chicken beer can??

Marsha56

Has anyone every done the whole chicken where you put a can of beer or pop can and cook it that way??


MarshaB56

lzcait

No, but my dil has and she swears it makes the absolutely best, moist grilled chicken ever. They used beer.

Cait

badboob67

Marsha,
My stepsister taught me how to do what my husband and boys like to call "beer butt chicken" a few years ago. I did it several times back then and it was absolutely delicious! Part of what makes it work is that the chicken is sitting vertically on the can. The other reason it's so juicy is because of the evaporation of the beer as it cooks. My husband likes it because the can of beer needs to only be half-full. "Somebody" has to drink it down! LOL

I know that Paula Deen mentioned chicken done with this method on her show recently. If you need specifics as to cooking time, etc., you can probably find it on the food network site.

WOOHOO for the beer butt chicken! LOL

kats

DH has been cooking chicken on the grill that way for years now, it's always turns out very moist. A few years ago he bought a stand (from Wal-Mart) especially made for cooking beer can chicken. It works good because it has a bigger base than just a can to hold the chicken upright. He usually uses beer, but has used creme soda (alright but sorta sweet), coke (ick, flavor too funky) and lemon lime (pretty good) but we like it best using beer.

We have a gas grill and cook the chicken using indirect cooking, the chicken in it's stand in shallow disposable foil pan which is just big enough to catch the drippings for basting and for easy clean up.

In case you'd like to see what the stand looks like here's a link: http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/im...da&ei=UTF-8

ErinsGram

Marsha - I do beer can chicken all the time and these gals are correct - it's the best. You can't get any more moist. It's very simple to do - I just dump 1/2" out of the can just so it doesn't cook over (and drink it, of course). I have a special cooker with a holey grate and a can holder welded on. I know Gander Mountain and Cabelas have them - I believe some of the kitchen gadget stores and junk catalogs have them now also. Set the beer can in that holder. Season the chicken as desired - I've used just salt&pepper and I've tried a lot of the grill rubs - they're all good. Set the breast of the chicken over the can. I think I usually have the grill set to medium or around 325-350 degrees for maybe around 1 1/2 hours (depends on the size of the chicken) and keep an eye on it. When the legs start to tear loose, it's done. I have had chickens with the pop-up indicator but I like my chicken a little better cooked than that and you can cook it longer with the beer can method without it getting dry.
Phyl

Marsha56

wow i knew you ladies would be able to help! thanks!

MarshaB56

Hattie

Once as my husband was getting a beer can chicken ready in the kitchen, my daughter said "PLEASE TELL ME THAT'S NOT DINNER!" (She gobbled it up later).

take care,
--Hattie

Marsha56

Dinner wa great! Or so that's what my daughter said. I cannot taste or smell anything, so I really don't care what I eat. So once again thanks for your help!

skatertaxi

I also cook it in the oven when it is too cold to grill. I melt some butter and put the seasonings in the melted butter, spread it over the chicken and dump the rest in the beer can. I cook it on low, 200, all day maybe 4 hours. I made 2 for Easter and they were gone in no time. I cooked them on Sat. and just put them in the microwave to warm them up and they were still good and moist.

Zzap

My boyfriend (master griller) makes this also. Our favorite variety is using Ginger Ale (Vernors preferably). It's pretty awesome!

Jenn

Anonymous

What do you do if you don't have the stand? I'd like to try it.

kats

You don't need the stand it just makes the chicken more steady. Just place the chicken on the can and have the legs rest on the pan.
Here's a site with pics and recipe.
Beer can chicken pic and recipe

I don't do the wood chip thing that the recipe/directions talks about because I'm not crazy about smokey flavor. My brother has done beer can chicken with and without wood chips and swears by the wood chip way. Personnal preference.........

Anonymous

kats...I am SO glad that you posted that because I had absolutely no idea what y'all were talking about and was imagining all sorts of gymnastics involving a chicken and a can! What'll they think of next? We have the turkey/chicken roasted in a paper bag, fried turkey and now this!

Wonder if you can do this with tofurkey?

kayakgirl

We use to make beer butt chicken maybe 2 or 3 times in the summer until someone in my church who is a chemist told me that the outside of the beer can with all the printing on it is toxic as fumes when heated.

dreamwriter

And if the outside is toxic what will happen?  Will you get cancer... oops too late.

flash

Dream- ROFL, ROFL, ROFL

Fit- Yes it works for Turkey.

  I've also done the beer just poured in the base of the pan that the chicken is sitting inside so the chicken has 1/2" around it.  Doesn't work quite as well as sitting it on the can but it's not bad.  still steams it with the beer.

jader

I've never cooked chicken in a bag.  The skin would end up not browned??? 

OLBinNJ

Weber makes a great grilled chicken stand.  It gives the chicken stability and catches the fat that drips off the chicken so it doesn't start a grill fire.

crazy4carrots

I have one too; it's from a company (Progressive) in Seattle, and it's terrific -- leaves the skin wonderfully crispy and the fat under the skin drains off into the pan.  It can be used on the grill or in the oven. 

EWB

could you just pour the beer into another container that does not have stuff painted on outside?

flash

EWB that's essentially what I do when I pour the beer in the bottom of the pan underneath the chicken. Except for the !/2"  at the bottom, the rest of the chicken is lovely crispy brown and the meat is oh so tender.

OLB sounds like the weber stand is wonderful.  I'll have to keep my eyes open for that one.