Beer Can Cornish Hens

Cornish hens were on sale one day when I was at the store so I picked a couple up. I have never cooked Cornish hens before so I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with them. I have always wanted to try a Beer Can Chicken from Deen Bros cookbook. I figured why couldn't I do it with a Cornish hen?? I emptied small tomato juice cans, cleaned them and poured my beer into those. It worked perfectly. The hens turned out great but didn't have as much flavor to them as I thought it would. Next time I might try cooking them a different way and in the oven.

Beer Can Cornish Hens
From: The Deen Bros Cookbook

Ingredients:
1/4 cup mayonnaise
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon celery seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2 Cornish hens
2 emptied tomato juice can or anything of that size ( I think tomato paste cans would work)
Beer of your choice

In a large bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, lemon zest. paprika, celery seeds, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Slather Cornish hens inside and out with the mayonnaise mixture, place in a bowl and let stand in the refrigerator while you prepare the grill.

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for indirect grilling. If using a gas grill, preheat the grill to medium and place a drip pan in the center (we preheated ours to about 350). If using a charcoal grill, light the coals. When they are red-hot, use tongs to move them to into two pile on opposite side of the grill. Let coals burn until they are covered with a thin layer of gray ash. Set a metal drip pan in the center of the grill between the piles of coal.

When grill is ready, pour your beer of choice into your emptied juice cans. Put the can into the Cornish hen's rear cavity, keeping the can upright. Stand the hen upright on the grill grate over the drip pan. Cover the grill and cook for about 45minutes. When done, the internal temperature of the hen should register 180F on a meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh but not touching the bone.

Transfer to your plates and enjoy!!