Beer can or drunken chicken

[POTAWIE]

The beer can chicken or drunken chicken is becoming popular lately in my neck of the woods which means its eaier to buy the rack/support. There are different qualities and different designs coming out but they all serve the same purpose, supporting the bird. I used a tray under this small one for easy crean-up. This is a very forgiving method of cooking with moist meat every time.

Prep Time:
5 min
Cooking Time:
Few hours, depends on size of bird and method of cooking
Servings:
Depends on size
Heat Level (Spiciness):
Medium
Ingredients:
A small to medium chicken(must be able to fit upright on BBQ or smoker
Instructions:
Stick the bird (prepared) on a half full can of beer(not the cheap or bland stuff) with seasonings added to the beer and rubbed over entire bird. Place on special rack or support somehow and BBQ or smoke or even cook in the oven until cooked. Use indirect heat on the BBQ.
Level of Difficulty:
Easy

[imaguitargod]

Only bad beer comes in cans. What you can also do is marinate the bird in a mixture of a good dark beer (ie: spaten optimator) and some worshtishire sauce for about two days (completely submerge the bird in the mixture).

Once it's ready to go on, pour the some mroe beer into a aluminium pan and put that on the grill slightly to the side of the coals but just near them to slowly boil off the beer, and put the bird on while this is boil. Cover with the lid and you're off.

You can also use this meathod for "beerworst".

[bentalphanerd]

Wow - I can almost smell that -

Doesn't the aluminum beer can melt or give off fumes?

[imaguitargod]

Wow - I can almost smell that -

Doesn't the aluminum beer can melt or give off fumes?
I don't believe it gets hot enough, but just another reason why I do it the way I posted (not to undermine your recipe, Potawie).

[chuk hell]

we've been BBQ'n chicken this way for years. We use a cast iron device called a " chicken rocket" which serves the same purpose as a beer can but is heavy and supports the chicken well and also allows you to use any marinade you like.

http://www.chickenrocket.com/

[texas blues]

Chuk, I am with you, I use a stainless steel unit that does the beer can thang'. IGG...Optimator for cooking? Shame. Shame. Shame. That stuff is too good for cooking. I mysef' prefer lighter beers for the chicken cooker although anything works. I have used wine, balsamic vinegar, as well as other concoctions, not all of them successful but...Optimator? Hell No! Pilsner Urquell? Save the good stuff for my taste buds. Hell, put Bud in the can for the chicken and gimme' Chamais in the glass!!

[imaguitargod]

we've been BBQ'n chicken this way for years. We use a cast iron device called a " chicken rocket" which serves the same purpose as a beer can but is heavy and supports the chicken well and also allows you to use any marinade you like.

http://www.chickenrocket.com/
Ok, first off, everyone should download and listen to their theme song on the site...classic. And second, I think I'll buy one once I get some money in.


IGG...Optimator for cooking? Shame. Shame. Shame. That stuff is too good for cooking. I mysef' prefer lighter beers for the chicken cooker although anything works. I have used wine, balsamic vinegar, as well as other concoctions, not all of them successful but...Optimator? Hell No! Pilsner Urquell? Save the good stuff for my taste buds. Hell, put Bud in the can for the chicken and gimme' Chamais in the glass!!

That's the thing, Budpissbeer won't give you the beer chicken experience. You have to use a dark beer (weither you are a fan of dark beers or not) like Optimator. When you use thick, good beers it will give what ever you are cooking a heavier, more pleasing and distinctive taste. Why spend $30 on a steak when you can spend $8 at a local market for a t-bone...quality and taste baby. You go the extra distance for the rewards are far greater.

And on a side note, We have an Anhieser Busch (sp?) brewery out here right by the 405 and from what people tell me, it smells like piss.

[POTAWIE]

We can get most beer in cans here. I usually use Guinness in a tallboy or something dark. That chicken-rocket looks great, I gotta get one. They make cheap throw away racks for someone who want to try for the first time without spending much. I'm thinking of trying some rum next time for a jerk rubbed chicken.

[chuk hell]

I usually throw in a few cloves of crushed garlic and some rosemary into the beer. Also, I always plug the chicken's neck hole with a fat jalapeno. :)

[xgrafcorex]

Only bad beer comes in cans.


try some dale's pale ale. if you like pale ale, you'll probably find it to be quite good for only being available in a can.

recipe sounds pretty good..i'll have to give it a shot one of these days. i love chicken and i love beer..so should be a winner.

