beer can chicken

[dib]

So we bought one of those devices where you fill up a container with a beverage then jam a chicken over it and throw it in the barbie. Anyone have any experience with this kind of cooking? Suggestions?

[Beerball]

Suggestions?

Open the beer can before putting it on the grill.

 

 

It's actually a pretty decent way to cook a bird...helps keep it moist etc. Just pick your favorite beverage and give it a whirl...beer, wine (mead), juice...

[loyal2dagame]

i make beer can chicken often. labatt blue lime is a good choice for beer. pepsi lime was great for a sweet taste. i also usually put a spicy homemade rub on the chicken. just make sure the beer/pop can is not full as it will boil over and make a mess. i usually have the cans half full or a bit less. i just feel the lime flavor sets off the spicy rub.

 

be sure to cook on low heat so the chicken steams slowly from the beer/pop

[dib]

i make beer can chicken often. labatt blue lime is a good choice for beer. pepsi lime was great for a sweet taste. i also usually put a spicy homemade rub on the chicken. just make sure the beer/pop can is not full as it will boil over and make a mess. i usually have the cans half full or a bit less. i just feel the lime flavor sets off the spicy rub.

 

be sure to cook on low heat so the chicken steams slowly from the beer/pop

 

do you place the chicken head down or butt down? Does it make a difference?

[Beerball]

butt down so you've got the large cavity to slip over the can/device.

 

pic

[muffmonster]

i make beer can chicken often. labatt blue lime is a good choice for beer. pepsi lime was great for a sweet taste. i also usually put a spicy homemade rub on the chicken. just make sure the beer/pop can is not full as it will boil over and make a mess. i usually have the cans half full or a bit less. i just feel the lime flavor sets off the spicy rub.

 

be sure to cook on low heat so the chicken steams slowly from the beer/pop

 

 

What he said, cover the chicken in a nice rub and use half a can of your favorite beverage. I've only ever used beer, so I can't speak to using soda. I am definitely going to have to try a lime beer next time I cook a beer can chicken. The most important thing is to slow cook the chicken over indirect heat.

[BuffaloBud]

Might try putting some herbs in the cavity to enfuse some flavor. I put a lemon or lime wedge at the top opening of the chicken to keep more of the steam inside the cavity to speed up the cooking a bit. Oil, spice rub on the outside, indirect heat.

 

I also put a grill pan on the bottom of the holder so that I can cook some chunks of onion, pepper, other veg with the chicken.

[plenzmd1]

Might try putting some herbs in the cavity to enfuse some flavor. I put a lemon or lime wedge at the top opening of the chicken to keep more of the steam inside the cavity to speed up the cooking a bit. Oil, spice rub on the outside, indirect heat.

 

I also put a grill pan on the bottom of the holder so that I can cook some chunks of onion, pepper, other veg with the chicken.

 

All of these are great suggestions..indirect heat being key, half full can, spices etc. Last time I did a can chicken I did something new and it worked great. About an hr before I wanted to start cooking the bird, I made sure the bird was as dry as possible, thei made 4 small slits right next to the backbone to allow fat to drip out during cooking. I also seperated the skin from the meat all over the bird to allow the fat to escape from the skin while cooking. After that, rubbed a mixture of slat, pepper, and baking powder over the exterior of the skin and put in the fridge for an hour. The baking powder extracts even more of the moisture from the skin. Then I put on the spices I wanted, including undert he skin and in the cavity,staying away from any spice that contained lots of salt, like an Emerils Essence for Poultry, as I already had rubbed with salt. So I used things like sweet Paprika, garlic, etc.

 

Skin came out crispy as could be and meat was as juicy and flavorable as possible. HMM, HMM, Good..now I am gunna have me a beer can chicken for dinner!!!

[Pine Barrens Mafia]

y'all are killing me. I'm gonna have to give the ol' beer can chicken a whirl. If I'm using a charcoal grill (round weber) anyone have suggestions for coal placement?

[dib]

thank you gentlemen, I shall have a beer in your honors as I roast a chicken.

[Beerball]

y'all are killing me. I'm gonna have to give the ol' beer can chicken a whirl. If I'm using a charcoal grill (round weber) anyone have suggestions for coal placement?

Pile the coals on one side of the grill and put the chicken on the other with a drip pan underneath. The juices won't be hitting live coals so you'll have a real mess without the drip pan. I like to try to keep the temp low (250-300) so add some coals during cooking if you need to. No basting necessary, but if you can get some of the pan drippings to baste over the bird it will really brown up nicely.

[BillsFanNC]

Might try putting some herbs in the cavity to enfuse some flavor. I put a lemon or lime wedge at the top opening of the chicken to keep more of the steam inside the cavity to speed up the cooking a bit. Oil, spice rub on the outside, indirect heat.

 

I also put a grill pan on the bottom of the holder so that I can cook some chunks of onion, pepper, other veg with the chicken.

 

I usually use a can of whatever crap beer the neighbors clutter my fridge with when they come over. I always pour out like a 1/3 of the can and then put some garlic and other spices in the can and shake it up. I use the same spices to rub the bird inside and out. I use the lemon trick to cover the neck hole, sometimes a potato. Indirect heat is key too. I have done the beer can chicken on the weber smoker a few times as well with fanatastic results.

[MattyT]

everyone's pretty much got it covered, but I'd also suggest to keep the breast side of the bird away from the high heat

[plenzmd1]

So we bought one of those devices where you fill up a container with a beverage then jam a chicken over it and throw it in the barbie. Anyone have any experience with this kind of cooking? Suggestions?

dib...did you try the can chicken yet?

 

BTW, I had never heard of the lemon trick, did it last night and worked well!!!

[Pete]

I usually use a can of whatever crap beer the neighbors clutter my fridge with when they come over. I always pour out like a 1/3 of the can and then put some garlic and other spices in the can and shake it up. I use the same spices to rub the bird inside and out. I use the lemon trick to cover the neck hole, sometimes a potato. Indirect heat is key too. I have done the beer can chicken on the weber smoker a few times as well with fanatastic results.

Blaspheme. You could always drink that.

[BillsFanNC]

Blaspheme. You could always drink that.

 

If it's Yuengling or PBR I'll drink it. Bud Light, Miller Lite etc. and it goes down the drain. Sometimes if I have a homebrew on tap that I think will lend some extra flavor, I'll pour out the whole can of crap beer and fill it with homebrew.

[mead107]

Can you use a glass bottle?

[Nanker]

Can you use a glass bottle?

No, nor (gasp!) a beerball. (small "b")

[BuffaloBillsForever]

You can buy devices to place the chicken on but all you really need is a "tall boy" can of your beer of choice ( half full) and the bird will remain stable. What I like to do to prep the chicken before the grill is to first make a compound butter (room temperature butter mixed with different fresh herbs - thyme, parsley, basil rosemary,) and stuff it under the skin and then do a homemade dry rub on top of the skin (oregano, paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper etc). The bird is then placed on top of the tall boy can and then onto the BBQ using indirect heat.

 

If anyone is interested in the complete recipe I can post it later.

 

Go Bills!

[mead107]

You can buy devices to place the chicken on but all you really need is a "tall boy" can of your beer of choice ( half full) and the bird will remain stable. What I like to do to prep the chicken before the grill is to first make a compound butter (room temperature butter mixed with different fresh herbs - thyme, parsley, basil rosemary,) and stuff it under the skin and then do a homemade dry rub on top of the skin (oregano, paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper etc). The bird is then placed on top of the tall boy can and then onto the BBQ using indirect heat.

 

If anyone is interested in the complete recipe I can post it later.

 

Go Bills!

Do IT, I will give it a try.