Title: Preparing cornish hens
 Categories: How, Mine
      Yield: 1 Info
 
 
  BONING:
  
  Begin by trimming the wings with a sharp knife or poultry shears,
  cutting the wings at the second joint. Add the trimmings to the
  roasting pan or save them for stock. Next, prop up the bird so it's
  vertical, with its back toward you. With a sharp knife, cut through
  the skin and flesh along the entire length of one side of the spine.
  Flip the bird around and repeat on the other side of the spine.
  Remove the backbone. This can also be added to the roasting pan or
  saved for stock. Use the tip of the knife to remove the little
  wishbone at the neck end and spread open the bird with the inside
  facing you. Find the whitish triangle of cartilage at the tip of the
  breastbone and nick it with the knife. Now pick up the bird and bend
  it backward along the breastbone to crack it. Slide the tip of the
  knife or your finger under each side of the breastbone to loosen it,
  and then yank it out. Leave the ribs in place.
  
  STUFFING: To prepare for an under-the-skin stuffing, begin at the top
  of the breast and gently lift and pull the skin away from the flesh
  of the bird. Be very careful and very patient; game hen skin is
  delicate. Once you've separated the skin from the meat, use your
  fingers to gently force the stuffing between the meat and skin,
  pushing it back and around the breast and even down the thighs and
  legs, as you go. Try to keep the layer of stuffing s even as possible
  for a better shape and even cooking. Don't force too much under the
  skin (or fill the cavity with too much if you're using that method)
  since stuffing expands as it cooks.