Game (hen) Time!

GAME HENS ARE MY FAVORITE!!!
Ok, now that I got that out in the open, we can really start talking about delicious, delicious game hens.  I have only made game hens twice, now, and I've only eaten them at one other place...the awesome Thai place down the road, Mee Sen that does BBQ game hen with papaya salad...yum.  Mine isn't that fancy, but I have to say, it is no less tasty.  Plus, when you make game hen at home, you get to eat ALL of it, and spend time picking off those tasty little bones.
Why else are game hens so great?  They are small, which makes them very easy to roast without drying them out.  Every game hen that I've eaten and made has been incredibly juicy and tender.  They are also better tasting than chicken.  They have a mellow flavor and are slightly gamy the way good meat should be.  Even the free range chickens that I buy can be fairly bland tasting, but game hens have their own unique flavor.
Let's start with where to buy them.  I have tried finding game hens year round at my local New Seasons, but I have only been able to find them during the holidays.  I guess that is because they are a specialty item, and probably don't sell well the rest of the year, which is unfortunate because I think they should be a year-round staple.  Not only are they easy to cook and taste great, but they are also pretty cheap...I got mine for less than $5 each.  One game hen feeds two people easily (unless you have some really hungry people).  So, make sure you stock up, because once the holiday season is over, it's going to be a lot harder to find them.  They would freeze well, and won't take up too much room because they're tiny.

So, how to prepare them?  I roast mine like you would a chicken.  Since they are small, they don't take long, but remain wonderfully juicy.  This time, I went very simple on the seasoning, though there are a lot of variations that you could make to make them even more delicious.  I'm really going to have to try to make my own version of the Thai BBQ one day!

Roasted Game Hen

2 game hens (about 1-1 1/2 pounds each)
butcher's twine
roasting pan with rack (or I used a baking sheet with a cooling rack...works great)

Marinade (enough for 2 game hens):

1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice or white wine
1 tsp thyme
2 TB salt
black pepper to taste

I like to mix all of these ingredients together until most of the salt is dissolved.

Then, I place the game hens on the baking sheet/roasting pan and pull the skin away from the meat gently.  You don't want to displace or tear the skin, but you want it away from the meat (on the breast and legs) so that you can massage your marinade into the meat itself.  Pour the marinade under the skin of each bird and massage it well into the meat.  Make sure to get it everywhere so that the entire bird is seasoned.  Also massage it into the skin so that the skin will become flavorful and crispy as it roasts.

Heh! These are some ugly buggers...but oh, so delicious!

Next step is to truss your hen.  Cut a length of butcher's twine about 12" long, or more if needed.  Turn your bird breast side down, with the head away from you.  Place the middle of the twine around the neck area and under the wings.  Cross the twine over the back (right next to the wings), then turn the hen over.  Bring the twine around the inside of the legs and wrap it around the end of the drumsticks.  Tie the drumsticks together and tie off the twine.  Make sure the twine is snug around the chicken.  Then, you can tuck in the wings under the twine.  Make sure all parts of the chicken are snug and secure.

NOTE:  Everyone trusses a chicken differently.  I have watched several YouTube videos and everyone has their own way of doing things.  But it is a good skill to know and to practice whatever way you choose to do it.  But there are some things that are very important:
1.  Make sure all parts of the chicken are secure to the body of the chicken.  This will ensure that all parts cook evenly and the juices stay in the meat. (This is why you truss after all!)
2.  Don't cross the twine over the breasts.  This will leave unsightly lines on your cooked breasts, and could squeeze them too tightly which could dry them out.
3.  Here's a video of trussing a chicken. She does it the exact opposite of how I do, but it still works...and sometimes videos help more than written instruction! http://www.chow.com/food-news/53715/how-to-truss-a-chicken/

Next is roasting!  Preheat your oven to 350F and roast game hen for 45-60 minutes until juices run clear or a meat thermometer reads 160F.  Make sure that you rest your game hen after roasting for 10-15 minutes.

Then, eat and enjoy!  This was so good that I will guiltily admit that I picked the bones clean.  It wasn't pretty...but I certainly enjoyed myself!