Thanksgiving for One.

[Kai]

I'm thinking of making a cornish game hen in crock pot for thanksgiving dinner. I was wondering if anyone here had done that before and if they had any suggestions. Also, suggestions for other things (vegetables, etc) to put in with it.

[LMNO]

In a crock pot?

Let me think about it.

In the meantime, RCH might be able to give a few pointers.

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

Yep, it is good!

We sauteed some onion and garlic, then added zucchini, yellow squash, carrots (whole) and some potatoes. We marinated the hen beforehand in citrus juice (orange/lemon but I think pomegranate would be good too). Then we covered it in spices and dropped it on top of the veggies with a bit of wine and broth to keep everything juicy.

It was very good.

[East Coast Hustle]

one of my best recipes is cornish game hens cooked in my cast iron dutch oven.

brown the birds briefly, breast side down, so the skin begins to crisp a bit and some of the fat starts to render. Don't let it go too long, because there's not much fat and you don't want to cook the flesh too much.

this recipe is for 2 game hens. Don't halve it, make two birds and have delicious leftovers. turn the birds breast side up and salt them. deglaze the pot with a hit of Grand Marnier (regular brandy works in a pinch, the sweetest white wine you can find works in a real pinch). throw the following things into the crock pot:

a stick of butter
zest from one orange (lemon works too in a pinch)
small handful of brown sugar
some whole or roughly cracked peppercorns
a couple cloves of garlic, smashed rather than chopped
a bay leaf or two
1/2 the juice from a jar of dill pickles (about a 1/2 cup, maybe a little more)

bring to a boil, cover, and put in a 300 degree oven (if you have an electric crockpot, this oughtta be somewhere between medium and high, but it really works better if you can do it in the oven) and cook for about 40 minutes or until the birds are done. the liquid should have reduced somewhat by now, pull the birds out and finish reducing the liquid over medium-to-high heat on the stovetop until it thickens into a nice glaze. Spoon it over the birds and serve. For a nice one-pot meal, throw some cut-up potatoes and carrots into the pot before you throw it in the oven.

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

Yep, it is good!

We sauteed some onion and garlic, then added zucchini, yellow squash, carrots (whole) and some potatoes. We marinated the hen beforehand in citrus juice (orange/lemon but I think pomegranate would be good too). Then we covered it in spices and dropped it on top of the veggies with a bit of wine and broth to keep everything juicy.

It was very good.

Oh yeah, I forgot the "brown the birds slightly first" bit... just like RCH said.

[Kai]

The reason I'm using a crock pot is because I really don't have a oven pan to do it the way my mom would do it. But it seems like it will work. Thanks for all the help so far. I'm gonna go purchase ingredients tonight.

[Kai]

Ingredients assembled.

2 cornish hens
1 orange
Brown sugar
Pickle juice
2 large russet potatoes
Carrots
1 zucchini
3 yellow squash
Butter
Bay leaves
Peppercorns
Garlic
Onions

And a Fetzer 2008 Riesling. I know you said "in a real pinch" Hustle, but I'm not sure what I would do with the rest of a bottle of Grand Marnier, since I can't drink the stuff. At least with a sweet white wine I can use it in stir fry or let it go to vinegar for other things. The grocer didn't sell brandy anyway.

Putting the birds in the fridge now for defrosting. I figure they'll be good by Thursday.

[East Coast Hustle]

three things:

1) I forgot to mention that once you have pulled the birds out of the crockpot and are reducing the liquid on the stovetop, you should strain it to get the bay leaf, peppercorns, and hunks of garlic out.

2) If you're going to add the zucchini and yellow squash to the crockpot, cut them in fairly large chunks and add them once there's about 10 or 15 minutes to go so they don't get mushy.

3) If you're using a countertop electric crockpot, you might need to cook the birds a little longer to account for the lack of even heat from all sides. check for doneness with a metal food thermometer (165 degrees) or by wiggling the leg joint to see if it moves freely.

[Kai]

three things:

1) I forgot to mention that once you have pulled the birds out of the crockpot and are reducing the liquid on the stovetop, you should strain it to get the bay leaf, peppercorns, and hunks of garlic out.

2) If you're going to add the zucchini and yellow squash to the crockpot, cut them in fairly large chunks and add them once there's about 10 or 15 minutes to go so they don't get mushy.

3) If you're using a countertop electric crockpot, you might need to cook the birds a little longer to account for the lack of even heat from all sides. check for doneness with a metal food thermometer (165 degrees) or by wiggling the leg joint to see if it moves freely.

1) Hmmm...may have to go purchase one.

2) Right, gotcha.

3) No problem. Thats the nice thing about crockpots, safe enough that you can just leave them for a while to do their thing.

[LMNO]

One of the most important things RCH mentioned was to brown the bird first.  The skin's going to be fairly unpleasant if you don't.

[Bebek Sincap Ratatosk]

One of the most important things RCH mentioned was to brown the bird first.  The skin's going to be fairly unpleasant if you don't.

THIS

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I don't suppose you have a toaster oven, do you?

[Richter]

Alton brown the avian bastard.  Torch.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

That reminds me that I lost my brazing torch, and it pisses me off.

[Kai]

I don't suppose you have a toaster oven, do you?

nope.