Recently The Artist wanted me to make him roasted game hens with herb butter. It is one of our favorites and we don’t have it very often making it a meal for a special occasion like today. Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!
Game hens originated in Cornwall, England. They are small birds that average about 2 pounds (900g) and are a delightful treat for weekend cooking or special occasions. Most of the time they are served overcooked and dry, but with a little care they can be absolutely succulent.
The secret to luscious game hens (or any poultry) is a two-part process … a dry brining technique and using a compound herb butter, which work together to create an amazing entrée.
Judy Rogers, the former chef/owner of Zuni Café in San Francisco, brought the dry brining technique to national attention. The restaurant is renown for its oven-roasted chicken served over bread salad. The idea is that if you salt the outside of poultry and leave it long enough in the refrigerator, the salt draws out some of the liquid and then the meat reabsorbs it, drawing the flavor deep into the center.
The beginnings of the compound butter
Compound butters are one of the tricks that professional chefs have used for ages to enhance the meals they prepare. Everything is better with butter – but when you add herbs and seasonings, the flavors are elevated to something close to nirvana.
The best part of compound butters is that you can make them when you have a bunch of fresh herbs from the garden and freeze them to use all year long. If I don’t have any fresh herbs, I make mine with dried and the flavors are still great.
I have been making these birds for many years and they have witnessed some of the highlights of my life. They are a go-to for dinner parties, especially during the holidays. Maybe it is because of their size and the fact that you typically serve one bird per person, but they seem to be an indulgence and just right to create a festive mood.
Add some steamed asparagus or green beans tossed with a little of the compound butter, some sautéed squash, rosemary roasted potatoes, or a rice pilaf, and you’ve got a beautiful, delicious celebratory meal!
The Artist picked out a bottle of his favorite wine, a Cabernet Franc from Sinskey Vineyards in Napa Valley. We settled down to enjoy our early Valentine dinner and toast to a bright and happy year ahead!
These succulent roasted game hens with herb butter are incredible. I hope you give this recipe a try soon, your family and friends will love it!
Have a fun and delicious weekend. See you back here next week for Chocolate Monday!
If you try this recipe, let me know! Please leave a star rating in the recipe card, comment below, and don’t forget to snap a pic and tag it @theheritagecook on Instagram! Seeing your creations makes my day and I love hearing from you!
Ingredients needed for Roasted Game Hens with Herb Butter:
- Game Hens: Cornish game hens, lemons, onion, onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, rosemary, olive oil, chicken broth, salt, pepper
- Herb Butter: butter, shallots, garlic, rosemary, thyme, pepper
PRO Tip:
Make the compound butter in advance and store in the refrigerator or freezer, tightly wrapped. You will be able to get the hens prepped and in the oven really quickly and then relax while they roast!
How to make Roasted Game Hens with Herb Butter:
- Dry brine the hens by rubbing with salt and covering loosely with plastic wrap then refrigerating overnight. The next day pat the hens dry and let sit at room temperature about 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Set the onion slices flat in the bottom of the roasting pan in two lines to create a “rack” of sorts. Sprinkle the cavity of each bird with salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and thyme. Tuck a piece of lemon in each one and place them breast-side up on top of the onions in the pan.
- Prepare the herb butter by combining the butter, shallots, herbs, pepper, and a little of the lemon juice. Smash with a fork until fully blended and evenly distributed.
- Carefully separate the skin from the breasts, sliding your fingers between the skin and meat, breaking any connective tissues. This creates a pouch on either side of the breasts. Spread about 1 tbsp of the seasoned butter under each side of the breast in all the birds. Working from the outside, press the butter until it covers the entire breast. Do this for each bird.
- Drizzle olive oil over each bird and sprinkle the tops with more herbs, salt, and pepper. Pour about 1/2 cup chicken broth or water in the bottom of the roasting pan, around the birds. Squeeze any remaining lemon juice into the pan. Place the pan in the oven
- Roast for about 45 to 60 minutes or until an instant read thermometer registers 160°F (71°C) in the breast. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
PRO Tip: Cooking with Compound Herb Butters
Compound butters are a cinch to make and they can turn a mundane meal into a celebration. Just combine your favorite herbs and seasonings in a bowl and blend them into softened butter. Form into a log or pack into a container. You can make it ahead and it stores beautifully in the freezer. Put a slice on grilled steaks, stir into steamed vegetables, add to a pan sauce, or use with poultry as shown in this recipe. Any way you use it, you will love the flavorful richness an herb compound butter adds to everything.
