5
hours? I'm assuming less than 5 hours would be needed for the smaller
Cornish hens but I'm wondering if they would dry out rather than getting
wonderfully tender as the meat gets for a 3 or 4-lb. chicken in the
original recipe.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Mickey

On Dec 23, 4:23*am, "Michael \"Dog3\"" > wrote:
> Sqwertz > dropped :in rec.food.cooking
>
> > On Sun, 23 Dec 2007 00:24:49 -0800, Mickey Zalusky wrote:
>
> >> Has anyone tried baking Cornish game hens using the low-temp, long
> >> bake method from the famous Mimi's Sticky Chicken recipe (250 degrees
> >> for 5 hours? *I'm assuming less than 5 hours would be needed for the
> >> smaller Cornish hens but I'm wondering if they would dry out rather
> >> than getting wonderfully tender as the meat gets for a 3 or 4-lb.
> >> chicken in the original recipe.
>
> > SGH is going to be tender without having to cook it low and slow.
> > Just bake then at 375 for about 50 minutes (unstuffed), an hour
> > or slightly more for one stuffed with cooked a wild rice/veggie
> > mixture.
>
> > -sw
>
> Steve I don't think that was what he was after. I might be mistaken
> though. *IMO Mickey, the cornish hens would be really dried out after
> that long of a cooking time. *I've never done it so I can't say for sure,
> that is just my opinion.

With all the Cornish game hens, where the heck are all of the game
roosters?

I wondered that for years, but here's what Wikipedia says:

"As is common in the poultry industry, storebought game hens may be
either male or female specimens, despite the common usage of the word
"hen" typically denoting a female."
source -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornish_game_hen
>
> Michael

--Bryan

On Dec 23, 6:47 am, "Michael \"Dog3\"" > wrote:
> "Bobo Bonobo®" > dropped :
> in rec.food.cooking
>
> 201
>
> > With all the Cornish game hens, where the heck are all of the game
> > roosters?
>
> > I wondered that for years, but here's what Wikipedia says:
>
> > "As is common in the poultry industry, storebought game hens may be
> > either male or female specimens, despite the common usage of the word
> > "hen" typically denoting a female."
> > source --http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornish_game_hen
>
> Interesting. I've never given much thought to the
> sex of a game hen. Now I
> have wanted a capon now and then for different recipes.

I wrote a song called, Genuine Surgical Capon." It was about
castrating a guy who raped one's little sister. We should be
recording it soon after The Bonobos' album is finished and off to the
presser.
>
> Michael
>
--Bryan

On Dec 23, 6:57�am, jay > wrote:
> On Sun, 23 Dec 2007 00:24:49 -0800, Mickey Zalusky wrote:
> > Has anyone tried baking Cornish game hens using the low-temp, long bake
> > method from the famous Mimi's Sticky Chicken recipe (250 degrees for 5
> > hours? �I'm assuming less than 5 hours would be needed for the smaller
> > Cornish hens but I'm wondering if they would dry out rather than getting
> > wonderfully tender as the meat gets for a 3 or 4-lb. chicken in the
> > original recipe.
>
> > Any suggestions?
>
> > Thanks,
> > Mickey
>
> IMO that is good way to ruin them. �Use a traditional roasting method.
> They are baby chickens and will be tender without cooking them into mush
> the MIMI way.
>
> jay

What??? Game hens are BABY CHICKENS ??? I thought they were small
birds , like quail.
I don't need this first thing in the AM before my coffee..I have been
eating baby chickens???
Please tell me this is not true.
Rosie

On Sun, 23 Dec 2007 05:07:17 -0800 (PST), rosie wrote:

> On Dec 23, 6:57�am, jay > wrote:
>> On Sun, 23 Dec 2007 00:24:49 -0800, Mickey Zalusky wrote:
>>> Has anyone tried baking Cornish game hens using the low-temp, long bake
>>> method from the famous Mimi's Sticky Chicken recipe (250 degrees for 5
>>> hours? �I'm assuming less than 5 hours would be needed for the smaller
>>> Cornish hens but I'm wondering if they would dry out rather than getting
>>> wonderfully tender as the meat gets for a 3 or 4-lb. chicken in the
>>> original recipe.
>>
>>> Any suggestions?
>>
>>> Thanks,
>>> Mickey
>>
>> IMO that is good way to ruin them. �Use a traditional roasting method.
>> They are baby chickens and will be tender without cooking them into mush
>> the MIMI way.
>>
>> jay
>
> What??? Game hens are BABY CHICKENS ??? I thought they were small
> birds , like quail.
> I don't need this first thing in the AM before my coffee..I have been
> eating baby chickens???
> Please tell me this is not true.
> Rosie

http://www.zenreich.com/ZenWeb/cornishhen.htm

Most of these in the USA come from Tyson I have read. There may be
different varieties of these birds marketed but they are immature birds.
Youthful chickens.

