How To Clean Cornish Hens

One time on Usenet said:

I purchased a 2-pack of Tyson frozen cornish hens. It says to clean them
before cooking. I"ve never prepared them before. How exactly do I clean
them?

I give 'em a good rinse, inside and out, with cold water. Just remember
that you're dealing with raw poultry and disinfect accordingly...

--
J.J. in WA ~ mom, vid gamer, novice cook ~
"I rule you!" - Travis of the Cosmos, ATHF

"Lou Vincze" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Hi gang!

I purchased a 2-pack of Tyson frozen cornish hens. It says to clean them
before cooking. I"ve never prepared them before. How exactly do I clean
them?

Thanks!

Lou

I hope I did mine right.. I cleaned them the same way I do my chickens.
the other day I cooked 2 in my convection oven - THEY MADE A MESS.
I don't know what happen but it seemed like a fat pocket must have busted
and all the fat hit the drip pan and started smoking.
when it was done the inside of my oven was a mess.
it had this white slimy stuff all over the walls.
pretty nasty stuff. lol I used to think I was a good cook.
Tom
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Wayne's recommendations for sanitation and preparation are good. Here
are a few variations of my own:

Put a satsuma orange (little, and in season now) in the cavity of each
bird, or else a quarter of a regular navel orange. Squeeze some orange
juice over the top of the birdies, and roast at 350 F for about 1 hour
in the middle of the oven.

I often spread olive oil around the bottom of the roasting pan with 1
clove of garlic.

Make a basting sauce of orange juice and balsamic vinegar, and baste
the hens about four times as they cook. (If these ingredients don't
sound appealing to you, experiment. Orange and soy sauce is a nice
variation Lemon juice and olive oil mingled with pan drippings also
make a nice basting sauce.) Add about 10 minutes of cooking time if you
baste.

bunches of fresh tarragon tucked under the skin is also good. You can
also sprinkle the skin with chopped tarragon leaves and bake. I also
add little white boiling onions to the pan as the birds roast.

Don't tell Dr. Atkins, but sometimes I sprinkle grated parmesan over
the game hen before roasting. It makes the skin extra crisp when the
bird is cooked.

Lingonberry sauce or cranberry sauce is very good with the cooked
birds.

Yes, I eat a lot of game hens. =o) I find them a good value, as I can
get dinner off half a birdie, and eat the other half cold for lunch,
and it's a cheapish, tasty treat.

Melissa

Lou Vincze said:

Hi gang!

I purchased a 2-pack of Tyson frozen cornish hens. It says to clean

them

Quoted message said:

before cooking. I"ve never prepared them before. How exactly >do I

clean

Quoted message said:

them?

Thanks!

Lou

I just wash them really well with water, removing any pin feathers. I
then remove the kidneys that are along the back end of the back bone -
in from the tail. Otherwise the meat in that area is gamy. I rub with
oil and spices (pepper, garlic and onion powder, chili powder, or some
other spices that seem good) put in a pan with about 3/4 inch of water,
and roast at 325 - start at 400 - roast unclovered for 20 minutes,
cover the pan with foil (vented slightly) and roast at 325 for about an
hour. During the last half hour of cooking, I baste them every 20
mintes or so.

-L.

In rec.food.cooking said:

Hi gang!

Quoted message said:

I purchased a 2-pack of Tyson frozen cornish hens. It says to clean them
before cooking. I"ve never prepared them before. How exactly do I clean
them?

Just run them through the dishwasher.

--
In the councils of government, we must guard against the
acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought,
by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the
disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.
-- Dwight David Eisenhower

In rec.food.cooking said:

Yes, I eat a lot of game hens. =o)

And you have a lot of good ideas, too.

--
In the councils of government, we must guard against the
acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought,
by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the
disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.
-- Dwight David Eisenhower

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In rec.food.cooking said:

Hi gang!

Quoted message said:

I purchased a 2-pack of Tyson frozen cornish hens. It says to clean them
before cooking. I"ve never prepared them before. How exactly do I clean
them?

Just run them through the dishwasher.

--
In the councils of government, we must guard against the
acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought,
by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the
disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.
-- Dwight David Eisenhower

One other thing - should i thaw them or cook them frozen?

Thanks!

Lou