Sous Vide Cornish Game Hens with Cajun Beer Butter
These sous vide cornish game hens are absolutely loaded with flavor.
You know those beer can chickens? This is like that but x1000. These cornish game hens are injected with a cajun beer butter and then rubbed with more cajun seasoning and cooked sous vide to lock in the flavor and guarantee perfectly cooked hens. The beer butter forms an incredible sauce in the bag that you reduce down and with almost no effort you have the most unbelievably flavorful and tender cornish game hens. These are perfect for a dinner party because everyone can have their own half (or whole, no judgement) hen!
Sous Vide Cajun Beer Butter Cornish Game Hens
Yield: 2-4
Prep time: 30 MinCook time: 4 HourTotal time: 4 H & 30 M
Sous Vide Cornish Game Hens Injected with Cajun Beer Butter
Ingredients
- 2 Cornish Game Hens, halved
- 1 stick (½ cup) Salted Butter, melted
- ½ can (12 oz) Beer of choice
- 2 tbsp Cajun Seasoning, divided
- 1 tbsp Fresh Lime Juice
- Frying Oil
- Lime Wedges to serve
Instructions
- Preheat water bath to 150° F. If using the Anova Precision Oven, preheat oven to 150°, sous vide mode, 0% steam.
- Using kitchen shears, cut the hens on one side next to the backbone, then flip over and cut through the breast to split in half.
- Combine the melted butter, beer, and 1 tablespoon cajun seasoning and mix until fully incorporated.
- Using a marinade injector, inject the hens with as much of the cajun beer butter mixture as you can. Lightly season the outside of the hens with additional cajun seasoning.
- Bag the hens in a single, flat layer and add any excess cajun butter mixture to the bags. Vacuum and seal the bags.
- If using the Anova Precision Oven, no need to bag, just place on the non-perforated pan and place into pre-heated oven.
- Cook hens at 150° for 4 hours.
- Remove hens from bag and dry well. Make sure to save the liquid from the bags.
- Heat a pot of frying oil such as canola, peanut or vegetable oil over medium high heat in a high sided skillet or dutch oven until water flicked onto the surface of the oil immediately bubbles.
- Carefully lower the hens into the oil in batches and fry until golden brown, flipping if necessary. (If you don't want to fry you could also grill or broil the hens on high.)
- Remove hens from oil once golden brown and drain on paper towels.
- Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium high heat, reduce the liquid from the bag until it thickens. Protein will coagulate on the bottom of the pan, remove it with a slotted spoon. Once reduced, add 1 tablespoon lime juice and stir well.
- Pour sauce over hens to serve.