jay

jay

jay wrote:
>
> http://www.zenreich.com/ZenWeb/cornishhen.htm
>
> Most of these in the USA come from Tyson I have read. There may be
> different varieties of these birds marketed but they are immature birds.
> Youthful chickens.


Well whaddayanno? I had no idea. I never bought Cornish game hens
anyway. Now I've got a question: In a blind taste test, do they taste
the same? I mean, aside from the cuteness of serving a whole bird, if
you cooked a Cornish game hen and a full grown chicken the same way, cut
the meat off the bone, and served it, would anyone be able to tell the
difference? Is the younger bird more tender? Is the older bird more
flavorful?


--Lia

On Sun, 23 Dec 2007 08:26:49 -0500, Julia Altshuler wrote:

> jay wrote:
>>
>> http://www.zenreich.com/ZenWeb/cornishhen.htm
>>
>> Most of these in the USA come from Tyson I have read. There may be
>> different varieties of these birds marketed but they are immature birds.
>> Youthful chickens.
>
>
> Well whaddayanno? I had no idea. I never bought Cornish game hens
> anyway. Now I've got a question: In a blind taste test, do they taste
> the same?

They taste different to me.

>I mean, aside from the cuteness of serving a whole bird

I usually only serve a half.

> you cooked a Cornish game hen and a full grown chicken the same way, cut
> the meat off the bone, and served it, would anyone be able to tell the
> difference?

I think some people would tell a difference.

> Is the younger bird more tender?

MO is yes.. but they are both tender if cooked correctly.

> Is the older bird more
> flavorful?

Perhaps "stronger" flavor, but not in a negative way. I like the little
chicken but also really like the adult version.

jay

Michael "Dog3" wrote:
>
> Lia, IMO the taste is quite different. As for me, I seldom buy the game
> hens. Steven has a big appetite and I would have to probably make 3 of
> them for him. When I'm in the mood for something different in the fowl
> category I'll roast a duck.


You guys are convincing me. I'll try Cornish game birds. I agree that
when I want something special, I go for the duck. Duck is usually what
I order in restaurants too.


--Lia

"Michael \"Dog3\"" > wrote in
6.121:

> Julia Altshuler > dropped this
> : in rec.food.cooking
>
>> Well whaddayanno? I had no idea. I never bought Cornish game hens
>> anyway. Now I've got a question: In a blind taste test, do they
>> taste the same? I mean, aside from the cuteness of serving a whole
>> bird, if you cooked a Cornish game hen and a full grown chicken the
>> same way, cut the meat off the bone, and served it, would anyone be
>> able to tell the difference? Is the younger bird more tender? Is
>> the older bird more flavorful?
>
> Lia, IMO the taste is quite different. As for me, I seldom buy the
> game hens. Steven has a big appetite and I would have to probably
> make 3 of them for him. When I'm in the mood for something different
> in the fowl category I'll roast a duck.
>
> Michael
>

When I do game hens I like to cut them in half and place each half over a
pile of stuffing. Usually a boxed brand of stuffing mixed up according to
instructions on the box, to which I've added some chopped dried appricots.
Then bake them on a jelly roll pan at around 350F till tender in my
convection oven maybe 40 to 45 minutes. Oh I season the skin and the
cavities of each half bird with plain olde salt and pepper rubbed in with
a bit of oil. Each bird half sits over or surrounds it's own seperate pile
of stuffing which moistens up nicely from the bird drippings.

I do the box brand of stuffing cause I can't cook or mix up small amounts
of stuffing. I can make a killer stuffing but only in amounts to feed a
minimium seving size of 10, which around my family converts to a serving
size of 5 maybe 6 . Which ain't helpful when you are feeding 4 or less.

