Tried some Cornish Hens today while my butt is finishing in the oven.
I brined them with a simple salt/sugar brine for two hours in the fridge. Thoroughly rinsed, I coated them with a honey/butter mixture, and sprinkled generously with plain old table recipe Mrs. Dash.
(http://i1193.photobucket.com/albums/aa349/WarriorMedic/2011-06-11_10-19-44_503.jpg)
They got an hour of Alder smoke at 220* until an IT of 150*, then I transferred them to the SRG to an IT of 170.
(http://i1193.photobucket.com/albums/aa349/WarriorMedic/2011-06-11_12-03-50_373.jpg)
I think the honey might have been the mistake, or maybe I should have left the SRG lid open. Anyway the outside was a little darker than I expected, but it still tasted great - the little cleaned bird skeletons in the trash bin are testimony to that. I will be doing more bird in the Bradley/SRG fashion. ;D
(http://i1193.photobucket.com/albums/aa349/WarriorMedic/2011-06-11_12-58-06_470.jpg)
Yep !!! the cover will make them darker, I don't put the lid on till the IT is getting close and they are not dark enough, and only then..sometimes they get dark enough without the lid..and the honey would help make it dark also...
But your Cornish Hens look good to me and if they tasted good... :D :D :D
The darkness isn't from the lid being down it is from the sugars burning on the outside of the bird. Like Gary said "If it tasted good!!" Who cares