These smoked Cornish hens are spatchcocked (butterflied), dry-brined overnight, coated with a flavorful mayo, herb, and rub mixture, then smoked until juicy, tender, and delicious. They’re an impressive yet affordable option for holiday guests and may be some of the best chicken you’ll taste.
- Hands-on Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Dry Brine Time: 8–16 hours
- Cook Time: ~1 hour 10 minutes
- Smoker Temp: 250–275°F
- Internal Finish Temp: 165°F
- Recommended Wood: Pecan and hickory
- 4–6 Cornish hens (one per person is a good rule of thumb)
- Kosher salt
- Mayonnaise
- Jeff’s original rub (or a similar poultry rub)
- Fresh parsley
- Fresh thyme
- 1 stick (¼ lb) butter
Cornish hens are often sold frozen. Thaw them in the refrigerator for 1–2 days for best results, or use a cold-water method if you need them sooner.
Quick cold-water thaw method
Sanitize the sink, then submerge the sealed frozen hens in cold water. Replace the water every 30 minutes. Repeat for 4–6 cycles until fully thawed.
Remove packaging and discard. Use kitchen shears to cut along both sides of the backbone from neck to tail, then remove the backbone so each hen opens flat. Spatchcocking helps the hens cook faster and more evenly and makes them easier to serve.
Optionally, snip a small piece of the keel bone to help the bird lay flatter; it’s not required but can help the hen open more easily.
Lay the hens skin-side down on a large pan while you prepare the rest.
Dry brining is a simple, effective technique that seasons the meat and helps produce crisp, bite-through skin in the smoker. Unlike wet brining, dry brining avoids waterlogging the skin and allows it to dry and tighten in the refrigerator.
Process
With the hens skin-side down, sprinkle about ½ teaspoon kosher salt into the cavity of each bird. Refrigerate for one hour to allow the salt to draw moisture to the surface, dissolve, and then reabsorb into the meat.
After an hour, flip the hens skin-side up. Sprinkle ¾–1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt over the legs, wings, and breast—right on the skin. The skin should feel tacky so the salt will stick. Return the pan to the fridge uncovered for at least 8 hours, preferably 12–16 hours. This drying time tightens the skin and improves texture when smoked.
Note: Do not rinse the salt off after dry brining.
Prepare the topping that will carry the rub and herbs into the skin: in a small bowl mix 1 cup mayonnaise, 4 heaping tablespoons of your favorite rub, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, and 1 tablespoon chopped thyme. Mayo acts as an excellent binder and helps the rub adhere to the skin.
Divide the mixture among the hens—about a tablespoon or slightly more per bird depending on how many hens you have—and rub it over the legs, under the wings, and across the top and sides.
Let the coated hens rest while you prepare the smoker.
Preheat the smoker to 250–275°F. If your smoker runs cooler, allow extra cooking time. For these hens, leave the water pan empty so the smoker environment stays relatively dry—this helps the skin finish with a better texture. Use a mix of pecan and hickory for a balanced, slightly sweet smoke flavor.
Place the hens directly on the grates, skin-side up. You can also use a grill pan or rack to make handling easier.
Smoke at 250–275°F for about 45 minutes to an hour, or until a digital probe inserted into the thickest part of the breast reads about 150°F. At this point you’ll baste with warm butter and finish to the final temperature.
Melt one stick (¼ lb) of butter and stir in 1 tablespoon of rub. Brush the butter mixture over the top of each hen, then continue cooking until the thickest part of the breast reaches 162°F. Remove the hens—the internal temperature will carry over to about 165°F as they rest. Leg meat may read higher; that’s fine and often preferable for texture.
Serve one smoked Cornish hen per person. Let guests know the birds were dry-brined and seasoned, and to taste before adding any extra salt—the seasoning from brining and the rub usually makes additional salt unnecessary.
Smoked Christmas Chickens
Ingredients
- 4 to 6 cornish hens (or 1 for each person eating)
- Kosher salt
- Mayonnaise
- Jeff’s original rub
- Parsley
- Thyme
- 1 stick (¼ lb butter)
Instructions
-
Thaw hens in the refrigerator for 1–2 days or in a sink of cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes until fully thawed.
-
Cut along both sides of the backbone and remove it, then open the chickens like a book.
-
Dry brine: sprinkle about ½ teaspoon kosher salt inside the cavity of each hen and refrigerate for one hour.
-
Flip hens skin-side up, sprinkle ¾–1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt over the skin, and refrigerate uncovered 8–16 hours.
-
Do not rinse the chickens after dry brining.
-
Mix 1 cup mayonnaise, 4 heaping tablespoons rub, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, and 1 tablespoon chopped thyme.
-
Spread equal portions of the mayo mixture over each hen, covering the top, sides, and under the wings.
-
Preheat smoker to 250–275°F and place hens on the grates, skin-side up.
-
Smoke until the thickest part of the breast reaches 150°F, about 45–60 minutes.
-
About 10 minutes before done, mix 1 tablespoon rub into melted butter and brush onto the hens. Continue until the breast reaches 162°F, then remove; carryover will bring it to 165°F.
-
Remove from smoker and serve immediately.