--

The house of the burning beet-Alan

It'll be a sunny day in August, when the Moon will shine that night-
Elbonian Folklore

On Dec 23, 7:07Â*am, rosie > wrote:
> On Dec 23, 6:57�am, jay > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > On Sun, 23 Dec 2007 00:24:49 -0800, Mickey Zalusky wrote:
> > > Has anyone tried baking Cornish game hens using the low-temp, long bake
> > > method from the famous Mimi's Sticky Chicken recipe (250 degrees for 5
> > > hours? �I'm assuming less than 5 hours would be needed for the smaller
> > > Cornish hens but I'm wondering if they would dry out rather than getting
> > > wonderfully tender as the meat gets for a 3 or 4-lb. chicken in the
> > > original recipe.
>
> > > Any suggestions?
>
> > > Thanks,
> > > Mickey
>
> > IMO that is good way to ruin them. �Use a traditional roasting method.
> > They are baby chickens and will be tender without cooking them into mush
> > the MIMI way.
>
> > jay
>
> What??? Game hens are BABY CHICKENS ??? Â*I thought they were small
> birds , like quail.
> I don't need this first thing in the AM before my coffee..I have been
> eating baby chickens???
> Please tell me this is not true.

Cute little baby chickens. According to the Wikipedia article, they
are only 4 to 5 weeks old.

> Rosie
>
--Bryan

On Dec 23, 10:54*am, Sqwertz > wrote:
> On Sun, 23 Dec 2007 05:07:17 -0800 (PST), rosie wrote:
> > What??? Game hens are BABY CHICKENS ??? *I thought they were small
> > birds , like quail.
> > I don't need this first thing in the AM before my coffee..I have been
> > eating baby chickens???
> > Please tell me this is not true.
>
> They're just young chickens. *Often times one they don't think
> will make it to adulthood.

So, they're not just baby chickens. They're sick (defective) baby
chickens.
>
> -sw

--Bryan

On Sun, 23 Dec 2007 05:07:17 -0800 (PST), rosie >
wrote:

>What??? Game hens are BABY CHICKENS ??? I thought they were small
>birds , like quail.
>I don't need this first thing in the AM before my coffee..I have been
>eating baby chickens???
>Please tell me this is not true.

It's true, but a regular chicken isn't very old either. I think they
are 6 weeks.

--
See return address to reply by email
remove the smiley face first

On Sun, 23 Dec 2007 09:49:08 -0500, Julia Altshuler
> wrote:

>You guys are convincing me. I'll try Cornish game birds. I agree that
>when I want something special, I go for the duck. Duck is usually what
>I order in restaurants too.

If you do a game hen, try an orange pineapple glaze. Yum!

--
See return address to reply by email
remove the smiley face first

rosie wrote:
> On Dec 23, 6:57�am, jay > wrote:
>> On Sun, 23 Dec 2007 00:24:49 -0800, Mickey Zalusky wrote:
>>> Has anyone tried baking Cornish game hens using the low-temp, long bake
>>> method from the famous Mimi's Sticky Chicken recipe (250 degrees for 5
>>> hours? �I'm assuming less than 5 hours would be needed for the smaller
>>> Cornish hens but I'm wondering if they would dry out rather than getting
>>> wonderfully tender as the meat gets for a 3 or 4-lb. chicken in the
>>> original recipe.
>>> Any suggestions?
>>> Thanks,
>>> Mickey
>> IMO that is good way to ruin them. �Use a traditional roasting method.
>> They are baby chickens and will be tender without cooking them into mush
>> the MIMI way.
>>
>> jay
>
> What??? Game hens are BABY CHICKENS ??? I thought they were small
> birds , like quail.
> I don't need this first thing in the AM before my coffee..I have been
> eating baby chickens???
> Please tell me this is not true.
> Rosie

Actually the Kosher ones *are* baby chickens since Cornish Game Hens
don't have the extra tow that is required for fowl to be Kosher.

--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life

sf wrote:
> On Sun, 23 Dec 2007 09:49:08 -0500, Julia Altshuler
> > wrote:
>
>> You guys are convincing me. I'll try Cornish game birds. I agree that
>> when I want something special, I go for the duck. Duck is usually what
>> I order in restaurants too.
>
> If you do a game hen, try an orange pineapple glaze. Yum!
>

I like some Grand Marnier in the glaze.

