Servings: 3 cups

For glaze: subheading: For glaze:
EVOO for brushing EVOO for brushing
6 fresh apricots, halved 6 fresh apricots, halved
1 medium red onion, cut in thick slices 1 medium red onion, cut in thick slices
1 large or 2 medium fresh jalapeños 1 large or 2 medium fresh jalapeños
6 peeled garlic cloves 6 peeled garlic cloves
1/3 cup olive oil ⅓ cup olive oil
1/4 cup lime juice ¼ cup lime juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup water ¼ cup water
1 tsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander 1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp oregano 1 tsp oregano
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon gluten free Tamari sauce, Braggs coconut aminos or 1/2 tsp salt 1 tablespoon gluten free Tamari sauce, Braggs coconut aminos or ½ tsp salt
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp molasses 1 tsp molasses
2 tablespoons Swerve sweetener, or more to taste 2 tablespoons Swerve sweetener, or more to taste
2 oz Bourbon, I used Elijah Craig Small Batch 2 oz Bourbon, I used Elijah Craig Small Batch
1/2 tsp ground pepper ½ tsp ground pepper
 
1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro
 
4 Cornish Game Hens 4 Cornish Game Hens

For the glaze: Brush apricots, onion, jalapeño and garlic olive oil and smoke at 350° until slightly charred. Let the jalapeño stay on long enough to char on all sides.
Place the jalapeño in a zip lock bag. Set aside to steam. Roughly chop the apricots, onion and garlic.
Mix remaining ingredients up to cilantro in a large, deep saucepan or Dutch oven. Add the apricots with their juice, onions and garlic.
Slip the charred skin off the jalapeño, slit in half, remove seeds. If you like it hotter, add the jalapeño whole. Can leave charred skin on as well.
Using a stick blender, blend the mixture. Leave it a bit chunky.
Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until thick and glossy. If it gets too thick, add a bit of water. Stir in the fresh cilantro and store in a glass jar until ready to use. It will keep 3 or 4 days.
For the hens: Preheat the Traeger to 375.
Rinse the hens and pat dry. Tuck the wings under by bending the tips backward (as though you were putting them behind her neck, if she had one, lol)
Rub hens with EVOO. Cook for 15 minutes breast side up.
Flip and cook 15 minutes breast side down.
Brush hen backs with a thick layer of glaze. Continue cooking breast side down another 10 minutes to set the glaze.
Flip breast side up. (You’re done flipping at this point.) Brush breast side with a thick layer of glaze. Continue cooking 15 to 20 minutes.
Add another layer of glaze to the breast and continue cooking until IT reaches 165 to 170°. Mine got up to 175°, and they were still moist. If they start to brown too much, step down to 225°. I put it in smoke mode while I finished the asparagus, and the hens were fine.

I only used half the glaze. I plan to use the rest on wings. It would also be delicious on pork tenderloin.  I only used half the glaze. I plan to use the rest on wings. It would also be delicious on pork tenderloin.
This method would work with any sauce. If you’re using a marinade or rub, you’d only need to cook breast side down first for 10 to 15 minutes, then flip and leave breast side up for the rest of the cooking time.  This method would work with any sauce. If you’re using a marinade or rub, you’d only need to cook breast side down first for 10 to 15 minutes, then flip and leave breast side up for the rest of the cooking time.