Tasty Wasabi Cornish Hen Brine Recipe

Here’s my tried-and-true Cornish hen brine recipe that guarantees juicy, flavorful results every time. The simple mix of salt, herbs, and aromatics helps keep the meat moist while adding just the right amount of seasoning throughout.

I make this brine whenever I’m cooking Cornish hens for Sunday dinner, and my family always asks for seconds. I usually prepare extra brine to keep in the fridge because it works great with regular chicken too. And trust me, once you try brining, you’ll never want to cook poultry without it again!

What Kind of Cornish Hens Should I Use?

Cornish hens (also called Cornish game hens) are actually just small chickens, typically weighing between 1 to 2 pounds each. When shopping, look for birds that are fresh or completely thawed if frozen, with skin that’s intact and free from tears or blemishes. Most grocery stores sell these little birds in the frozen section, which is totally fine – just make sure to thaw them completely in the refrigerator for 24-48 hours before brining. While both fresh and frozen work well for this recipe, try to pick hens that are similar in size so they’ll cook evenly. If you can find them, air-chilled Cornish hens are particularly good because they tend to have crispier skin when cooked.

Options for Substitutions

While brining is pretty straightforward, here are some helpful substitutions if you need them:

• Cornish Hens: If you can’t find Cornish hens, you can use this same brine for regular chicken – either a whole small chicken or chicken parts. Just adjust the brining time (about 4-6 hours for regular chicken pieces).
• Kosher Salt: Table salt can work, but reduce the amount to 1/3 cup since it’s more concentrated than kosher salt. Sea salt is also fine to use in the same amount as kosher salt.
• Kikkoman Soy: Any good quality soy sauce will work here. For a gluten-free option, use tamari. If you’re watching sodium, try low-sodium soy sauce.
• Fresh Ginger: In a pinch, you can use 2 tablespoons of ground ginger, though fresh really gives the best flavor. Frozen ginger paste (about 3 tablespoons) is another good option.
• Wasabi paste: If you don’t have wasabi, you can use 1/2 teaspoon of horseradish or simply skip it – it adds a nice kick but isn’t crucial to the brine.
• Black Peppercorns: Ground black pepper works too – use about 1 teaspoon. White peppercorns can also be used for a slightly different flavor profile.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Brining

The biggest mistake when brining Cornish hens is using table salt instead of kosher salt, as this can make your birds way too salty – stick to kosher salt and maintain the exact salt-to-water ratio in the recipe. A common error is not fully submerging the hens in the brine solution, so make sure to use a container that’s deep enough and weigh down the birds if needed to keep them completely covered. To avoid over-brining, which can make the meat mushy, don’t let your Cornish hens sit in the brine for more than 4-6 hours, and always remember to pat them completely dry before cooking to achieve that perfect crispy skin. For the best flavor development, make sure your brine has completely cooled before adding the hens – hot brine can partially cook the meat and lead to food safety issues.

What to Serve With Cornish Hens?

These Asian-inspired Cornish hens pair wonderfully with simple side dishes that complement their rich, savory flavors. A bed of fluffy jasmine rice makes the perfect base to soak up all those tasty juices, while steamed or roasted vegetables like baby bok choy, snap peas, or broccoli add color and freshness to the plate. For a complete meal, you might want to include a simple cucumber salad dressed with rice vinegar and sesame oil, which adds a cool, crisp contrast to the warm, tender meat. Since these hens have an Asian flair from the soy and ginger brine, you could also serve them with quick-pickled vegetables or a side of stir-fried mushrooms.

Storage Instructions

Brine Time: Once you’ve mixed your brine, you can keep it in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours before using. After that, it’s best to make a fresh batch since the flavors start to change. Remember to always keep your brine cold while the hens are soaking in it!

Raw Brined Hens: After brining, you can keep the raw Cornish hens in the fridge for up to 24 hours before cooking. Just pat them dry, place them on a plate or in a container, and cover them well. Any longer than that, and you risk the meat becoming too salty.

Cooked Storage: Once your Cornish hens are cooked, let them cool and store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days. They make great leftovers for lunch or dinner! If you want to save them longer, wrap them well and pop them in the freezer for up to 2-3 months.

Preparation Time	20-30 minutes
Cooking Time	50-60 minutes
Total Time	70-90 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Medium

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1200-1400
• Protein: 90-100 g
• Fat: 60-70 g
• Carbohydrates: 30-40 g

Ingredients

For the brine:

• 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 4 tbsp granulated sugar
• 4 cups water
• 1/2 cup kikkoman soy sauce
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh ginger
• 1/4 tsp wasabi paste
• 14 whole black peppercorns
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

For the hens:

• 2 cornish hens

Step 1: Prepare and Boil the Brine

• 1/2 cup kosher salt
• 4 tbsp granulated sugar
• 4 cups water
• 1/2 cup Kikkoman soy sauce
• 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh ginger
• 1/4 tsp wasabi paste
• 14 whole black peppercorns
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed

Combine the kosher salt, granulated sugar, water, soy sauce, chopped ginger, wasabi paste, black peppercorns, and crushed garlic cloves in a saucepan.

Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and let it boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, to ensure the sugar and salt fully dissolve and the flavors meld together.

Step 2: Cool the Brine

Remove the saucepan from heat and transfer the brine to a large bowl or container.

Allow it to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until it’s thoroughly chilled.

This can be done ahead of time to save prep work later.

Step 3: Prepare the Cornish Hens

• cooled brine from Step 2
• whole Cornish hens (thawed)

With kitchen shears, cut out the backbone of each thawed Cornish hen so they lay flat (spatchcocking).

Place the hens in a gallon storage bag and pour in the cooled brine from Step 2, ensuring the birds are fully submerged.

Brine the hens in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

After brining, remove the hens from the bag, rinse under cold water to remove excess salt, and pat dry with paper towels.

I always make sure to dry the skin well—this helps it crisp up beautifully when cooking!

Step 4: Grill the Cornish Hens

• brined Cornish hens from Step 3

Preheat your charcoal grill.

Place the spatchcocked, brined hens breast side up on the grate over hot charcoal.

Cook until the bottom begins to blacken.

Flip so the breast side is down and continue grilling until the skin becomes crisp and slightly charred.

Use a meat thermometer to check for doneness: if the internal temperature hasn’t reached 165°F, move the hens away from direct heat and allow them to finish cooking indirectly to avoid burning.

Let the hens rest for 10 minutes before serving.

For a nice flavor boost, I sometimes add a touch more wasabi as a sauce when serving, but that’s entirely optional and up to your taste!

Step 5: Alternative: Roast the Cornish Hens

• brined Cornish hens from Step 3

If you prefer oven roasting, preheat your oven to 400°F.

Set the spatchcocked, brined hen on a wire rack in a rimmed baking sheet or roasting pan.

Place the pan on the center rack and bake for about 40 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Remove from the oven and let the hen rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Roasting brings out a deliciously juicy texture—sometimes I brush the skin lightly with a bit of the reserved brine before roasting for more depth of flavor.