Whole Smoked Cornish Hens with an Apple Cider Glaze

Name: Whole Smoked Cornish Hens with an Apple Cider Glaze
Prep time: P0Y0M0DT0H30M0.000S
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT2H20M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT2H50M0.000S
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: american
Ingredients: 1 bunch fresh thyme; 4 whole Cornish hens, backs removed so that they lay flat; Salt and freshly ground black pepper; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 12 cipollini onions, peeled; 1 1/2 quarts plus 1/2 cup fresh apple cider; 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar; Coarse sea salt, for serving; 12 ounces apple wood smoked bacon, diced; 3/4 cup diced shallots, sliced; 2 garlic cloves, sliced; 1 tablespoon chopped thyme leaves

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Level: Intermediate
Total: 2 hr 50 min

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 2 hr 20 min

Yield: 4 servings

Level: Intermediate
Total: 2 hr 50 min

Prep: 30 min
Cook: 2 hr 20 min

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

1 bunch fresh thyme

4 whole Cornish hens, backs removed so that they lay flat

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

12 cipollini onions, peeled

1 1/2 quarts plus 1/2 cup fresh apple cider

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

Coarse sea salt, for serving

12 ounces apple wood smoked bacon, diced

3/4 cup diced shallots, sliced

2 garlic cloves, sliced

1 tablespoon chopped thyme leaves

Directions

Special equipment:

Stovetop Smoker Apple Wood Smoking Chips

Set up the smoker according to the manufacturer's directions. Soak chips in water if necessary (depending on the type of smoking chips used). Lay the thyme branches over the smoking rack to form a bed for the hens to lay on. Set aside.
Season the hens with salt and pepper. In a large saute pan on medium-high heat, heat the olive oil and, when hot, sear the Cornish hens to a golden brown on both sides, about 8 minutes per side. Transfer the hens to the smoker and heat over high heat until smoke begins to escape. Close the smoker completely and smoke the hens until cooked through, about 1 hour. In the same saute pan, add the cipollini onions and cook over medium low heat, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides, about 20 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of the apple cider and 1/4 cup of the cider vinegar and 1/4 cup of water and cook until the onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Set aside and keep warm until ready to serve the hens.
While the hens are smoking, make the glaze. In a 3-quart saucepan, render the bacon until crispy. Transfer the bacon to a paper-lined plate to drain and set aside. Discard all but 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat from the pan. To the same pan, add the shallots, garlic and thyme cook until caramelized. Deglaze the pan with the remaining 1 1/2 quarts apple cider and remaining 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar Return the bacon to the pan and cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and keep warm until ready to serve the hens.
When the hens are done, serve 1 hen to each guest and garnish each plate with 3 cippolini onions. Drizzle each plate with some of the apple cider glaze and sprinkle with coarse sea salt and a few turns of freshly ground black pepper.