Name: Smoked Cornish Hen Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 1 h 15 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cornish game hens; 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp garlic powder; 1 tbsp kosher salt; 1 tbsp black pepper; 24 garlic cloves; 2 lemons

How To Make Smoked Cornish Hen

Its small size ensures that this smoked cornish hen recipe has loads of intense flavors. The quick cooking time also makes this great for a weeknight meal.

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 1 hr 15 mins

Total: 1 hr 25 mins

Serves:

Ingredients

2 cornish game hens
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp black pepper
24 garlic cloves
2 lemons, sliced

Instructions

Rub olive oil on the game hens. Combine the garlic powder, salt, and pepper then sprinkle all over the hens. Make sure to sprinkle inside the cavity as well.
Smash the garlic cloves slightly then stuff them inside the cavity of the hens. Stuff the lemon slices in the cavity.
Cover the birds and place them in the fridge for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours.
Remove the birds from the fridge and preheat the smoker to 225 degrees F.
Place the hens on the grill. Smoke for 45 to 60 minutes at 225 degrees F then increase the heat to 375 degrees F and cook for 20 to 30 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees F.
Remove the hens from the grill cover them with foil and let them rest for 10 minutes. The temperature will continue to climb while the hens are resting. The final temperature of the hens should be 165 degrees F. Serve the Cornish game hens whole or split them in half.