Cornish Hen with Roasted Vegetables
Here is a hearty Dutch oven dinner recipe that is great for cooking indoors or outdoors and certain to satisfy. Serve with a fresh salad and freshly baked bread or dinner rolls for a well-balanced dinner.
Ingredients:
1 Cornish Hen
4 Celery ribs
1 Medium onion, quartered
6 carrots, cut in half
5 potatoes, quartered
4 tbs butter
¼ tsp Kosher Salt
½ tsp Black pepper
1 tsp Basil
½ tsp Garlic powder
Directions:
Thoroughly rinse the Cornish Hen inside and out then season the inside of the cavity with salt and pepper. Place the hen onto a wire trivet in the bottom of a 12" (6-quart) camp Dutch oven then surround the hen with the carrots, onions and potatoes. Melt the butter and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and basil. Baste the hen and vegetables with the seasoned butter.
Cover the Dutch oven and place the oven over 12 lit charcoal briquettes. Place 12 more charcoal briquettes on top of the Dutch oven. Remove the lid from your oven every 15 minutes and baste the bird with the seasoned butter. After about 45 minutes apply fresh lit charcoal. Add six more lit coals to the top of the camp oven for the final 15 minutes of cooking. Allow 1 hour cooking time per pound of bird but using a meat thermometer be sure the meat temperature has reached 180º F before serving.
If cooking indoors in your oven, use an uncovered Dutch oven without feet. Roast the bird at 350º and baste as discussed above. Turn your oven temperature up to 450º F for the final 15 minutes of cooking.
1 hen Serves 2 to 4