Cornish Hens & Egg Plant

[bftownes]

Since I am a newbee, you can understand how excited I might get when something turns out delicious. I have been cooking chickens, steaks and cornish hens for years, but now have been bitten by the smoke bug. Thus, I am here.

I have heard of brining and had it esplained to me, but never did it. Well, today, I used the brining recipe that is reported here on the links by Jeff, etc. I soaked them in the brine for three hours. I usually end up tweaking recipes, but this time, I thought I would just simply follow what the experts have to say. After soaking, all I did was pat dry, wipe on some olive oil and cover with fresh ground black pepper. They were totally exceptional.

As a side, I grilled some egg plant using a recipe that I got out of the Weber cookbook, "Real Grilling". Most excellent.

All this was accomplished on my Baby Q. Whats for dinner tomorrow night?

 

[bwsmith_2000]

Hey Barry,
What can I say? Good smoke, good food Ahmen. Thanks for the smoke.

 

[mossymo]

bftownes
Happy to hear this works for you... SMF is the KING of all "sharing" smoking recipes sites in my mind !!!

 

[gobbledot]

Bftownes did ya just cook then directly on the rack or in one of those beer can holders? Sounds like I am going to be trying it, I luv cornish hens... Thanks...

 

[bftownes]

Jim, keep in mind that I am a fulltime RVer and live in my motorhome unless I am at my RV pad in Rockport, TX. So, all I generally have is my Baby Q. Not enough room for beer butt chicken. I cooked them on the Q100, on low and right on the grill. Breast up of course. The brining really did make huge difference. I luv cornish hens also, but have never seen a live one.

 

[bftownes]

Oh, BTW, dont you think a beer can would be a pretty tight fight up one of those little fellers?

 

[seboke]

I've heard about using red bull cans for c-hens. Don't know... Maybe old tomato paste cans?

 

[bftownes]

Excellent idea. All joking aside, and I am asking not implying.....if you go to the trouble of mixing up this brine and then brining the birds, would you want to do the beer butt thing? Seems to me it might take away from the natural flavors imparted by the brining. Would the beering enhance the brining? Would one want to do both?

 

[seboke]

I really can't answer that. I've only done whole chx a few times, brined every time. I use the racks that hold the beer cans, but have yet to use a can, just poke the rack up the cavity and apply smoke. But I agree, it does seem overkill.