There are no pictures and for that I am sorry. There will be next time, because this is getting made again.
Having seen Don Cash's "Learning Lump" thread and reading up on Cornish Hens in the Cook's Illustrated Guide to Grilling and Barbecue, I decided it was time to take the plunge and graduate to lump charcoal.
I brined two one-pound hens in a gallon of water for one hour with a cup of koshering salt and a half-cup of white sugar. I then removed them from brine, dried them well, and placed them on V8 cans filled half way with miller high life and a crushed clove of garlic. After looking at small juice cans, small beer cans, and the new small coke cans, V8 works best. I folded their wingtips behind their back and used some Cajun seasoning mixed with a bit of dry mustard, smoked black pepper, and chipotle powder to rub them down.
From a full chimney of lump I made two banks of charcoal on opposite sides of the grill and put the hens in the middle, oriented so their breasts and backs faced the banks. They stayed on for an hour, with the vents on top wide open and the vents on bottom barely cracked. Temps were 325-375 for the duration. Birds were pulled at 180F in the thigh and let to rest under tented foil for 15 minutes.
The hens were delicious - flavor throughout the meat, juicy, and tender as you please. The skin was crispy and golden brown. If you're holding out on trying lump like I was, don't. It takes a little while to get it going, and when people say it burns hotter they're not joking, but it's pretty easy to manage once you get the hang of it.
So, I feel accomplished. This was my first attempt at beer can Cornish hens, my first use of lump, and my first time brining anything. I'll be doing plenty of all three in the future.
Having seen Don Cash's "Learning Lump" thread and reading up on Cornish Hens in the Cook's Illustrated Guide to Grilling and Barbecue, I decided it was time to take the plunge and graduate to lump charcoal.
I brined two one-pound hens in a gallon of water for one hour with a cup of koshering salt and a half-cup of white sugar. I then removed them from brine, dried them well, and placed them on V8 cans filled half way with miller high life and a crushed clove of garlic. After looking at small juice cans, small beer cans, and the new small coke cans, V8 works best. I folded their wingtips behind their back and used some Cajun seasoning mixed with a bit of dry mustard, smoked black pepper, and chipotle powder to rub them down.
From a full chimney of lump I made two banks of charcoal on opposite sides of the grill and put the hens in the middle, oriented so their breasts and backs faced the banks. They stayed on for an hour, with the vents on top wide open and the vents on bottom barely cracked. Temps were 325-375 for the duration. Birds were pulled at 180F in the thigh and let to rest under tented foil for 15 minutes.
The hens were delicious - flavor throughout the meat, juicy, and tender as you please. The skin was crispy and golden brown. If you're holding out on trying lump like I was, don't. It takes a little while to get it going, and when people say it burns hotter they're not joking, but it's pretty easy to manage once you get the hang of it.
So, I feel accomplished. This was my first attempt at beer can Cornish hens, my first use of lump, and my first time brining anything. I'll be doing plenty of all three in the future.
