GRILLED CORNISH GAME HEN

I'm really not crazy about Cornish game hens, but at least they're not chicken. They're just too fatty for me to really like. But cooked this way, I could grow to be a fan. When you use a vertical roaster, the hen is very moist and tender; it cooks very quickly and all the fat drips into the drip pan. Although I like to season food, all you really need for this is salt and pepper. The hen bastes itself as it cooks. You can find these vertical roasters in kitchen stores if you don't have one already. They're not the same as the beer roasters, so be sure you buy the right one. You can use them in your oven or on your grill. The top picture shows the hen after I took it off the grill. I placed it in the microwave (turned off) while I prepared the veggie side dish. BTW, I buy these Cornish hens in Wal-Mart's freezer section, 2 to a pack for about $5.50. Since they are individually frozen, I can take out one at a time. One hen feeds both of us with some meat left over, since we're not very big eaters. I've also cut them in half and grilled them, adding BBQ sauce for the last 5 minutes.

Grilled Cornish Game Hen

INGREDIENTS: 1 Cornish game hen, frozen or fresh
salt and pepper to taste
vertical roaster

DIRECTIONS: If hen is frozen, thaw overnight in fridge. When ready to cook, remove packaging and salt hen liberally inside and out with kosher salt or table salt. Let hen sit for 5 minutes, then with hands, scrub the salt into all parts of the hen. Rinse with cold water until all salt is removed and let hen drain well. Dry cavity with clean paper towels. Salt and pepper inside and outside of hen, and place on vertical roaster. Cook on hot grill (400-425 degrees F if yours has a thermometer) for about 45 minutes, or till juices run clear when hen is pierced in thigh. (Or use an instant read thermometer stuck in thigh.) Let hen rest for about 15 minutes before serving. Wash hands well with hot soapy water after handling poultry, and also scrub sink with cleanser and bleach. Yield: 1-2 servings