Tongdak Gui (Whole Roasted Chicken)
Published June 15, 2022
- Total Time
- 1 ¼ hours, plus at least 8 hours’ brining
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- ¼cup soy sauce
- ¼cup coarse kosher salt or ½ cup kosher salt, such as Diamond Crystal, plus more for the scallions
- ¼cup granulated sugar, plus more for the scallions
- 1teaspoon ground white pepper
- 2Cornish game hens (about 3 ½ pounds total)
- 2tablespoons olive oil
- 4scallions, cut into 4-inch segments, then very thinly sliced lengthwise
- 1tablespoon rice vinegar
- Steamed white rice, for serving
- Yangnyeom sauce, for dipping (optional)
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
508 calories; 30 grams fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 15 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 25 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 13 grams sugars; 31 grams protein; 980 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Place a gallon-size resealable plastic bag in a large bowl. To the bag, add the soy sauce, salt, sugar, white pepper and 6 cups cold tap water; stir to dissolve the salt and sugar. Nestle the Cornish game hens into the liquid, seal the bag set in the bowl and place in the refrigerator to brine for at least 8 hours and up to 48 hours.
- Step 2
When ready to cook, heat the oven to 350 degrees. Drain the hens in the sink and pat very dry with a clean towel (the drier the hen, the crispier the skin). Using your hands, massage the olive oil all over the birds and place on a sheet pan, breast side up. Roast, rotating the pan halfway through, until golden brown and the legs, when jostled, feel like they’re about to fall off (a sign that the meat is tender and cooked through), about 1 hour.
- Step 3
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, toss the scallions with the rice vinegar and a pinch of salt and sugar to taste. To serve, top each roasted hen with a mound of the scallion garnish and enjoy with steamed white rice and yangnyeom sauce (if using), for dipping.
Private Notes
Comments
Skipped the recipe intro? "Cornish game hens are an excellent substitute for the smaller, younger birds often used in South Korea for this succulent poultry dish." So if you can find small chickens, use those.
Loved this recipe! Marinated for 48 hours so had a hard time getting the skin crispy, but the meat was so tender and well-seasoned it didn’t matter. Oh and don’t skip the sauce, it was absolutely incredible and easy to make. Will definitely be making this one again!
Want crispy skin? After marinating 24 hours, pat the chicken dry and put it uncovered on a rack in your fridge for another 24 hours. Then cook as directed.
Incredible flavour. Will try this with other game. Agree with Jonathan. Key to crispy skin is letting it dry (or dry brine) in the fridge. I wet brined it for 12 hours. Then dried them with towels. Placed them on a rack on tray in the fridge to dry the skin for 10 to 12 hours. Also cooked them on a rack.
Made with full size chicken- after an hour baking, I turned oven up to 450 for 20 minutes and then down to 400 for 20 minutes and it gave it a nice crisp crust, still very moist on the inside. Would probably add another few minutes to the bake or put to 400 from the start. Made a butter mushroom leek stir fry for the top, needed something extra to jazz it up.
This is a simple, stunning recipe. A good brining results in delightfully moist and succulent meat which is cut nicely by the freshness of the scallions. This dish will impress on the plate and on the palate, especially if you take care to pat your birds extremely dry. I found about 24 hours to be the perfect amount of time to brine the Cornish game hens I used. Paired nicely with a Beaujolais.
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