Stuffed Cornish Game Hens

Apricot Glaze

• 1 jar apricot preserves — 10 oz
• 1 tablespoon prepared mustard
• 1 ½ tablespoons brown sugar

Cornbread Stuffing

• 1 package Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix — 8.5 oz
• 1 large egg
• ⅓ cup milk — for preparing the cornbread
• 1 yellow onion — small dice
• 1 green bell pepper — small dice
• 2 stalks celery stalks — small dice
• 4 chicken gizzards — about 4 oz total, cleaned and trimmed
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter — for sautéing
• ½–¾ cup milk — as needed for the stuffing
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Cornish Hens

• 4 Cornish game hens — 1¼ to 1½ lb each, fully thawed
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil — for coating
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

1. Prepare the Cornbread: Preheat the oven to 400°F and prepare an 8-inch square or 9-inch round baking pan as directed on the Jiffy package. Stir together the corn muffin mix, egg, and ⅓ cup milk just until combined. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then let the cornbread stand until it is no longer hot, about 20 minutes. Crumble it into a large bowl.1 package Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix, 1 large egg, ⅓ cup milk
2. Cook the Gizzards and Vegetables: While the cornbread bakes, place the gizzards in a small saucepan and cover them with water by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently, partially covered, until fork-tender, about 1 hour, adding water if needed. Drain, cool slightly, and finely chop. Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, green bell pepper, and celery. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender but not deeply browned. Stir in the chopped gizzards and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and cool for 10 minutes.4 oz chicken gizzards, 4 tbsp unsalted butter, 1 onion, 1 green bell pepper, 2 celery stalks
3. Make the Stuffing: Add the cooled vegetable-and-gizzard mixture to the crumbled cornbread. Add ½ cup milk, the kosher salt, and black pepper. Toss gently until evenly combined. Add additional milk 1 tablespoon at a time, using no more than ¼ cup more, until a handful of stuffing holds together gently without feeling wet or dripping. Do not mash or compact the cornbread.crumbled cornbread, ½ to ¾ cup milk, ½ tsp kosher salt, ¼ tsp black pepper
4. Prepare the Glaze: In a small saucepan over low heat, stir together the apricot preserves, prepared mustard, and brown sugar for 2 to 3 minutes, until smooth and easy to brush. Transfer ¼ cup glaze to a separate clean bowl and reserve it for the final brushing. Keep the remaining glaze for the first two applications.10 oz apricot preserves, 1 tbsp prepared mustard, 1½ tbsp brown sugar
5. Prepare the Hens: Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Remove any giblet packets from the hens. Do not rinse the hens. Pat them thoroughly dry with paper towels. Coat them lightly with vegetable oil and season inside and out with the kosher salt and black pepper. Spoon approximately ¾ to 1 cup stuffing loosely into each cavity without packing it. Tie the legs with kitchen twine if desired. Place the hens breast-side up in a shallow roasting pan with a little space between them. Brush them with some of the cooking glaze. Place any extra stuffing in a small covered baking dish.4 Cornish hens, 1 tbsp vegetable oil, 2 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp black pepper, stuffing, cooking glaze
6. Roast the Hens: Roast the hens breast-side up for 35 minutes. Brush with the remaining cooking glaze and continue roasting for 25 minutes. Using a clean pastry brush, apply the reserved clean glaze. Roast for 15 to 30 minutes longer, tenting loosely with foil if the glaze becomes too dark. Begin checking each hen after 1 hour 15 minutes. The innermost thigh, thickest part of the breast, and center of the stuffing must each reach 165°F. Bake any extra stuffing alongside the hens during the final 30 minutes, uncovering it for the final 10 minutes, until its center also reaches 165°F. Remove the hens from the oven, tent loosely with foil, and rest for 10 minutes.reserved clean glaze, extra stuffing if any
7. Serve: Remove the kitchen twine and serve hot, allowing one stuffed Cornish hen per person.