Colorado Smokin' Game Hens on the Charbroil!

 

Well arrived back in town from New Hampshire late Saturday night. Got up
Sunday to start catching up on the yard, house, firewood, etc. Daughter
driving back to college, son out seeing his girl before she heads back
to college, things to do. One of those days when I want a decent dinner
after the traveling, but I don't want to be slaving in the Kitchen for
hours preparing it. Besides it is 55 F out and not going to have a lot
of these type of days left before winter takes hold and sticks!



So breakout the

CharBroil and lets cook some of those game hens that were on sale a
few weeks back.



So we fire up the charcoal in the

CharBroil to get things started.








A few interesting things about this cheapass chef, you will notice in
this picture a lot of bags of chips in storage.








This is not due to the ever prepared chef having plenty of chips on
hand. This is due to a phenomenon called clearance sale. At the end of
the season the smaller stores don't have space to store all this
seasonal stuff that is left. So they start marking it down to move it
out of stock. This Cheapass chef monitors said sales as they progress.
Knowing that most people are not going to want a couple dozen bags, I
watch until the things are like 70 percent off. Then I swoop in like a
cheapass seagull and buy them all. Same with charcoal! Saves me about
$4.50 (USA dollars something like $500 Canadian) per bag. So we get our
cheaply acquired, no scratch that lets say frugally acquired wood chips
and pan them.







This allows me to top the pan with foil and starve the little chips for
air, which gives you more smoke for the amount of, on sale, inexpensive
chips used.



Now I have to go into the kitchen for a quick prep of the lovely little
game hens.







I have them washed and lined up. Now to season and such for the taste.
Since the smoke does most of the work, I am using a few simple
alterations for the birds. Yoshidas gourmet sauce, season all, paprika (Hungarian)
and some Adolf's meat tenderizers. I do two things that help a lot. After
seasoning the birds I spray them with olive oil to adhere the spices to
the outside skin. Then I stuff them. First with some herbs from the
cheapass chefs kitchen window greenhouse thingy! A little rosemary
seemed to fit the taste I am looking for and will contrast the secret
ingredient well!










And the secret ingredient is: Dried Fruits








As you can see the cheapass chef is using the store brand dried fruit.
Hey I am not displaying it, I am stuffing into a birds cavity for flavor
enhancement and moisture. (I just realized this may have a different
meaning in Australia!) Any way I have stuffed the birds with the apples,
prunes, apricots, peaches, and pears. This to my mind matches the game
hens perfectly.



Outside to check the charcoal







The charcoal is ready and the smoke pan hits the firebox of the

CharBroil to start the magic!



In with the hens








And slam the lids shut. Firebox to 450 F and the cooking chamber should
hold 300 F. A quick lift of the lid shows the smoke pan doing its thing
in the firebox.









And another peek on the cooking side shows the birds and dancing with
fire!!!!








In about two hours they come out looking very nice. Sides for today and
nothing fancy, herbed bread stuffing, and a nice carrot and peas
combination. All washed down with

Grande River Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc! A wonderful New Zealand style
blanc with that zamboni acid affect sauvignon nuts look for! If this was
made a little further west it would be called a Fume Blanc.



Anyway this is how a cheapass chefs hens look when the day is hurried
and the guy is tired!








And this is the table set for dinner. Nothing fancy but we are not
exactly eating terribly either!!!













Til we talk again, fire up some charcoal and smoke something! Won't be
long here in North America and the outside temp is going to go down and
it won't climb for a while!



Uncork a bottle and enjoy!



Chef Bob Ballantyne

The Cowboy and The Rose Catering

Grand Junction, Colorado, USA