Trussing a Cornish hen might seem a little intimidating at first, but once you get the hang of it it's easy and only takes a couple minutes. Follow along with my step-by-step guide, or if you're a visual learner watch the short video.
Why Truss a Cornish Hen?
Trussing allows the hens to cook evenly while keeping the meat juicy and tender.
What You'll Need
- Kitchen twine
- Shears (scissors or a sharp knife)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Trussing involves tying the wings and legs of the bird close to its body.
- Cut a piece of kitchen twine about 2.5 ft long and set it aside.
- Place the hen on a clean surface, backbone up, with the legs pointing toward you.
- Pull the neck outward and drape the twine around the hen's neck like a necklace.
- Flip the hen over while holding the twine in place.
- Slide the twine under the tail, bring it up around each ankle, and wrap it around at least once.
- Pull the legs together and secure them by tying the twine tightly around them.
- Bring the twine up wrapping it around each wing.
- Flip the hen back over (breast-side down) tying the twine.
- Flip the hen back over (breast-side up) and secure the wings onto the breast by tying the twine tightly in a knot.
- Trim any excess twine using scissors or a knife.
If you need a visual, check out the video.
Tips
- If your hen is frozen, thaw it completely in the refrigerator. This can take 24 hours depending on its size.
- Rinse the thawed hen under cool running water, both inside and out, and pat it completely dry with paper towels to help the skin crisp up during cooking.
- Check the cavity for any giblets or organs. Remove these and save them for stock, or gravy, or discard if you don’t use them.
- For juicy and flavorful meat, brine the hen in a simple saltwater solution overnight. This keeps the hen moist.
- Before trussing, let the hen come to room temperature for 20–30 minutes. This prevents uneven cooking.
Ready to Cook a Cornish Hen on the Rotisserie?
Now that you know how to truss a Cornish hen, check out my rotisserie Cornish hen recipe to put this technique to use.
📖 Recipe
How to Truss a Cornish Hen for Rotisserie
Follow along with my step-by-step guide, or if you're a visual learner watch the short video.
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Calories:
Equipment
- 2.5 ft Kitchen Twine
- Kitchen shears for cutting twine
Ingredients
- 1-½ lb Cornish hen (1-¼ - 1-½ lb Cornish hen)
Instructions
- Cut a piece of kitchen twine about 2.5 ft long and set it aside.
- Place the hen on a clean surface, backbone up, with the legs pointing toward you.
- Pull the neck outward and drape the twine around the hen's neck like a necklace.
- Flip the hen over while holding the twine in place.
- Slide the twine under the tail, bring it up around each ankle, and wrap it around at least once.
- Pull the legs together and secure them by tying the twine tightly around them.
- Bring the twine up wrapping it around each wing.
- Flip the hen back over (breast-side down) tying the twine.
- Flip the hen back over (breast-side up) and secure the wings onto the breast by tying the twine tightly in a knot.
- Trim any excess twine using scissors or a knife.
Video
Notes
- If your hen is frozen, thaw it completely in the refrigerator. This can take 24 hours depending on its size.
- Rinse the thawed hen under cool running water, both inside and out, and pat it completely dry with paper towels to help the skin crisp up during cooking.
- Check the cavity for any giblets or organs. Remove these and save them for stock, or gravy, or discard if you don’t use them.
- For juicy and flavorful meat, brine the hen in a simple saltwater solution overnight. This keeps the hen moist.
- Before trussing, let the hen come to room temperature for 20–30 minutes. This prevents uneven cooking.
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