--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life

On Sun, 23 Dec 2007 14:18:53 -0600, Janet Wilder
> wrote:

>sf wrote:
>> On Sun, 23 Dec 2007 09:49:08 -0500, Julia Altshuler
>> > wrote:
>>
>>> You guys are convincing me. I'll try Cornish game birds. I agree that
>>> when I want something special, I go for the duck. Duck is usually what
>>> I order in restaurants too.
>>
>> If you do a game hen, try an orange pineapple glaze. Yum!
>>
>
>I like some Grand Marnier in the glaze.

Absolutely!

--
See return address to reply by email
remove the smiley face first

On Sun, 23 Dec 2007 14:17:14 -0600, Janet Wilder
> wrote:

>Actually the Kosher ones *are* baby chickens since Cornish Game Hens
>don't have the extra tow that is required for fowl to be Kosher.

tow?

--
See return address to reply by email
remove the smiley face first

On Dec 23, 12:05 pm, sf wrote:
> On Sun, 23 Dec 2007 05:07:17 -0800 (PST), rosie >
> wrote:
>
> >What??? Game hens are BABY CHICKENS ??? I thought they were small
> >birds , like quail.
> >I don't need this first thing in the AM before my coffee..I have been
> >eating baby chickens???
> >Please tell me this is not true.
>
> It's true, but a regular chicken isn't very old either. I think they
> are 6 weeks.
>
Shhhh!

--Bryan

Michael "Dog3" wrote:
> Sqwertz > dropped this
> : in rec.food.cooking
>
>
>>On Sun, 23 Dec 2007 00:24:49 -0800, Mickey Zalusky wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Has anyone tried baking Cornish game hens using the low-temp, long
>>>bake method from the famous Mimi's Sticky Chicken recipe (250 degrees
>>>for 5 hours? I'm assuming less than 5 hours would be needed for the
>>>smaller Cornish hens but I'm wondering if they would dry out rather
>>>than getting wonderfully tender as the meat gets for a 3 or 4-lb.
>>>chicken in the original recipe.
>>
>>SGH is going to be tender without having to cook it low and slow.
>>Just bake then at 375 for about 50 minutes (unstuffed), an hour
>>or slightly more for one stuffed with cooked a wild rice/veggie
>>mixture.
>>
>>-sw
>
>
> Steve I don't think that was what he was after. I might be mistaken
> though. IMO Mickey, the cornish hens would be really dried out after
> that long of a cooking time. I've never done it so I can't say for sure,
> that is just my opinion.
>
> Michael
Thanks. I thought they would dry out too. BTW - FWIW, I'm female.
Mickey is my nickname - short for "Michelina".

sf wrote:
> On Sun, 23 Dec 2007 14:17:14 -0600, Janet Wilder
> > wrote:
>
>> Actually the Kosher ones *are* baby chickens since Cornish Game Hens
>> don't have the extra tow that is required for fowl to be Kosher.
>
> tow?
>

oops. toe

--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life

jay wrote:
> On Sun, 23 Dec 2007 12:36:21 -0800, sf wrote:
>
>> On Sun, 23 Dec 2007 14:17:14 -0600, Janet Wilder
>> > wrote:
>>
>>> Actually the Kosher ones *are* baby chickens since Cornish Game Hens
>>> don't have the extra tow that is required for fowl to be Kosher.
>> tow?
>
> How many tows (toes?) does it take to be Kosher? < >
>
> jay

It needs that extra one like chickens have. 5

--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life

On Dec 23, 12:24*am, Mickey Zalusky > wrote:
> Has anyone tried baking Cornish game hens using the low-temp, long bake
> method from the famous Mimi's Sticky Chicken recipe (250 degrees for 5
> hours? [snip]

No, haven't tried it and wouldn't recommend it. One of the troubles
with the Cgh is that it is hard to develop flavors with such a small,
immature bird. The low-temp roasting method is very unlikely to
produce anything close to a crispy skin.

> Any suggestions?

