18 replies to this topic

[Shayne Pharis]

Looking for some help with a beer can chicken. Things like, what kind of beer do you use? do you have any good methods for ensuring that it'll stay upright on the can?

Do you baste while cooking? or just dry rub?

What temp/time are you typically looking at?

I've got one in the BBQ right now, only the second one i've attempted and it's fighting me the entire way.. not making it easy that's for sure!

I believe my first seemed much easier.. but I had a heck of a time w/ cook time/temp.

Any help is appriciated!

Thanks,
Shayne

[Adam Hollman]

I used to beer can chicken.

Now I just spatchcock my chicken and drink the beer.

For me it cooks more evenly, turns out as moist as ever, and I get a nice buzz too.

The only advantage I every found from beer can chicken is the "Wow" factor for guests. It looks impressive and delicious, but doesn't necessarily taste any better.

I honestly think the beer doesn't matter and you could put any liquid in the can. You won't some how get beer flavor into the chicken. Same thing goes for adding other juices, herbs or spices to the can or a water pan. The smoke will smell better, but the flavor doesn't get inside the meat. When I added sand to the water pan of my WSM instead of water, my food didn't taste like the beach!

[Shayne Pharis]

haha.. i like that Adam...

so your basically just butterflying it and laying it flat on the grill?... hmm... does this reduce cook time? do you flip it at all or just keep skin side up?

[Kevin Barteaux]

Hi Shayne-

The key with beer can chicken is to roast the bird at a high enough temp to get the beer (or whatever liquid you choose) to steam, which means 300F+. This will allow for even and moist cooking, which seems to be the biggest advantage to the system. I do get pretty good beer flavor too, but that is mostly from tipping the bird over when it is resting/cooling.

No need to baste, as chickin skin in impermiable to water.

Various places like amazon.com do sell contraptions to hold the beer and chicken upright.

http://www.amazon.co...icken&x=13&y=17

[Adam Hollman]

Shayne Pharis, on 07 April 2011 - 02:39 PM, said:

haha.. i like that Adam...

so your basically just butterflying it and laying it flat on the grill?... hmm... does this reduce cook time? do you flip it at all or just keep skin side up?

Yes, I have a set of tin snips I bought specifically for the task. I cut along each side of the bird's backbone and completely remove it (it is great for making stock!). Then I press down on the bird to get it flat...you will hear some bones crunching. Then I just lay it out flat on the grates. I cook indirect and I don't flip, but you could to get some crispier skin.

[Bill Bain]

Adam Hollman, on 07 April 2011 - 03:35 PM, said:

Yes, I have a set of tin snips I bought specifically for the task. I cut along each side of the bird's backbone and completely remove it (it is great for making stock!). Then I press down on the bird to get it flat...you will hear some bones crunching. Then I just lay it out flat on the grates. I cook indirect and I don't flip, but you could to get some crispier skin.

If you pull out the keel bone it will be even better.

[Shayne Pharis]

here'a few pictures, it turned out good/tasty but was a bit dry because for the life of me i couldn't get my BBQ up to the right temp! I burned through a bag and a half of kingsford

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[Vincent Carrocci]

Looks like you got really nice and crispy skin on that bird.

What kind of cooker were you using? That's a lot of charcoal to burn for just one chicken!

[Shayne Pharis]

it's just a char griller duo.


i'm on the market for something on a trailer that'll cater to 150-200+ ppl if you have any good leads let me know!

[Steve Bryson]

I tried a couple in our offset barrel smoker/grill combo, but wasn't completely satisfied with them. The chicken came out moist, but the skin didn't get the crispiness I wanted. I think some of the difficulty had to do with the grill itself. I've had trouble getting the heat up to where I wanted it and keeping it there for the duration...

That said, I used Steven Raichlen's basic recipe for the rub and the process (http://www.barbecueb...c_beercan_c.php). The rub is great!

I picked up a beer can chicken accessory from Amazon. The thing works quite well.

I think I sacrificed half a Sam Adams Boston Lager to the experiment. The other half I sacrificed to myself...

I just picked up a Weber kettle grill, so I might try this again (I hear the shape of the kettle allows more heat to the top of the dome...but I also grabbed the rotisserie attachment...so I think I'll try that first.

Steve

[Bill Souza]

You guys should watch out when doing beer can chickens since most beer cans have inner coatings on them that releases BPA, whatever that is doesn,t sound good

[Steve Bryson]

Bill Souza, on 14 May 2011 - 03:07 PM, said:

You guys should watch out when doing beer can chickens since most beer cans have inner coatings on them that releases BPA, whatever that is doesn,t sound good

Agreed...that's why I use this thing...
http://www.amazon.co...05437618&sr=8-2

Steve

[Bill Souza]

Steve Bryson, on 14 May 2011 - 09:34 PM, said:

Agreed...that's why I use this thing...
http://www.amazon.co...05437618&sr=8-2

Steve

Yeah thats the baby!!

[Anna Stockel]

I love beer can chicken. Every year my friends and I have a giant BBQ/food party complete with a band, dance floor, Jumpie, dunk tank, cotton candy machine, steam tractor, and the cooking of many delicious animals and fish.

I make 12 chickens on 3 Weber kettles. It's always a big hit and people are excited when the "chicken butt lady" arrives.

I use Steven Raichlen's instructions/recipe as my basic guide.

I get the Kingsford coals nice and hot, push them to the sides so chickens get cooked with indirect heat, and add some wood for smoke.

Chickens get rub on the outside and the inside.

Budweiser beer cans get half emptied, punched open with many holes at the top with a church key, and rub added to the beer; then shoved up the chicken's butts and set upright on the grills. Chickens get steamed on the inside and BBQed on the outside creating a very tasty and moist product.

Sauce is ketchup+rub+maple syrup.

Then when chickens are done, some of the beer gets poured into the sauce making it pretty runny. Chickens get cut up into pieces, placed in aluminum pans and sauce poured over.

It's pretty darn easy to serve a crowd.

Edited by Anna Stockel, 21 May 2011 - 08:39 AM.

[Rick Renaud]

Her are a couple I made a few weeks ago.

[Shayne Pharis]

those look pretty amazing Rick

[Rick Renaud]

Thanks,
I used Samuel Adams winter fest brews and they were goooood!

[JOEL DIEFENBACHER]

you don't neccesarily have to use beer. Interesting things happen if you try coke, lemon lime, or orange canned soda.

[Rick Renaud]

JOEL DIEFENBACHER, on 27 May 2011 - 03:36 PM, said:

you don't neccesarily have to use beer. Interesting things happen if you try coke, lemon lime, or orange canned soda.

I heard some one using Dr Pepper and Grape soda.