[bentalphanerd]

Anyone have a pic of the stainless steel "can"...i'm presuming it has some ribs down the sides, or is it just a tube with a base?

[POTAWIE]

Here's one I found at Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/Steven-Raichlen-Best-Barbecue-SR8016/dp/B0007ZGUK2

[bentalphanerd]

Wow - that is some serious piece of machinery. I've seen stainless salt shakers about that size...I might take to one with a hole punch, a deep baking tray & a few metal skewers laying across to keep the bird raised. Yumm:drooling:

[bentalphanerd]

going to get real cheap now. The neighbor has a welder....whats the dimensions on that tube please anyone:)

[LUCKYDOG]

going to get real cheap now. The neighbor has a welder....whats the dimensions on that tube please anyone:)

Hope his welder can get "hot" enough for stainless!

Just use Fosters, Australian for chicken cooker...open that chicky real wide

[LUCKYDOG]

We can get most beer in cans here. I usually use Guinness in a tallboy or something dark. That chicken-rocket looks great, I gotta get one. They make cheap throw away racks for someone who want to try for the first time without spending much. I'm thinking of trying some rum next time for a jerk rubbed chicken.

If you use rum be prepared to blow that chicken over your house.

"Ah, yes, One rum chicken to go please, and a large order of potatoe salad too"

[bentalphanerd]

little secret...Fosters is the worst beer available here...no one drinks it.

And I was thinking that thick mild steel would be getting enough oil over it to not fade away.

[LUCKYDOG]

little secret...Fosters is the worst beer available here...no one drinks it.

And I was thinking that thick mild steel would be getting enough oil over it to not fade away.

The mild steel wouldnt be bad however its the in between times that makes it a little unpalatable, just like Fosters, If you use cans then its easy to throw away and replace however not in the same cooking cycle :shocked: I heard that different sodas such as black cherry or ginger ale lend a different somethin' somethin'to it

[marcosauces]

Benthal...what is the dark beer you guys have there...darn i liked it alot when i was there....thats all i was drinking...
cannot remeber the name now..:(

[bentalphanerd]

Benthal...what is the dark beer you guys have there...darn i liked it alot when i was there....thats all i was drinking...
cannot remeber the name now..:(

Could be Tooheys Old or Coopers Dark Ale. Mmmm beeer :drooling:

[chilliman64]

isn't this just a gimmick? the evaporation of the beer is just rising water isn't it? has anyone tried it with a can of water??? better off drinking the beer or even pouring a little over the bird every 10 mins or so.

and yes - Tooheys Old is a great drop!!!

[bentalphanerd]

Evaporation from inside the chicken will get into the flesh as well as keeping the meat moist and tender. Pouring beer over the top will just run off the oily skin.

I can't bring myself to use our aluminium cans - will have to build something.

[chilliman64]

I agree alpha, the paint could permeate the chicken.

the meat would indeed be moist from the water having left the beer but would the beer flavour the bird? I don't think so.

a thoroughly washed steel can would do the trick!

[LUCKYDOG]

I suppose you can use a soup can or something larger/skinny like a fruit juice and just put what you want to use in the can.

[chilliman64]

how's this for an idea??? hold the bird upside down and pour the beer into the chook - now I've just got to work out a way to stop the beer running out of it...

hey, I never said it was perfect

[imaguitargod]

how's this for an idea??? hold the bird upside down and pour the beer into the chook - now I've just got to work out a way to stop the beer running out of it...

hey, I never said it was perfect
Duct Tape.

[chilliman64]

hmmmm... a little poultry humour there I suspect...

[marcosauces]

Could be Tooheys Old or Coopers Dark Ale. Mmmm beeer :drooling:

hmmm...shief stout...chief stout, some like that :drooling:

[cyotefishing]

I usually throw in a few cloves of crushed garlic and some rosemary into the beer. Also, I always plug the chicken's neck hole with a fat jalapeno. :)We use a halfa' lime in the neck hole.

[low_salt_hot]

I put beer, rosemary and garlic in mine. Also stuff a half a lemon in the neck. (Although the Jalapeno sounds real good and I haven't tried that)

I have a fresh bird in the fridge now and it is a nice day here. I guess I will have to grill that thing up in a bit and let you know how it turned out. You guys got me hungry!