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February 5, 2020 · 1 Comment

Delicious Cold Smoked Cornish Game Hens!!!

Chicken, Smoker Recipes
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Cold Smoked Cornish Game Hens! Doesn’t it sound weird?? I know what you are thinking, man you gotta smoke with heat.  Well, I am here to tell you the flavor is amazing if you cold smoke, the meat is exposed to more smoke longer which means it absorbs more flavor! 

Cold Smoked Cornish Game Hens On Top Gas Grill Rack

(I have included affiliate links to products I love. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.) In addition, this post contains affiliate links that will make me a small commission when used to order online.

Now the old lady is obsessed with finding deals, I remember the first time I asked her to pick up some she had a cow at how expensive they were. She now just picks them up on $5 Fridays at Safeway for the two-pack.  It works out perfectly since I like to brine my chickens frozen to grab them frozen.

4 Tyson Cornish Game Hens

What is a Cornish Game Hen?

A Cornish game hen is a particular variety of boiler chicken, it is served young and immature. Typically they are less than 2 pounds in weight but they are not game birds. They are like miniature chickens, perfect for a single serving. They are most often found in the frozen section of the grocery store.

Cold Smoked Cornish Game Hens Supplies:

  1. Cold Smoke Generator
  2. Plastic Bin to Brine In
  3. Gas or Propane Grill
  4. Pellets

Money and time saving tips from the old lady. If you order pellets online from Walmart and spend $35, they will drop them off at your door for free!! Their everyday price on pit boss pellets is amazing, plus the expert grill brand has a great price. (see them ->here)

Now I sit here and wonder however did I smoke and grill without Smoke Chief Cold smoke generator! Now I will preface this by saying I AM NO PROFESSIONAL, I am a homegrown, self-taught, Google searching, and recipe modifying guy, but my food tastes amazing! I prefer to use apple pellets, but a buddy swears by hickory.  As you smoke I suggest you try different pellets to find what flavor suits you. (I even wrote a guide on how to Cold Smoke with a smoke chief -> here)

Smokehouse Products 9500-000-0000 Smoke Chief Cold Smoke GeneratorSmokehouse Products 9500-000-0000 Smoke Chief Cold Smoke GeneratorSuper Smoker Variety Value Pack - 1 Lb. Bag - Apple, Hickory, Mesquite, Cherry, Pecan and Jack Daniel'sSuper Smoker Variety Value Pack – 1 Lb. Bag – Apple, Hickory, Mesquite, Cherry, Pecan and Jack Daniel’sSmokehouse Products 9770-020-0000 5-Pound Bag All Natural Apple Flavored Wood Pellets, BulkSmokehouse Products 9770-020-0000 5-Pound Bag All Natural Apple Flavored Wood Pellets, Bulk

Cold Smoked Cornish Game Hens Ingredients:

  • Cornish Game Hens-The Cornish game hens can go in frozen into this brine.
  • Water
  • Salt
  • Garlic Salt
  • Worcestershire Sauce
  • Black Pepper
  • Montreal Steak Seasoning
  • Ice  
 

How To Make Cold Smoked Cornish Game Hens:

In a large bin that has a lid pour in all your brine ingredients and give the brine mixture a good swirl.  If your Cornish game hens are thawed then throw in some ice to the brine as well.

Set in your game hens in the brine I don’t fully submerge mine since as they thaw they will add more liquid, you can add more water later on if necessary.

Cornish Game Hens In Brine In Container

Storing in the fridge they stayed cold and icy so I didn’t add ice be sure to monitor the temperature and follow food safety guidelines for meat temperature.

Make sure your grill is clean before you start the cold smoke.

Follow the directions for setting up your cold smoker.

Smoke Billowing out from Behind gas grill

On your top rack and bottom rack space out your Cornish game hens.

Fire up the cold smoker and let the fun begin. 

I set times for every half hour to 45 minutes to go push pellets down and rotate the chicken around. The cold smoke will fill your grill to flavor up the Cornish game hens.

Cornish Game Hens In Gas Grill With Smoke From Cold Smoke Generator

Now as you can see even though it’s a cold smoke the hens start to cook a bit, the cold smoker puts out some heat right next to it. Since then I have learned to put the hens on the other side they still get the smoke but it doesn’t cook them.

