Recipe: Spicy Cajun Smoked Cornish Game Hens

Spicy Cajun Smoked Cornish Game Hens
rec.food.recipes/Beth Morgan (1996)

You can alternate the game hens with "hot links" or hot Italian sausage on several racks in the smoker. Serve lime jello for dessert as a chaser--perfect for an outdoor picnic with potato and green salads. Serves 10 with 1/2 game hen and 1 sausage per person.

Marinade for 5 (split) game hens:
1 cup Kikoman Soy Sauce
1 cup French's Worcestershire Sauce
1/2 cup beef bouillon
4 tbsp "Denio's Auction" BBQ Spice mix (made from roughly equal proportions of dried granulated garlic, dried basil, dried parsley flakes, red pepper flakes, dried summer savory and a lesser proportion of crumbled bay leaf)
3/4 cup (or to taste) Tabasco *BRAND* red pepper sauce

Hickory chips, fresh herbs and briquettes for smoker set-up.

5 Cornish Game Hens, giblets removed, rinsed, and put in a separate bowl.

Rinse hens and pat dry.

Start the night before or very early in the morning. Thoroughly mix marinade ingredients in a large crock or soup pot.

Split each game hen down the middle and put into the marinade pot. Put about 1/4 cup of the marinade with the giblets in a separate bowl.

Turn the hens in the marinade at least twice during a 2-10 hour refrigerated process. (Giblet prep for those who enjoy them: make 3 tightly wrapped packages of the marinated giblets wrapped in at least 2 layers of foil and place these in the smoker at the same time you put in the game hens. The smoked chicken livers are DELICIOUS.)

Put 1 cup hickory wood chips to soak covered in water.

Smoker Set-Up: Start 1 10-lb. bag of Kingsford Charcoal in the bottom pan of the smoker. Fill the water pan, and throw in the water whatever fresh herbs you may have on hand. Rosemary gives a VERY good flavor. When the charcoals are beginning to ash over, drain the hickory chips and toss them over the hot coals; close the smoker.

Arrange the game hens cut side down evenly on the smoker racks and cover the smoker tightly. Smoke the hens for 2-3 hours, watching the temperature gauge to be sure it remains in the "ideal" range. Don't open the smoker. If it is not hot enough, add more charcoal or more dry hickory chips at the bottom. If the smoker is in the "too hot range" open the top to dissipate the excess heat.

After two hours open the smoker and quickly place the hot links/Italian sausages. Remember not to leave the smoker open more than absolutely necessary because any reduction in internal temperature will set you way back on your cooking time.

Allow to smoke for 1 more hour. Take out a game hen quickly and test: it should be very tender, nearly falling off the bone, and should be a dark red color (don't let the color fool you--the meat is DONE when it turns a dark red.) The skin should be a crispy dark brown to black on the hens and the sausages also.

**A bit of an effort but absolutely worth it for an unforgettable barbecue**