These moist and juicy Cornish game hens will impress your guests every time! Perfect for special occasions and holiday meals.
Combine all the ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil to infuse the water with the aromatics. Allow to cool completely before brining the hens.
Line a bowl or container large enough to hold the hens and brining liquid with a Reynolds Oven Bag (turkey size) or Brining bag.
Pour brine mixture over the hens, remove any air pockets and seal the bag. Refrigerate and brine for approximately 45 minutes per pound. I only brined mine for 3 hours.
After the hens have brined, rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Refrigerate uncovered for 1 hour to allow the skin to properly dry. Dry skin equals crispy skin.
Preheat the oven to 425°F and place the rack in the center position. Have the roasting pan ready.
Lightly salt and pepper the cavity of each hen and insert a lemon wedge along with a spring of rosemary and thyme. Truss the legs with kitchen twine.
Mash together all the compound butter ingredients in a small bowl and divide by the number of hens. Use your finger to gently separate the skin from the breast and spread the compound butter under the skin.
Coat the hens with olive oil and reserve 1 Tablespoon. Rub the olive oil all over the hens including the thighs and wings. Lightly season with kosher salt, black pepper and dust poultry seasoning over the hens. Tuck the wings under the hens to prevent the tips from burning.
Transfer the hens to the roasting pan and add the halved garlic head, halved lemon, ⅓ cup low sodium chicken stock, ⅓ cup white wine and a spring each of rosemary and thyme. Roast for 30 minutes.
In a Pyrex cup, combine reserved ⅓ cup low sodium chicken stock, ⅓ cup white wine and 1 Tablespoon of olive oil to make the basting liquid.
Reduce temperature to 350°F and pour the basting liquid over the hens. Roast for 30-35 minutes or until the hens are golden. If checking for doneness with a thermometer, the internal temperature should read 180°F.
Remove the hens from the oven, transfer to a platter, loosely tent with foil and allow to rest at least 15 minutes. Discard herbs and lemons, reserve roasted garlic.
Note: Garlic was used as a roasting aromatic. You can save the roasted garlic for another dish or appetizer or you can add a few garlic cloves to the gravy below.
Transfer the roasting pan dripping and any juices the hens released while resting into a small stock pot. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes to reduce and concentrate flavors. Taste and reseason. If adding a few garlic cloves, mash them with the back of a spoon.
Optional: To thicken the sauce, make a cornstarch slurry by whisking 1 Tablespoon of cornstarch with some of the pan drippings in a Pyrex cup. Pour slurry back into the stock pot and whisk until the sauce is thick. For a rich and creamy gravy, whisk in about ¼ cup of heavy whipping cream.
Note: if you want a smooth gravy, pour it through a sieve to remove any pieces that didn't dissolve well.
Cornish game hens are a young and tender chicken that are usually small and weigh less than 2.5 lbs. Typical serving is one hen per person. If the hens are greater than 2.5 lbs, you may serve half a hen per person.