Inspired by
- 4-6 Cornish hens 18-20 oz. each
- Citrus rosemary marinade (recipe below)
- Jeff’s Texas-style rub
Instructions
- Make the marinade by adding 3 cups of olive oil to a medium sized mixing bowl. Zest about ? cup each of the oranges, lemons and limes. Squeeze the oranges, lemons and limes to get about 1 full cup of juice. Add the zest, juice, chopped rosemary, minced garlic, salt and pepper to the olive oil and stir well to combine.
- Halve the cornish hens by removing the backbone and the keel bone along the breast.. Add the half chickens to a lidded container and pour the marinade over the chicken to cover. Place the chicken in the fridge for 12 hours.
- Do not rinse when finished. Sprinkle a thin layer of Jeff’s Texas style rub onto the skin side of the chicken halves.
- Set up your smoker for cooking at about 275°F if possible using orange wood, or any citrus/fruit wood or even pecan, oak or hickory if that is all you have.
- Place the chicken on the smoker grates skin side up. Cook the cornish hens for about 1 hour and 15 minutes at 275 °F or until they reach 165 °F in the thickest part as measured by a meat thermometer.
