Beer Can Chicken

[Doc]

Had Beer Can Chicken for dinner last night.

Here is the recipe I use from License to Grill
I swap the brandy for Bourbon.

Beer Can Chicken 2
Yield: 6

Ingredients:
Rub

* 2 tsp of dried sage (10ml)
* 2 tsp of cayenne (10ml)
* 1 tbsp of celery salt (15ml)
* 1 tbsp of black pepper (15ml)
* 2 tbsp of brown sugar (30ml)
* 1 tbsp of garlic powder (15ml)
* 1 tbsp of thyme leaves (15ml)

Chicken

* 1 x large King Can of beer (16 ounces)
* 1/4 cup of chicken stock (60ml)
* 1 tbsp of brandy (15ml)
* 2 tsp of lemon juice, freshly squeezed (10ml)
* 2 tbsp of butter (30ml)
* 1 x roasting chicken (6-7 lbs)
* 4 tbsp of melted butter (60ml)
* 2 cups of hickory wood chips (475ml)


Directions:
Rub

1. Combine all of the rub ingredients into a bowl and mix.

Chicken

1. Pour half of the beer over half the wood chips to soak for 30 minutes. Using a church key style can opener, make 2 additional holes in the top of the beer can and set it aside for future use.
2. To inject the marinade into the chicken, place the chicken stock, brandy, lemon juice, butter and 1 tablespoon of the Cajun rub into a medium sized saucepan. Warm through gently until the butter melts. Remove from the heat and set aside until the mixture comes to room temperature.
3. Remove the giblets from the chicken and set aside. Remove the fat from just inside the body and neck cavities. Rinse the chicken inside and out and pat dry. Season the cavity of the chicken with 2 tablespoons of the Cajun Rub.
4. Pull the injector marinade into a large syringe. Inject the sauce into the breasts, thighs and drumsticks of the chicken until plump.
5. Brush the outside of the bird with some of the melted butter and season with 3 tablespoons of the Cajun rub.
6. Hold the bird upright with the opening of the body cavity down. Lower the chicken into the upright beer can pull its legs forward to form a tripod allowing the bird to stand upright.
7. Tuck the wing tips so that they dont burn.
8. Preheat the grill to high heat (500F) on one side (indirect grilling). Place a drip pan on the other side of the grill with no heat underneath.
9. Squeeze the excess beer from the soaking wood hunks and place in the center of a large piece of foil. Add the hickory wood chunks and fold the foil around the wood to create a sealed package. Using a fork, poke holes in both sides of the wood package and place it directly over the heat source on the grill. Close the lid and wait for smoke.
10. When smoke is visible, reduce the heat to medium under the wood chip package and leave the other burners off.
11. Place the chicken upright on the cool side of the grill over the drip pan. Brush with melted butter. Close the lid and cook at 220F (110C) for 2 hours until golden brown and the internal temperature has reached 180F.
12. Baste the bird carefully every 45 minutes to an hour with more melted butter. If the bird begins to get excessively browned on the outside, cover it gently with foil.
13. Remove the finished chicken from the beer can carefully. Do not touch without proper protection as both the can and the liquid will be very hot. Let the chicken rest covered for 5 minutes before carving.

And some pictures to show the injecting of the marinade, and the final delicious bird.

Beers,
Doc

 

[Trent]

And I thought that Beer Can Chicken was just a myth h34r:
Looks bloody good Doc, you have made me sufficiently jealous. Hope is tasted as good as it looks
All the best
Trent
EDIT What the hell are you doing with such a big syringe? Have you got a problem we should know about? :lol:

 

[Jye]

Yummer :beerbang:

Ive done a few of these and they are so simple to prepare and turn out great. Im gonna have to give injecting marinade a go :beerbang:

 

[pokolbinguy]

YUM *drools big time*

How did it taste Doc? and what was the can of mega swill that you used??

Pok

 

[Doc]

It was super tender and succulent.
I used a can of Guiness. Previously I've also used Kilkenny.
Really the flavour of the beer doesn't come through, although instead of basting some butter on the bird, I used some of the Guiness.
If you are going to inject the bird let the marinade sit for a while, then strain out the sage, as even with marinade injector syringes (they have big holes) the sage will block the syringe.

Doc

 

[Pumpy]

And I thought that Beer Can Chicken was just a myth h34r:
Looks bloody good Doc, you have made me sufficiently jealous. Hope is tasted as good as it looks
All the best
Trent
EDIT What the hell are you doing with such a big syringe? Have you got a problem we should know about? :lol:

Never seen a chicken so addicted to beer it has to be injected with the stuff.

Pumpy

 

[Kai]

One tip I've heard with beer-butt chicken is to add some of the spices to the beer in the can - it will fumigate the bird while cooking.

 

[deadly]

yep add herb/spices to the can a'la guest lurker? style.
you know this only adds to my search function horror......

 

[Doc]

I actually took the strained mush (sage etc) that was left from the marinade and rammed that inside ....
Yum yum yummy.

Doc

 

[deadly]

Tis an awsome recipe....so moist,so succulent!!!

 

[Guest Lurker]

Had Beer Can Chicken for dinner last night.

Beers,
Doc

Looks excellent Doc, very tasty. While you were tucking into a beer can chicken, we had deep fried turkey last night. Had a similar problem, should have strained the garlic out before injecting the teriyaki. But its true, once you try a deep fried turkey you arent likely to eat another roasted one.

 

[NRB]

Gotta love BCC. Now I don't think my day-to-day 5cc syringes and 27 gauge needles will cut it so will need to 'invest' in some large volume syringes and smaller gauge (larger bore) needles!

It's been a while since I made it, but now you've got me re-inspired Doc.

Are you a pickpocket in your spare time? h34r:

 

[pint of lager]

A while back I found at Big W a squeeze sauce style bottle with a big bore needle for injecting marinade. Better go find it in the cupboard and put it to work with some beer.

 

[Darren]

Looks excellent Doc, very tasty. While you were tucking into a beer can chicken, we had deep fried turkey last night. Had a similar problem, should have strained the garlic out before injecting the teriyaki. But its true, once you try a deep fried turkey you arent likely to eat another roasted one.

Deep fried steak is also very nice

cheers

Darren

 

[ale_snail]

Deep fried steak is also very nice

cheers

Darren

ew

 

[tangent]

ever had a schnitzel alesnail?

edit- no-one concerned with heating up a can lined with plastic in your food? Oh that's night, no-chillers...

 

[barfridge]

tangent: when I did it people worried about the paint on the outside of the can, but it's a non-issue. The can doesn't get hot enough that it becomes a problem.

That sure looks like a tasty bird Doc, nice work

 

[TimBob]

Amazing what you find on this forum... I'm only new to brewing anything other than the coopers kit and white sugar from the supermarket... but besides that, I actually own the distribution rights to the Collapsible Beer Can Chicken Roaster - www.beercanchicken.com.au Just a contraption that holds everything upright so it's easier to get in / out of the BBQ.

Cheers,
Tim

 

[Jye]

Hey Tim,

Do you know what the RRP is? Ive seen them at the local markets for about $20 and thought it a good idea but not for that price.

 

[TimBob]

Hey Tim,

Do you know what the RRP is? Ive seen them at the local markets for about $20 and thought it a good idea but not for that price.

Bunnings sells them for about $18 and Galore sell a differently packaged version for a bit more.

We wanted to bring in a chrome plated version to keep the costs down - but the quality would kill it... The main thing is the ability to fold it down so it stores better, but when you're heating it, dish-washering it and folding it... chrome plating just isn't strong enough.