Uploaded October 2019 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Stuffed Cornish Game Hens
(For a 12” Camp Oven)
Ingredients:
3 game hens, giblets removed
1 large orange
1 stick of sweet butter (8 tbsp.)
¼ cup yellow onions, peeled & diced
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 tart apple, cored & diced
1 cup seedless grapes
2 tbsp. fresh italian parsley, minced (reserve more for garnish)
¼ cup italian seasoned bread crumbs
½ tsp. thyme, divided
salt & pepper, to taste
paprika
3 strips of bacon, halved crosswise
½ cup dry sherry
Directions:
1. Rinse hens with cold water and pat dry.
2. Grate the zest from the orange and set zest aside. Cut the orange into quarters and rub one quarter, over the outside and inside the cavity of each hen, moistening them with the orange juice. Set hens and 1 remaining orange quarter aside.
3. Melt half of the butter, (4 tbsp.) in a skillet, or the inverted lid of the oven. Add the onion & celery. Simmer over low heat, until tender and lightly colored. (About 15 minutes)
4. Combine apple, grapes, parsley, bread crumbs, reserved orange zest and half of the thyme into a medium bowl. Pour the butter, onion, celery mixture over the fruit mixture. Season with salt, pepper and toss gently to combine. (Yield - About 3 cups of stuffing)
5. Stuff each hen with approximately 1 cup of stuffing and truss or skewer the cavity shut. Place the hens into the camp oven and season with juice from the remaining orange quarter, remaining thyme, salt, pepper and sprinkle with paprika. Arrange the strips of bacon into an “X” over the breast of each hen. Chop the remaining butter into small pieces and dot each hen with the butter pieces. Pour the sherry into bottom of the camp oven, using care not to remove seasoning from the hens and place the lid on top.
6. Bake for 1½ hours, (90 minutes) using one loose ring of 10 briquettes under the oven wall and one tight outer ring of 14 briquettes on the lid, changing coals once at 45 minutes.
Quickly baste the hens a few times with the liquid during the baking cycle, with the lid removed only while basting. (Each time the lid is removed, heat is lost)
7. When the hens are golden brown, transfer them to a serving platter and garnish them with reserved parsley. If desired, place the lid back onto the oven and reduce the liquid to about 2/3 volume and pour over hens upon serving. Enjoy!!!
Get good music here: epidemicsound.com/referral/i3zn3v
Stuffed Cornish Game Hens
(For a 12” Camp Oven)
Ingredients:
3 game hens, giblets removed
1 large orange
1 stick of sweet butter (8 tbsp.)
¼ cup yellow onions, peeled & diced
1 stalk of celery, chopped
1 tart apple, cored & diced
1 cup seedless grapes
2 tbsp. fresh italian parsley, minced (reserve more for garnish)
¼ cup italian seasoned bread crumbs
½ tsp. thyme, divided
salt & pepper, to taste
paprika
3 strips of bacon, halved crosswise
½ cup dry sherry
Directions:
1. Rinse hens with cold water and pat dry.
2. Grate the zest from the orange and set zest aside. Cut the orange into quarters and rub one quarter, over the outside and inside the cavity of each hen, moistening them with the orange juice. Set hens and 1 remaining orange quarter aside.
3. Melt half of the butter, (4 tbsp.) in a skillet, or the inverted lid of the oven. Add the onion & celery. Simmer over low heat, until tender and lightly colored. (About 15 minutes)
4. Combine apple, grapes, parsley, bread crumbs, reserved orange zest and half of the thyme into a medium bowl. Pour the butter, onion, celery mixture over the fruit mixture. Season with salt, pepper and toss gently to combine. (Yield - About 3 cups of stuffing)
5. Stuff each hen with approximately 1 cup of stuffing and truss or skewer the cavity shut. Place the hens into the camp oven and season with juice from the remaining orange quarter, remaining thyme, salt, pepper and sprinkle with paprika. Arrange the strips of bacon into an “X” over the breast of each hen. Chop the remaining butter into small pieces and dot each hen with the butter pieces. Pour the sherry into bottom of the camp oven, using care not to remove seasoning from the hens and place the lid on top.
6. Bake for 1½ hours, (90 minutes) using one loose ring of 10 briquettes under the oven wall and one tight outer ring of 14 briquettes on the lid, changing coals once at 45 minutes.
Quickly baste the hens a few times with the liquid during the baking cycle, with the lid removed only while basting. (Each time the lid is removed, heat is lost)
7. When the hens are golden brown, transfer them to a serving platter and garnish them with reserved parsley. If desired, place the lid back onto the oven and reduce the liquid to about 2/3 volume and pour over hens upon serving. Enjoy!!!
Get good music here: epidemicsound.com/referral/i3zn3v
