thawing a cornish hen

luvs

luvs

'lil Chef
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when should i take a cornish hen (she's 'bout 1.5 pounds) that is gonna be to be cooked early thanksgiving morning.......
it's frozen pretty solid!
(i'll be thawing it in the 'frigerator.)
thanx!:piesmiley1:
 
I'm a maverick & would thaw the bird on the counter overnight. They're always still thoroughly cold next morning. But again - I know that I'm a maverick.

Depending on the temp in your fridge (mine is in the high 30's), I'd put your hen in the fridge 3 days prior.
 
If you're gonna thaw it in the refrigerator and cook it Thursday morning, I'd put it in the fridge Sunday night or Monday morning.
 
Hey Luvs!
Are you fixin' to make a cornish hen? I think I am too..I need to find sides. stuffing, and how to cook...:bbq3:
I agree with Mama~~~ 2-3 days before using, take it out of the freezer...
I think Monday would be ok--if it is not completely defrosted, just leave it on the counter for a bit...but check it early Thursday morn...:chef:
 
You guys must buy some really BIG cornish hens.

I make these all the time. The ones I buy are 22 ounces (a little less than 1.5 pounds) and they thaw in about a day. My freezer has digital controls, and I keep it at minus 1F, so they are pretty solidly frozen. My fridge is set at 37F, so the thawing process is slow. And they still thaw in 1 to 1 1/2 days. Most home freezers & fridges aren't that cold, so they may thaw even faster.

After a day, if it's still a little icy inside, don't worry. By the time you remove the giblets, rinse it, check for pin feathers, season & prep it, it won't be icy any more. Take it out no earlier than Tuesday night or Wednesday morning for a Thursday roast.

I wouldn't want raw chicken to be sitting in my fridge for 3-5 days.

This is copied straight from the USDA website:

Refrigerator Thawing
Planning ahead is the key to this method because of the lengthy time involved. A large frozen item like a turkey requires at least a day (24 hours) for every 5 pounds of weight. Even small amounts of frozen food — such as a pound of ground meat or boneless chicken breasts — require a full day to thaw. When thawing foods in the refrigerator, there are variables to take into account.
  • Some areas of the appliance may keep food colder than other areas.
  • Food will take longer to thaw in a refrigerator set at 35 °F than one set at 40 °F.
Click to expand...

Here's the link for more info: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/Big_Thaw/
 
breezy,ithanks, though i won't be thawing on the counter.

think i'll aim for several days in the fridge- it's vacuum sealed, & meat is stored on the lowest shelf should it drip, & placed on a few stryofoam plates wrapped, if needed, in foil. i just bought it & the sell-by is the 19th, so it should be a-okay. sometimes a roast takes days before i throw in the towel & give it an h2o bath fer awhile.

SS, i usually get the purdue ones, & they're plump. as i said, this one's near 1.5.
i've noticed lamb that looked so skimpy i couldn't bring myself to buy it, while a few weeks earlier, it was so plump i needed only one for dinner! same for honeycrisp apples~

thanks, guys!
 
luvs said:
when should i take a cornish hen (she's 'bout 1.5 pounds) that is gonna be to be cooked early thanksgiving morning.......
it's frozen pretty solid!
(i'll be thawing it in the 'frigerator.)
thanx!:piesmiley1:
Click to expand...

Since it's only about 1 1/2 pounds, defrost in the fridge the night before. (I've defrosted about 1 1/2 - 2 lbs of ground beef in the morning, to be prepared the same day/evening). The cook time won't take long either. I would cook about 1:45 - 2 hours prior to serving.

How are you prepping the little chickie? I have a recipe with amaretto stuffing.
 
i think i'll split the hen, leaving it barely intact, & partially broil it. then into the oven for a portion of the cooking as we're gonna be vying for space. i can't stuff it though i'll make a lemon-herb compound butter for before & during cooking. the cooking should take not 45 minutes to an hour.

i'd love the recipe for your stuffing, though, to file away- thanx 4 offering it.
 
Sounds delish. You're right re cooking time. Der, I must be thinking about cooking 4 at once - even then, prob not too long. Didn't want you to get up before sunrise. (Brain freeze lol). Will look for the dressing/stuffing.
 
thanx! both sound great & i love the way the 1st one is kinda traditional w/ a few tweaks, & amaretto & cranberries/cherries would be a lovely compliment. i buy cornish hens pretty often, so this is one for the recipe notebooks~

have a happy Thanksgiving!
 
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