Instructions

  1. Cut the hens down the backbone (split).
  2. Brine the hens: dissolve the salt in water,put hens& salted water into large bowl.
  3. (I usually put them into a large plactic bag) refrigerate 2 to 3 hours.
  4. Remove hens, Rinse thoroughly, pat dry, prick the skin allover the breast and legs with point of paring knife.
  5. Melt the butter in small pan& mix with preserves.
  6. Add salt, pepper& basil.
  7. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  8. Place hens in shallow pan (I usually line pan with foil for easy clean-up).
  9. Rub hens with butter.
  10. Spoon butter& preserve mixture over hens.
  11. Bake 35 to 45 minutes.