4 cornish game hens - still 2 hours?

[hawtsauc3]

Anyone know if smoking 4 cornish game hens will still have a cooking time of around 2 hours? I'm trying to practice my smoking skills but the 6 hours needed for stuff like ribs is harder to come by. 2-3 hours is a lot easier.

 

[krj]

Smoking 4 compared to what? 1, 2, 10? The answer really depends on your smoker and how consistent it's temperatures are and how fast it recovers when you add the chicken mass. Probes are your friend. But to give you a hard fast answer, yes more than likely you won't see a large difference in cooking times for just a few more birds. Just make sure you're not crowding them because that will mess with your times.

 

[motolife313]

Steaks are usually 1-2 hours depending on thickness. Korean short ribs are usually 1.5-2 hours. Try some stuffed peppers with meatloaf. That’s one of my favorites. Also stuffed pork tenderloin is a short cook that’s a tastey not terribley expensive if you can keep the prosciutto out but it’s got stuff. I put some cheese over it too and the extra meatloaf can be turned into a fatty. What kind of stick burner are u running?

 

[hawtsauc3]

Steaks are usually 1-2 hours depending on thickness. Korean short ribs are usually 1.5-2 hours. Try some stuffed peppers with meatloaf. That’s one of my favorites. Also stuffed pork tenderloin is a short cook that’s a tastey not terribley expensive if you can keep the prosciutto out but it’s got stuff. I put some cheese over it too and the extra meatloaf can be turned into a fatty. What kind of stick burner are u running?View attachment 394902

Right now I'm running a WSM, so not a stick burner, but I'm just trying to come up with shorter smokes so I can get more use. The idea of going nowhere for 6 hours in the middle of the day on the weekend just doesn't seem to happen much lol. These ideas are awesome so i'll try some out.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Ribs taking 6 hours is at 225°F. Run that WSM up to 325° and they will be Bite Through Tender, IT of 195, in about 2 hours. At 325, Cornish Hens take about 30-45 minutes. Roaster Chickens, 6-8 Pounds, will cook in under 2 hours. You will have less smoke flavor from the shorter time in the smoker, but the meat will be tasty...JJ

 

[civilsmoker]

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/33-gallon-build-with-vertical-cabinet.268790/page-7

This how I do game hens (top of page 7) on the copper pot. I like to keep the smoker at 275 to 295 and then finish them under the convection broiler in the house oven to crisp up the skin (the 325 as noted above works perfectly too!). I do them about once a month this way. The key is to smoke them to IT 145ish, then broil to 160ish to a carry over of 165+ For me as long as they land somewhere between 165 and 175 they are yummy, but much higher will dry them out quick.

FYI, I like the split birds cause they give a nice portion and cook even. I use the backbones and wing tips to make gravy - chicken stock, backbones & wing tips, beer (or white wine), salt, pepper, rosemary, sage, thyme (use of fresh herbs will make the flavors pop), a couple of garlic cloves, 1/2 onion, 1/2 cup carrots & celery. All this is rapid boiled while birds smoke (40 mins), then it is strained and thickened with a flour/butter rue. You can also make the gravy stock while the birds are soaking but at a simmer for the 2 hours without the herbs or aromatics but drop those the last hour (the 3rd hour) while the birds are smoking. This will add a richer flavor because more of the bone marrow comes out. Total time is 3.5 hours.

 

[chef jimmyj]

Good info on Stock, Gravy and such...JJ