Victor Sack has several times suggested a method whereby you
spatchcock the bird, season and brush it with oil, and fry it in a big
cast iron pan weighted down with another heavy pot filled with cans or
bricks. You might try googling the group for it. I tried it once and
thought it was an improvement over my previous roasting/grilling
methods, but I'd have to do it a few more times to get the heat just
right. -aem

Janet Wilder > wrote in news:476edcc9$0$16154
:

> jay wrote:
>> On Sun, 23 Dec 2007 12:36:21 -0800, sf wrote:
>>
>>> On Sun, 23 Dec 2007 14:17:14 -0600, Janet Wilder
>>> > wrote:
>>>
>>>> Actually the Kosher ones *are* baby chickens since Cornish Game Hens
>>>> don't have the extra tow that is required for fowl to be Kosher.
>>> tow?
>>
>> How many tows (toes?) does it take to be Kosher? < >
>>
>> jay
>
> It needs that extra one like chickens have. 5
>

Chicken have talons...like most land based birds....

--

The house of the burning beet-Alan

It'll be a sunny day in August, when the Moon will shine that night-
Elbonian Folklore

pavane wrote:
> "Janet Wilder" > wrote in message
> ...
>> sf wrote:
>>> On Sun, 23 Dec 2007 14:17:14 -0600, Janet Wilder
>>> > wrote:
>>>
>>>> Actually the Kosher ones *are* baby chickens since Cornish Game Hens
>>>> don't have the extra tow that is required for fowl to be Kosher.
>>> tow?
>>>
>> oops. toe
>
> I had always considered the CGH to be Kosher, and the
> authoritative website Kashrut.com seems to accept the
> argument that they are indeed Kosher:
>
> http://www.kashrut.com/articles/turk_part5/
>
> "Divrei Aharon (beginning of #27) proves that small differences
> do not create a new halachic species. Rabbi Yitzchak Isacc
> Liebes (author of Shuts Beit Avi; mesorah, 1990, 3:60-65) in
> discussing Rock Cornish Hens essentially says "if it looks like a
> chicken, walks like a chicken and quacks like a chicken, it is a
> chicken," and since Rock Cornish Hens are [just like] the common
> chicken, they fall under the chicken mesorah. 43 "
>
> So I would be grateful to see your references to this. I love to
> watch angels dance on the heads of pins. Thanks
>
> pavane
>
>
My dad was a Shochet and I remember him telling me that actual game hens
were not Kosher but the ones packaged by Empire were really chickens.
Since most of what is sold as a Cornish Game Hen isn't a game hen at
all, but really a chicken, the point is, I guess, moot.

--
Janet Wilder
Bad spelling. Bad punctuation
Good Friends. Good Life

pavane wrote:
> > wrote in message
> ...
> On Dec 23, 12:24 am, Mickey Zalusky > wrote:
>> Has anyone tried baking Cornish game hens using the low-temp, long bake
>> method from the famous Mimi's Sticky Chicken recipe (250 degrees for 5
>> hours? [snip]
>
> No, haven't tried it and wouldn't recommend it. One of the troubles
> with the Cgh is that it is hard to develop flavors with such a small,
> immature bird. The low-temp roasting method is very unlikely to
> produce anything close to a crispy skin.
>
>> Any suggestions?
>
> Victor Sack has several times suggested a method whereby you
> spatchcock the bird, season and brush it with oil, and fry it in a big
> cast iron pan weighted down with another heavy pot filled with cans or
> bricks. You might try googling the group for it. I tried it once and
> thought it was an improvement over my previous roasting/grilling
> methods, but I'd have to do it a few more times to get the heat just
> right. -aem
>
> Not at all in my experience...you dry a cgh thoroughly, massage it
> with butter, sprinkle some seasoning (I use Emeril's Original mix,
> either homemade or in the jar) into the vent and add a bay leaf,
> then more seasoning over the buttered skin. Roast at 450F for
> about 75 minutes, basting once with a butter/chickie broth mix
> at 45 minutes. Remove bird, make a sauce with the deglazed
> pan dripppings and some more butter/broth mix; serve. The bird
> will be juicy, tender and have wonderful flavor.
>
> pavane
>
>
Pavane - during the high roast temp. do you keep the bird in the same
position or do you roast half breast down and half breast of - or some
variation thereof?
-Mickey

On Mon, 24 Dec 2007 13:18:06 -0500, pavane wrote:

> The skin does seem to get crisper (crispier?)

I leave the raw chicken towel dried and uncovered in the fridge for a
couple days. The refrigeration process really removes a lot of the excess
moister and the skin is always very crisp when roasted on a rack,
uncovered.

jay