Grilled Cornish Game Hens and Old Lady Hands

I am suffering from that time old problem of Old Lady Hands,  Old Lady Hands or OLH happens when you get to a certain age and your joints start to really hurt.  The joints in my thumbs suddenly presented with OLH and I struggle with things like opening jars, holding a book, pinching open the child lock on the gates we use to keep the dogs out of my office, and any amount of pressure cutting with knives or scissors.

Now, there is the part of me that thinks, "What a gift, I have lived long enough to develop OLH," and then there is the part of me that thinks, "This is bullsh*t on top of everything else, I have to get OLH." I move between these two thoughts depending on what I am able or unable to do at the moment.  So Motrin is again my friend and I'm working on ways to do some things differently.  And again, how lucky am I to live long enough to suffer from OLH.

I made Cornish game hens last week when I was a little miffed at Dave and made chicken 3 times in one week.  I thought if I made Cornish game hens he wouldn't catch on that it was really chicken for the third time, but he caught on and called me out on it. In my defense, I did feel a tad guilty about it so I made him some homemade bread and grilled some to go along with his chicken.  However, I won't tell him, but a friend read my post and emailed a chicken recipe to me.  I'm all over that this week and I'm not even mad at him anymore.

Well, these little hens are tender and delicious.  I split them, even with my OLH,  and remove the backbone before grilling.  It makes it easier to eat and 1/2 hen is enough.  This is something a little different to add to your grilling routine.

Grilled Cornish game hens with grilled bread for Dave on the side.

Grilled Cornish Game Hens
2 Cornish game hens - split and backbone removed (save those for the next time you make chicken stock)
1/2 cup  apricot simply fruit
1/4 cup country style dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. champagne vinegar, or white wine vinegar
salt and pepper

Rinse hens under cold water.  Pat dry with paper towels.  Place hens, breast side up, on a cutting board.  Cut hen in half along one side of the breast bone.  Cut hen along the other side of the breast bone.  You should have two halves of a hen with the breastbone separated.  Cut the tips off the wings on each half (they just burn).  Repeat with second hen.

Salt and pepper each side of the hen halves and place in a zip top bag. Set aside.

In a small bowl, mix apricot simply fruit, mustard and vinegar.  Spread half on chicken and mix around in the bag until it is all coated.  Place in refrigerator for 1 hour.

Preheat grill to medium high.  Remove chicken from refrigerator and let sit on the counter for 20-30 minutes.

Grill over indirect heat for 15 minutes per side, basting with saved apricot sauce,  until thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reaches 165° and juices run clear.  Let rest 5 minutes and serve. 
Serves 4

FYI: Cornish game hens are not really Cornish, game meat or probably, hens.  They are 5 week old chickens, and most likely males, as the females are used for egg laying and other products!  Now you know.

June 11, 2020  Sunset: 12:32 am  Sunrise: 3:06 am  Temp. H 71/L 51°F