Jamaican jerk hens recipe

Ingredients

• 4 Cornish hens (approximately 1½ pounds each), rinsed and patted dry

• 12 garlic cloves
• 2–3 Scotch bonnet peppers
• 1 medium yellow onion, quartered
• 1" knob ginger
• 2 green onions, white and light green parts only
• 3 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 dried bay leaf, crushed
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 6 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

• 4 tablespoons coconut or canola oil
• 2 tablespoons honey
• ¼ cup pineapple juice
• Salt, to taste

1. Place the Cornish hens in plastic bags. To a small food processor, add the garlic, peppers, onion, ginger, and green onion and pulse to finely chop. Add in the remaining marinade ingredients and process until finely puréed. Transfer half the marinade to a small saucepan and divide the remaining marinade between the Cornish hens. Marinate for a minimum of 2 hours, preferably overnight.
2. To the remaining marinade in the saucepan, add the oil, honey, and pineapple juice and simmer uncovered over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, until the sauce thickens and becomes like a glaze. Taste and adjust seasoning and set aside. We’ll use this jerk glaze to baste the hens while they are cooking.
3. Remove the hens from the marinade, then wipe clean and discard the marinade. You want them to be dry. Let them sit out on a rack on a baking sheet for about 45 minutes to come to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
4. Season the hens all over and inside their cavity with salt. Make sure they are breast-side up on the rack and place them in the oven. Let them roast for 15 minutes and then reduce the heat to 375°F for another 10 minutes. Brush with the jerk glaze all over and return to the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes, until they are cooked through, the juices run clear, and a meat thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165°F.
5. Let the hens rest for about 5 to 10 minutes, loosely tented with foil, before serving. Serve with any remaining jerk sauce on the side.