Roast Cornish Hen with Grilln’ & Roastn’ Spice Blend

Roast Cornish Game Hen

Ingredients:
4 ea Cornish Game Hen

1/4 C Olive Oil
1/2 C Spice Union Grilln’ & Roastn’ Spice Blend

1/4 C Butter

2 Tbsp Fresh garlic- minced

1/4 C Fresh lemon juice

1 C Chicken stock

Bring the Cornish hens to room temperature.
Spatchcock the Cornish hens by removing the backbone with kitchen scissors. With the hen cavity facing up, open the bird and locate the breast bone or keel bone. On this breast bone, at the head end of the bird is a diamond shaped piece of cartilage. With a sharp knife, cut into this cartilage to spit it right down the middle. Now, turn the bird over, spread it out on the cutting board and press down on both breast lobes. The breast bone will crack and the hen will lay flat on the cutting board. Here is a link to a spatchcock tutorial.
Preheat your oven to 425°F.
Drizze a tablespoon of olive oil on the skin of each hen. Rub it around to throughly coat the entire skin of the hen.
Season all both sides of the hens with Spice Union Grilln’ & Roastn’ Spice Blend.
Lay the hens flat in the bottom of a roasting pan or on a baking pan; skin side up.
Place hens into the oven and cook for 15 minutes at 425°F.
In a small sauce pan, melt the butter until shimmering.
Add the garlic to the butter and cook for 20 seconds.
Add the lemon juice and chicken stock to the butter and remove from the heat.
After the initial 15 minutes of cooking the hens, lower the oven temperature to 325°F.
Baste the hens with the lemon butter mixture.
Continue to cook the hens at 325°F for an additional 55-60 minutes; basting with the lemon butter mixture every 10-15 minutes.
If you run out of the lemon butter mixture, spoon the pan drippings over top of the hens.
Cook the hens until they reach an internal temperature of 160°F.
Remove the hens from the oven and let them rest for 3 minutes before cutting.
Serve with a buttery rice pilaf and seasonal vegetables.