Smoked Cornish Hen (4 Simple Steps)

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Smoked Cornish hens are what I make when I want to put something on the table that looks like serious effort but takes about two and a half hours with almost no hands-on time. One hen per person — the portion sizing does the work for you at a dinner party.

Smoke low at 225°F to get the wood flavor into the meat, then crank to 360°F to crisp the skin. They come off deep golden and the meat underneath stays juicy. Perfect for Christmas, Easter, a dinner party, or any weeknight when you want something that looks impressive.

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Ingredients You Need

• Cornish Hens — buy fresh rather than frozen if you can. Fresh hens produce crisper skin — frozen hens release more moisture as they thaw, and that moisture steams on the smoker instead of crisping. If using frozen, thaw in the fridge for 24 hours and pat extremely dry before seasoning.
• BBQ Rub — something with brown sugar and smoked paprika. The brown sugar is what caramelizes on the skin at the high-heat finish stage and gives you that deep golden color. I use the same rub I’d use on chicken thighs.
• Oil — avocado or olive oil as a binder. The oil goes on before the rub and helps it adhere through the whole cook.
• 1 tsp black pepper, 1/2 tbsp kosher salt, 2 tbsp paprika, 1 tbsp garlic powder

How to Smoke Cornish Game Hens 

Step 1 – Spatchcock the Hen

Remove the product from the packaging and check for any stray giblets in the cavity. The chances are slim that there will be anything, but it’s always best to check!

If frozen, leave to thaw completely. Pat completely dry with paper towels. Do not rinse — rinsing raw poultry spreads bacteria to surrounding surfaces and is not recommended. Any surface impurities are eliminated during the cook.

The next step is to spatchcock the hens. Spatchcocking is a great way to ensure your Cornish hens cook evenly. Using kitchen shears, you cut along each side of the backbone and remove it, then flip the hen and press hard so it lies flat.

Step 2 – Season

Once you have spatchcocked the hens, rub them with a binder like oil or mustard; this helps the rub to stick. Take your rub and cover the hen, ensuring you fully cover it.

Season a couple of hours before smoking and place uncovered in the fridge. You can even season it the night before and leave it overnight in the refrigerator.

The overnight rest uncovered in the fridge is the step most people skip, and it makes a noticeable difference. The dry air pulls the last of the surface moisture out of the skin. When you take the hens out the next morning, the skin should feel almost papery. That dry skin is what crisps properly on the smoker. Wet skin steams instead of crisping.

Preheat the grill to 225°F and add wood chip pellets to the hopper. I like to use mild fruitwood, such as applewood or cherrywood, for poultry.

Step 3 – Smoke

Place the hens breast side down directly on the grates. Close the lid and smoke at 225°F. At the 60-minute mark, the skin will have gone from pale to a light tan color. The rub will look set, and the whole smoker will smell of wood smoke and rendering poultry fat.

Continue at 225°F until the internal temperature of the breast reaches 145°F — approximately 90 minutes total. Increase to 360°F and continue cooking for 15–20 minutes until the internal temperature reaches 165°F. The skin will color rapidly at 360°F — watch it closely. Pull when the breast hits 165°F and rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Step 4 – Serve

Remove the hens from the smoker and rest uncovered for 10 minutes — don’t tent with foil or the skin you just spent 2 hours building will soften immediately. Serve each hen on its own plate. A sprig of rosemary and a lemon wedge alongside finishes the presentation.

How Long Do They Take to Smoke?

For best results, start out smoking at 225°F until the internal temperature reaches 145°F (this takes about an hour and a half). Then, raise the temperature of your smoker to 350°F until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (this takes about 15-20 minutes).

Cornish hens are small and won’t take long in the smoker. A couple of hours is all that you’ll need for these beauties. This will give you nice, crispy skin. It will also seal in the gorgeous natural juices and amazing smoke flavor.

How Do I Stop Them From Drying Out?

Brining the hens beforehand is the best way to keep the birds juicy and moist. Ensure the birds are at room temperature before placing them on the grill.  That way, they will cook evenly and without dry spots. Keep the cooking temperatures even. Remove them as soon as they hit the proper internal temperatures.

How to Know When They Are Cooked?

The hens are ready when the internal temperature reaches 165°F in the thickest part of the breast. Remove from the smoker at 165°F — carryover heat will bring it up slightly during the rest. Always check the breast and thigh separately. At 165°F the skin will be deep golden and dry to the touch. Pierce the thigh — juices should run completely clear with no pink.

What Wood Chips Are Recommended?

Sweet, subtle flavors like apple, pecan, or cherry work well with delicate white meat. Of course, you can experiment with your favorites and see what combination you like best.

What Is a Cornish Hen?

Cornish hens are essentially miniature chickens — broiler birds harvested at 4–5 weeks old and usually no more than 1–2 lbs. The result of crossbreeding two broiler varieties, they have a higher ratio of dark meat to white meat and fattier skin than a full-grown chicken. The flavor is more delicate and the texture slightly different, but the cooking method is the same — just scaled down.

How to Store Leftovers

Store leftover hens in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Remove the meat from the bones before storing — it stores more efficiently and reheats more evenly. To reheat, place in a 325°F oven covered with foil for 10–12 minutes. An air fryer at 350°F for 4–5 minutes is the best method for getting the skin back close to its original texture. Avoid the microwave — the skin goes completely soft.

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What to Serve With Them

Here are some of my favorite sides for smoked hen.

Pit Boss Mashed Potatoes

Traeger Grilled Carrots With Brown Butter

Traeger Brussel Sprouts

Smoked Cornish hens are as easy as they come.

A great way of serving up something a little different for your dinner guests.

Experiment with some flavor and smoke combinations and give them a try today!

Smoke On!

Charlie

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