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Gluten-Free Tips:
As long as the herbs, seasonings, and chicken broth you use are gluten-free, this is a naturally GF meal.
You will get the best and most consistent results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking. And use grams, they are much more specific than pounds and ounces.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Roasted Game Hens with Herb Butter (GF)
These succulent roasted game hens with herb butter are incredible. Perfect for a special occasion (like Valentine's Day) or weekend indulgence. These miniature chickens are such fun and so cute, everyone loves them!
Ingredients
Game Hens
- 4 Cornish game hens (very little chickens)
- 3 lemons, 1 juiced, the remaining two cut in half lengthwise
- 1 onion, peeled, trimmed, and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
- Kosher salt, to taste
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 2 tsp garlic powder, plus more for the top
- 1 tbsp dried thyme leaves, plus more for the top
- 1 tsp ground rosemary or finely chopped fresh, plus more for the top
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup (118 ml) gluten-free chicken broth
Herb Butter
- 1/2 cup (1 stick; 113g) butter, at room temperature
- 2 shallots, peeled and finely minced
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder or 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
- 1 tbsp dried rosemary, chopped
- 2 tbsp dried thyme, chopped
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
1. Dry Brine the Hens: The morning of the day before you plan to serve the birds, remove them from the sealed bags, rinse under cold running water and pat dry. Rub the outside of each bird with about 2 tsp of kosher salt, place in a roasting pan with low sides, cover loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight. The salt seasons the meat all the way through instead of just sitting on the surface.
2. Take this resting time to pre-make your herb butter so it is ready to go the next day. Directions below.
3. The following day, remove the birds from the refrigerator and pat dry. Let the birds rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
4. Place the onion slices in the bottom of the roasting pan. They will raise the hens above the surface of the pan and add flavor to the pan juices.
5. For each bird, sprinkle the cavity thoroughly with kosher salt. Add the onion powder, garlic powder, and thyme leaves. Tuck a piece of lemon in each bird. Place them breast-side up on top of the onion slices.
6. Prepare the Herb Butter: In a small bowl, combine the butter, shallots, herbs, pepper, and a little of the lemon juice. Smash with a fork until the seasonings are evenly distributed through the butter.
7. Carefully separate the skin from the breast, running your fingers under the skin, to create a pouch on each side of the breast. Spread about 1 tbsp of herb butter under the skin on each side. Then working from the outside, press on the butter so that it coats the entire breast. The butter self-bastes the bird and helps keep it moist and tender. Repeat with remaining hens.
8. Drizzle the olive oil all over the birds. Sprinkle the tops with more herbs and salt and pepper. Pour about 1/2 cup chicken broth or water in the roasting pan, around the birds. Squeeze any remaining lemon juice into the pan. Place roasting pan in the hot oven.
9. Cook the Hens: Roast at 350°F (180°C) about 45 to 60 minutes or until juices run clear when the thickest part of the thigh is pierced and the leg moves easily when wiggled. An instant read thermometer inserted into the breast will register 160°F (71°C). Baste occasionally with pan juices during roasting if desired. Remove from the oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe found at www.theheritagecook.com
Notes
You will get the best results by using a digital kitchen scale and weighing your ingredients, especially when you are baking.
All recommended ingredients are gluten-free as of the writing of this article. Always check to be sure the products haven’t changed and are still safe to consume.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 407Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 169mgSodium: 183mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 2gSugar: 2gProtein: 30g
The nutritional information for recipes on this site is calculated by online tools and is merely an estimate. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.
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Chris
Dry brining is a great technique for poultry that I don’t use often enough. Your birds look great!
angela@spinachtiger
Jane, what a lovely birthday dinner. Now I want to go into my garden and make compound butter. This is why I love visiting blogs. The inspiration.
nancy buchanan
I really, really need to stop reading your blog before lunch…
This is soooo up my alley – love compound butters – like to think of them as my “secret weapon” since they perk up just about anything savory!!! PS – happy birthday to your hubs!!!