Sausage Stuffed Game Hens on the Grill

This is one of my favorite ways to cook a game hen or any poultry. Sausage under the skin adds sooo much flavor and moisture. You can use your favorite kind of sausage, mine is smoked sausage but this time I used an italian sausage recipe.

I brined the game hens for two hours in a mixture of...

1 gallon of cold water
1/4 cup salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic sliced
some sliced onion
a cayenne pepper (optional)
thyme sprigs
you can really add any herbs that you like .



Made a batch of italian sausage ( use store bought sausage if you want)
Mix together...
1 pound ground pork
1 medium onion -- finely chopped
1 small garlic clove -- crushed
Then mix the spices together..
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon ground thyme
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper -- optional
Then combine the spices into the pork mixture

Fry a small sausage pattie to taste the seasonings... make adjustments if needed.

Stuff the sausage under the skin of the hen....

then cut two holes in the skin at the bottom of the bird to tuck the legs in.



Place the right leg into the left hole in the skin...



place the left leg across the right leg and insert into the hole..
OR you can just tie them together with butchers twine. :)



then I fold the tips of the wings under the bird...





I like to add liquid to the drip pan. Either water, beer, apple juice or whatever with a few onions and some dry rub...



Rub the bird with butter and season with salt and pepper. Place the pan in the center of the grill with both side burners lit for indirect heat.





The sausage adds so much flavor and the birds are moist and tender. My favorite sausage is smoked but this italian sausage was nice for a change.