Best Grilled Herbed Poussins Recipes

TUSCAN GRILLED CORNISH HENS

Steps:

• Sprinkle the Cornish hens with 1 teaspoon salt on each side.
• Combine the olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a ceramic or glass dish just large enough to hold the flattened hens. Add the hens, and turn to coat. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight, turning once or twice.
• When ready to grill, prepare a hot charcoal fire on one side of a grill (or turn a gas grill on low heat). Spread 1/4 of the coals across the other side of the grill. Place the hens on the cooler side skin-side up and weigh them down with a gratin dish with a foil-wrapped brick inside.
• Cook for 12 minutes, until the underside is golden brown. Turn the hens skin-side down, weigh them down again, and cook for another 12 minutes until the skin is golden brown and the hens are cooked through.
• Place the lemon halves on the cool side of the grill, cut-side down, for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Remove the Cornish hens and lemons to a plate or cutting board, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Cut the hens in half, sprinkle with fleur de sel, and serve with the grilled lemon halves.

GRILLED POUISSIN

Steps:

• Mix the above ingredients together. Pour marinade over chicken, coat cover and refrigerate overnight. Grill the chicken halves, turning frequently and brushing with the marinade, until done. Remove to a platter.

GRILLED POUSSINS WITH LEMON HERB BUTTER

Steps:

• Stir together 1 stick softened butter, thyme, rosemary, zest, 1 teaspoon sea salt, and 3/4 teaspoon pepper in a bowl until combined well.
• Trim necks of poussins flush with bodies if necessary. Rinse poussins inside and out and pat dry. Discard any excess fat from opening of cavities, then sprinkle cavities with a total of 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Starting at cavity end of each bird, gently slide an index finger between skin and flesh of breasts and legs to loosen skin (be careful not to tear skin). Using a teaspoon measure or small spoon, slide 1 teaspoon herb butter under skin of each breast half and each drumstick (4 teaspoons per poussin), using your finger on outside of skin to push butter out of spoon.
• Put 1 lemon wedge and 3 thyme sprigs into cavity of each poussin, then tie legs together with kitchen string and tuck wing tips under body. Arrange in a large pan. Pat poussins dry, then brush with melted butter and sprinkle with remaining teaspoon salt.
• Open vents on bottom of grill and on lid. Light charcoal (80 to 100 briquettes) in chimney starter and pour evenly over 2 opposite sides of bottom rack, leaving about an 8-inch-wide space in center of bottom rack free of coals. When charcoal fire is medium-hot (you can hold your hand 5 inches above grill rack for 3 to 4 seconds), remove poussins from pan and arrange in center of lightly oiled grill rack with no coals underneath and cook, covered with lid, until thermometer inserted in fleshy part of a thigh registers 170°F, 35 to 50 minutes. (Add more briquettes if necessary during grilling to maintain heat.)
• Preheat all burners on high, covered, 10 minutes, then reduce to moderately high. Turn off 1 burner (middle burner if there are 3) and put poussins on lightly oiled rack above shut-off burner. Remove poussins from pan, then grill, covered with lid, until thermometer inserted in fleshy part of a thigh registers 170°F, 35 to 45 minutes.

GRILLED CITRUS-MARINATED POUSSIN

Steps:

• Combine orange, lemon, oregano and wine in food processor, and puree. Add orange juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to large bowl.
• Place poussins in marinade, turning to coat well. Cover; refrigerate 3 to 4 hours.
• Preheat grill. Grill poussins, turning once, until evenly browned and cooked through, about 45 minutes. Arrange on platter, garnish with lemon wedges and serve.