Roast Cornish Hens

Roast Cornish Hens

Recently I was camping in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and when I camp, I always have an elaborate kitchen tent set up over the picnic table to allow comfortable cooking even in the most inclement weather. It isn’t small. There is nothing minimalist about my camp set-up.  My kitchen tent was actually sold as a temporary garage. As I said, big.

My kitchen tent set up in the Hiawatha National Forest in Michigan's Upper Peninsula

Last year, I met a fellow camping a few sites down who was up for the week. His camp set-up was the opposite of mine. His tent, while well made, was barely large enough for my two dogs, it was tiny. He had a little stove on a propane bottle that was no bigger than a mayonnaise lid.

He asked me what the big white tent was for. I explained it housed a full kitchen. He asked, “What do you cook in there?” I answered, “Just about anything.” For example, I described what I had for dinner the previous night: roast cornish hens, baked potatoes, gravy, and sautéed kohlrabi (I left out the bottle of California Merlot, I didn’t want to rub it in too bad). He shook his head in amazement and said, “I’m too embarrassed to tell you what I’ve been eating this week!”

He then asked what I’m cooking next. I said it would be roast leg of lamb, but that’s a story for another recipe.

2 cornish hens

olive oil

Cajun seasoning

Poultry seasoning

1 medium onion, chopped

Sauerkraut

A 3” length of smoked sausage, chopped

4 medium potatoes, peeled

Flour

Water

Preparation

Rub the cornish hens with olive oil and season them with cajun seasoning and the poultry seasoning. Set them in a cast iron skillet. 

Heat another skillet and add just enough olive oil to coat the bottom. Add the smoked sausage and onion. Sprinkle a little cajun seasoning and poultry seasoning over it. Let it cook, stirring often until the onions soften and clarify. Add some sauerkraut to the skillet. You’ll have to guess, I forgot to measure. You want enough so that the sausage kraut mixture will be able to stuff both hens. Stir until the kraut is heated and turn off the heat.

Stuff the hens with the kraut mixture. Rub the peeled potatoes with olive oil and place them in the cast iron skillet around the hens. Roast in a covered charcoal grill using indirect heat. (Oh, alright, you can roast them in the oven at 350º if you want. I’m too tired to argue with you.)

Depending on the heat, it will probably take about an hour to an hour and a half for the hens to be done. You want the hens to be golden brown with crispy skin. If you are not sure if they are done, you can check with a knife by piercing the leg joint and verifying that the joint is loose and the juices are clear. No rare birds please! Set the birds aside on a platter.

Put the skillet with the drippings on the stove over medium-high heat. Add enough flour to absorb the fat and stir to mix. Season the flour with a little of the poultry and cajun seasonings. Add water a little at a time to make a gravy. When you think you have enough, let it simmer for about a minute to make sure the thickness is right. You are now ready to serve.

Serving

Place a cornish hen on a plate. Pull the stuffing out on to the plate next to the bird. Now add a roasted potato and cut it up. Spoon a generous helping of gravy over everything. Now add a bowl of kohlrabi sautéed in butter. I hope you didn’t forget the warm homemade bread with butter! Finally open a bottle of Californian Merlot and dinner is served.