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Alright, y’all, these Buttermilk Cornish Hens are about to be the star of your next dinner. They’re juicy, flavorful, and look like you put in way more effort than you did. The secret? That buttermilk brine, baby! It’s the ultimate trick to getting tender, juicy meat that’s packed with flavor.
If you like this recipe check out my Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs.
Ingredients for buttermilk Cornish hens
Cornish Hens: The main attraction. Perfectly sized for individual servings, making them feel special for any dinner.
Buttermilk: Keeps the hens super moist and adds a subtle tangy flavor.
Garlic powder & Rosemary: The brine gets its earthy, bold flavors from these two. They work magic on the hens.
Smoked paprika: Adds a smoky, slightly spicy flavor to the skin of the hens.
Lemon & Onion: Stuffed into the hens to infuse them with bright, fresh flavors.
Carrots & Potatoes: Roast alongside the hens and soak up all the delicious juices.
Cajun seasoning: Brings a little heat and a ton of flavor to the dry rub, giving the hens that bold kick.
Butter: Brushing the hens with butter before roasting gives the skin that irresistible golden crisp.
How to make Buttermilk Cornish Hens
First, I give these hens a buttermilk bath, letting them soak up all those flavors from garlic, smoked paprika, and fresh rosemary. Six hours to overnight is how long they should brine.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. When it’s time to roast, I stuff the hens with lemon, garlic, and herbs, rub them with a Cajun spice mix, and brush them with butter for that crispy, golden skin.
Every 15 minutes, I baste them with the buttery, herby pan juices, and trust me, the aroma coming from that oven is everything.
Roast for 50-60 minutes, basting with the pan juices every 15 minutes, until the hens reach 165°F internally. Let them rest, and serve with the roasted veggies.
Commonly Asked Questions
Buttermilk brine adds moisture and flavor to the hens. The acidity in the buttermilk tenderizes the meat, making it juicy and delicious. It’s like giving your hens the spa treatment they deserve!
One Cornish hen per person is typical, but if you’re not feeding a big eater, you can easily split the hen in half. But let’s be real, these are so good, no one’s going to want to share!
Absolutely! Feel free to throw in Brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes, or even parsnips. The more, the merrier—especially when they’re soaking up all those pan juices.
Buttermilk Cornish Hens
Ingredients
Brine:
- 2 cornish hens
- 3 cups buttermilk
- 2 tsp Garlic powder
- 2 sprigs rosemary , chopped
- 1/4 tsp Pepper
- 1 1/2 tsp Smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp Salt
Oven prep:
- 1 lemon , cut into quarters
- 1 Onion , cut into quarters
- 4 cloves garlic , shamshed
- 2 Carrots , chopped
- 3 Red potatoes, quartered
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 4 sprigs rosemary
- 4 tbsp butter melted
Dry rub:
- 2 tsp Cajun seasoning
- 1/4 tsp Red pepper flakes
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
Instructions
Brine:
- Prep the Cornish hens by trimming off extra fat & the extra part of the neck, remove giblets if present, rinse with water, lift up the skin on the breast and pat dry Cornish hens. Place in a large bowl.
- Combine the buttermilk with smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper and rosemary, whisk together. Pour the mixture over the cornish hens and let brine for at least 6 hours, but overnight is better.
Oven prep & dry rub:
- Preheat the oven to 400.
- Remove the hens from the buttermilk, let the excess buttermilk drip and pat off any remaining liquid on the hens and inside the cavity.
- Insert the cavity of each hen with lemon, 1 sprig of rosemary, 1 sprig of thyme, 1 garlic clove and 1 quarter of onion. Tie the legs together with twine or foil.
- To a baking dish or oven safe pan spread the potatoes, carrots, onion, rosemary, garlic and thyme. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
- Place the cornish hens on top of the veggies. In a small ramekin or bowl, mix together the Italian seasoning, cajun seasoning and red pepper flakes. Brush the hens with the melted butter then season all over with the seasoning mixture.
- Bake uncovered for 50-60 minutes in the preheated oven, basting every 15 minutes with the pan liquids.The meat should be 165 degrees when done. I like to squeeze a little lemon on top.
- Let cool and serve!
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
