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.
In a crock pot?
Let me think about it.
In the meantime, RCH might be able to give a few pointers.
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.
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.
Quote from: Doctor Rat Bastard on November 24, 2009, 09:06:34 PM
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.
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.
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.
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.
Quote from: Rip City Hustle on November 25, 2009, 07:22:36 AM
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.
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.
Quote from: LMNO on November 25, 2009, 01:35:38 PM
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
I don't suppose you have a toaster oven, do you?
Alton brown the avian bastard. Torch.
That reminds me that I lost my brazing torch, and it pisses me off.
Let me know how this turns out and whether or not you liked it.
Quote from: Rip City Hustle on November 26, 2009, 08:38:29 AM
Let me know how this turns out and whether or not you liked it.
Sure thing.
Birds are floating in the sink for a bit, were nearly thaw in the fridge and just finishing them off.
Birds are cooking. Its gonna be a while.
I've been trying to upload some pictures to photobucket but it is NOT WORKING. I don't know why.
We had our family-type Thanksgiving meal on Sunday, so that my parents could jet yesterday to California for a five day weekend.
photobucket is not working for me.
More information when I figure out what the hell is wrong with the damn thing.
The Birds.
(http://img513.imageshack.us/img513/6779/img0002vc.th.jpg)
The full up crockpot. Yes, I know the squash and zucchini should have gone in later. No, it really didn't make much difference.
(http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/8679/img0003ta.th.jpg)
A bird peeking out from under the veggies. I browned them in a separate pan, since the crock pot wasn't getting hot fast enough, then transfered over.
(http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/7015/img0004dh.th.jpg)
Oh. My. God.
(http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/680/img0006ed.th.jpg)
Ohmygodohmygodohmygod.
(http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/4519/img0009b.th.jpg)
The clean picked bones say it all.
(http://img134.imageshack.us/img134/4163/img0010i.th.jpg)
Some thoughts:
This was an excellent meal, and it only took about 3 hours from start to finish, not counting the hen defrosting I did this morning. The flavors mixed so well in the crockpot, and everything was moist and tender. That being said....
-I could have browned the bird just a bit longer. The skin was tasty enough as it is, infused with the flavors of the dish, but it could have been better. Doing it on the stovetop rather than in the crockpot was the right idea.
-I added a tad too much pickle juice. Again, still very good, but it started tasting a little more german than I wanted. The sour and the sweet of the wine and the brown sugar went together so well, but the sour overpowered the sweet just a bit. Something to remember.
-Next time I will really add zucchini, squash and other soft vegetables at the last minute, as they were a bit soft by the end. Tasty, but I like my veggies with a bit more crunch.
-I'm curious what the difference in flavor would be with brandy compared to riesling.
-Aw damn, I was supposed to /reduce/ the liquid afterwards. Oh well, I can do it now, and just use it on the other bird this evening. It was still good poured over thinner.
Overall, I am impressed, and I want to have Hustle's babies. Best poultry I've ever cooked.
:mittens:
that looks delicious. glad I could help out, man. thanksgiving is about sharing good food with family and corny as it may sound, some of you are more like family to me than what little biological family I have.
Not least among them you, Kai, given that we basically signed up here together and made out first few forays into the world of PD.com as a team.
Cheers!
Cheers! *tip of the wine glass*
Kai,
Good food, good company, good conversation...what much more does one need?
Quote from: Rip City Hustle on November 26, 2009, 10:59:18 PM
thanksgiving is about sharing good food with family and corny as it may sound, some of you are more like family to me than what little biological family I have.
THIS, BITCHES.
Bumping this, because I am going to do the SAME THING TOMORROW, BITCHES!!
And lo, it will be even better this year.
Quote from: ϗ on November 24, 2010, 10:50:53 PM
Bumping this, because I am going to do the SAME THING TOMORROW, BITCHES!!
And lo, it will be even better this year.
From your description of last year, it sounds like it promises to be a fantastic meal. When I am in a position to do so, I will have to remember to try this.
Quote from: Phox on November 25, 2010, 02:56:44 AM
From your description of last year, it sounds like it promises to be a fantastic meal. When I am in a position to do so, I will have to remember to try this.
Awesome.
Note for this year: instead of Riesling I'll be using Gewurztraminer. Much sweeter, closer to what Hustle suggested.
This thread made me eat my blanket from bird envy
AND THEN
puke it out from love grossness.
AWESOME!! :awesome:
This thread makes me want to cook something. But I'm not allowed in the kitchen without adult supervision anymore and the boyfriend is too stoned on pain meds to supervise in a meaningful fashion. The girlfriend is making heap big foods but now I want to contribute something more than just clearing my crafting shit off the dining room table.
Maybe I can con her into helping me with some cookies. I've been meaning to try this (http://tmbrunschen.blogspot.com/2010/06/cookies-with-sordid-past.html).
My french roommate just told me that it smelled incredible. The hens have been cooking for several hours now.
Also, I accidentally broke my new gifted cogiac glass. Very sad about that. Cut myself in the process too. :(:(
Before
(http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e168/ZLB/img_0211.jpg)
After
(http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e168/ZLB/img_0212.jpg)
Prognosis: Good.
I always feel bad when I see people eating by themselves on Thanksgiving. If you lived closer Kai, I'd totally find a way to have you at my table.
Quote from: Suu on December 05, 2010, 10:06:51 PM
I always feel bad when I see people eating by themselves on Thanksgiving. If you lived closer Kai, I'd totally find a way to have you at my table.
Thanks. :)
Even though I was alone, it was still a really good meal.
Note: Tomorrow I will be making this for my parents. May lower the amounts of pickle juice and brown sugar to their taste.