Cold Smoke Cornish Game Hens Smoking On gas grill from cold smoke generator

Allow the hens to be smoked for a couple of hours on the grill with just the cold smoker.

Once you are close to wanting to eat fire up a couple of burners and allow the chicken to cook at low heat.  I fire up the burners on the opposite side of the grill from the chicken so they take a bit longer and also will absorb more of the smoke flavor.

Cornish Game Hens On Top Rack of Gas Grill Smoked By Cold Smoke Generator

Once they are done they will have amazing crisp skin and color to them!! Use a meat thermometer to ensure they are cooked to 165 degrees.

Now we were celebrating a buddy’s birthday so we also had a nice lobster tail to go with the Cold Smoked Cornish Game Hens and some Smoked Loaded Baked Beans as well.  It was the perfect dinner by the time we paired it up with some nice cold drinks!

What do you make a cold smoke generator? Favorite side dis to serve with cold smoked Cornish game hens?

Cold Smoked Cornish Game Hens Served With Corn on the cob with lobster tail

WHAT TO SERVE WITH SMOKED CORNISH GAME HENS:

  • Caesar Salad
  • Rice
  • Smoked Baked Potatoes
  • Smoked Deviled Eggs
  • Grilled Twice Baked Potatoes 
  • Smoked Potato Salad
  • Deviled Egg Macaroni Salad

OTHER SMOKED CORNISH GAME HEN RECIPES TO TRY OUT:

  • Sweet And Spicy Cornish Game Hens 
  • Mediterranean Smoked Cornish Game Hens
  • Coca Cola Smoked Cornish Game Hens 
  • Smoked Cornish Game Hens With Brine And Dry Rub
  • Smoked Cornish Game Hens Brine

Delicious Cold Smoked Cornish Game Hens!!!

Guy Who Grills
Part of the secret of Cold Smoked Cornish Game Hens is in the brine, that helps to flavor the hens. Once you get a cold smoker generator it is so easy to learn how to cold smoke, and once you get started on doing this you will be hooked and find ways to cold smoke every thing that you can!
No ratings yet
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 6 hrs
Set In Brine 3 d
Total Time 3 d 6 hrs 10 mins
Course Entree
Cuisine BBQ
Servings 8 Servings

Equipment

  • Cold Smoke Generator
  • Gas Grill
  • rubbermaid container

Ingredients
  

  • 4 Cornish game hen
  • 1 gallon Water
  • 3/4 Cup Salt
  • ¼ cup Garlic Salt
  • ¼ cup Worcestershire Sauce
  • 4 Tablespoon Black Pepper
  • ¼ cup Montreal Steak Seasoning
  • Ice

Instructions
 

  • In a large bin that has a lid pour in all your brine ingredients and the brine mixture a good swirl. If your Cornish game hens are thawed then throw in some ice to the brine as well.
  • Set in your game hens in the brine I don't fully submerge mine since as they thaw they will add more liquid, you can add more water later on if necessary.
  • Make sure your grill is clean before you start the cold smoke.
  • Follow the directions for setting up your cold smoker.
  • On your top rack and bottom rack space out your Cornish game hens.
  • Fire up the cold smoker and let the fun begin. I set times for every half hour to 45 minutes to go push pellets down and rotate the chicken around. The cold smoke will fill your grill to flavor up the Cornish game hens.
  • Now as you can see even though its a cold smoke the hens start to cook a bit, the cold smoker puts out some heat right next to it. Since then I have learned to put the hens on the other side they still get the smoke but it doesn't cook them.
  • Allow the hens to be smoked for a couple hours on the grill with just the cold smoker.
  • Once you are close to wanting to eat fire up a couple of burners and allow the chicken to cook at a low heat. I fire up the burners on the opposite side of the grill from the chicken so they take a bit longer and also will absorb more of the smoke flavor.
  • Once they are done they will have an amazing crisp skin and color to them!!

Notes

 *I put my frozen Cornish game hens in the brine on a Tuesday night and smoked them on Saturday. Storing in the fridge they stayed cold and icy so I didn’t add ice*
Keyword cornish game hens
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Delicious Cold Smoked Cornish Game Hens!!!
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Comments

  1. Audrey says

    January 23, 2020 at 8:46 am

    Seriously, I started salivating at the first glance of these. I might have to borrow my neighbors smoker and make these! Or just give him the recipe and ingredients and let him do it 🙂

    Reply

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