Chicken Little

Someday when I get to interview Alton Brown for this blog, I just have to ask how he comes up some of the techniques and off-beat ideas he shares with us. His recommendation for cooking Cornish games hens in "Fowl Territory" with a brick as weight was part odd but at the same time genius.

I first learned of cooking fowl with a big ol' brick on top of it from AB's cookbook "I'm Just Here for the Food." In there, he butterflies a whole chicken. That was one technique from the book I have used over and over for many years. In fact, my "cooking bricks" stay on the deck, wrapped in foil, all year long. Each time I break out a new grilling and mashing session, I rewrap the bricks and fire up the grill.

Since I found the butterflied chicken to be an excellent way to grill whole chickens, it cooks all of the meat together letting the white meat not over cook while the dark meat can reach the needed higher internal temp. When I saw the Cornish game hens being cooked on Good Eats, I wanted to try the grilled method AB showed because I knew it to be a great way to grill fowl.

The Cornish game hen was something I cooked often. The only time before this I had prepared the little chicken was roasting in the oven like a whole turkey or chicken. They were good but for whatever reason, I never returned to making them.

As of late I've been on a grilling kick. Serious grilling kick. Last week, I spied the wee fowl at a great price at the mega-mart. Since I had wanted to try AB's Curried Cornish Game Hen recipe, it was a great time to give it a try.


First, prepping the bird for flattening is so easy. I have been butterflying chickens for a long time now and thanks to Alton's clear and simple instructions, it couldn't be easier. I use my 5 inch Alton's Angle santoku knife to whack out the backbone, then two slits o the side of the breast and the keel bone is gone. That tip to tuck the legs in the skin is great and makes the little birdy lay nice and flat.


Next came using the puree. In AB's recipe there are almonds, so I had to omit them for the paste (I'm allergic). The curry portion of the program turned out awesome. The smell alone is worth making it. I gave the hens a little rubdown and let them soak for a few hours.


Just like using this method for the bigger fowl, both types of meat on the little hens cooked together. When the darkest, dark of the thigh hit 170 the white meat was not overcooked. The flavor of the curry rub is wonderfully spicy but not too hot. The skin crisped up so great with the grill and the oil from the rub.

This is now on the list of great grill favorites.

AB's Grilled Curry Cornish Hens recipe.