Roasted Hen with stuffing and beans.
With Thanksgiving drawing near, many of us are preparing a scaled-down version of our annual feast. We can still enjoy the holiday with each other virtually, but the need for massive pans of food on the table to feed our families and friends may not be necessary in many cases.
While most dishes are very easy to scale down for a single household, there is one dish that can be difficult to orchestrate: the turkey. Turkeys do not come in single-family servings, but there are delightful birds ready to highlight your holiday table that are perfect for small groups.
Cornish hens make for beautiful miniature centerpieces for your Thanksgiving table and can be stuffed and cooked in a more manageable way due to their size. Not only do they take less time, but they come out every bit as delicious.
Preparing A Cornish Hen
A roasted cornish game hen fresh out of the oven and garnished with a sprig of rosemary.
Preparing a Cornish hen takes significantly less time and labor being that the average bird weighs between one and two pounds compared to a 15-pound turkey.
You can prepare your favorite stuffing the same way as you would for a turkey—just much less of it! Adjust your recipe according to the combined weight of your Cornish hen(s).
Heat your oven to 350º, place your hens on a greased roasting pan and cover them with foil. Bake them for 40 minutes.
Remove the foil, brush any herbed or plain melted butter over the hens, and bake for an additional 25-35 minutes. You will know when your hens are done when the juices run clear and the internal temperatures read 180º for the hens and 165º for the stuffing.
Delicious Roasted Cornish Game Hen with Stuffing
Even though your physical table may be a bit smaller than most years, your Thanksgiving meal can still be just as delicious as it always is. And even though your physical table may be smaller, don’t forget you can make your virtual table larger. If you need help getting started, check out our blog post about keeping in contact under quarantine.
From all of us at Southgate at Shrewsbury, we wish you a happy, safe, and delicious Thanksgiving!