# Beer Can Chicken



## Bangbang (Sep 11, 2004)

I am going to make some Beer Can Chicken in my smoker today.

1 3-4 pound chicken
1 can premium beer
2/3 cup Apple Juice
Salt and Pepper

if you don't have a smoker then just cook on a covered grill using the indirect method.

Light coals
Drink the beer
Pour the apple juice in the can
Season chicken with salt and pepper
Place chicken on beer can so chicken is sittin on the "throne"
Cook till meat thermometer reaches 175 F


----------



## masteraznchefjr (Sep 11, 2004)

i love the beer can duck and geese


----------



## crewsk (Nov 1, 2004)

Here ya go Darkstream! Not exacly the one I was looking for, but it'll work. My father in law left the beer in the can for a change.


----------



## chez suz (Nov 1, 2004)

I went to Fla. this weekend to visit family..I usually bring my dry rub along w/me to make what we call beer butt chicken..but this time I left the rub home thinking they must be bored by this dish by now..well I got there and the request came in..off to the store we went to pick up some fresh spices...and 2 chickens.....I guess when something is good you dont get bored!


----------



## kitchenelf (Nov 1, 2004)

EVERY July 4th we do it.  We also had a Labor Day picnic/gathering - made burgers - everyone wanted to know where the beer butt chickens were.   :?


----------



## Darkstream (Nov 2, 2004)

This is absolutely extraordinary. Never heard of or imagined anything like it.

Does anybody have a picture of one of these birds cooking they could post?

I would have loved to have tried this, but ufortunately that kind of dish is virtual poison to me now.

But maybe I could adapt it if I saw one cooking. Hmmm....


----------



## mudbug (Nov 2, 2004)

There's a pic of some birds Rainee did this way here:

http://www.discusscooking.com/viewtopic.php?t=3721&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0


----------



## wasabi woman (Nov 2, 2004)

Darkstream said:
			
		

> This is absolutely extraordinary. Never heard of or imagined anything like it.
> 
> Does anybody have a picture of one of these birds cooking they could post?
> 
> ...



I put a web page together last year, because there was so many people in my family who wanted to know about this; maybe you can get something out of it too!

*Beer Can Chicken*

Good Luck!


----------



## Darkstream (Nov 2, 2004)

Amazing!!!


----------



## MJ (Nov 2, 2004)

I can still remember this post and it still haunts me. Just me.



			
				storm2k said:
			
		

> I have noticed a few things/recipes/ideas in here for beer can chicken. I am real wary of this and can validate my worries. I do not believe this is safe at all and just on principles would warn everyone against it unless you do it in a safe manner.  The melting point of aluminum (pure) is 660.37 °C or 1220.666 °F. Most "beer" cans are not "pure" aluminum and contain various other elements, including the paint on the can. I figure that you're cooking this painted can to at least 1/3 of its melting point for whatever meat, steaks or chicken, some ppl do fajitas this way. So, you're definately smoking and infusing all the paint fumes at the least and who knows what else into a raw chicken. I suspect the melt point on a beer can is alot lower than that stated for pure aluminum, probably like 900-1000F, heck maybe lower than what your cooking it at. To see what I mean do this, take a styrofoam cup, fill it with water. Put a bic lighter or a torch on a low flame to the outside of the cup. As long as you do not "pressure burst" with the flame you can hold the flame there a long time, it will only burn the cup down to the level of the liquid, even on the outer layers, all the way to the bottom of the cup, it will still hold water, so you could pour the beer in a styrofoam cup as long as the grill was cool and flat as you set it down (I think), and cook the chicken over that. I suspect this is the same with the aluminum can, the liquid is preventing the final breakdown. An easy test would be to set your gril at the specified temp, weigh a totally empty beer can, put the can in a cast iron skillet and let it sit in the grill for like 4 hours. See what happens. I am not going to do this as I am not that bored and would not cook anything like this anyway, but I just wanted people to realize this may be very dangerous, and/or have implications to your health as yet unknown. I smoke so I don't care, counting on the big C or a MI to take me out lol. There are all kinds of info sites regarding links between Alzheimers and Aluminum, just google it. I just think smoking, eating metal isn't real healthy, have a marlboro and take a geritol iron pill if you need both. For the "beer can chicken" , take a oven safe (to like 600f) stoneware mug, knock the handle off of it and put the chicken over that after you pour a beer into it and proceed as recipe states. The can is not a fundamental part of this recipe (or if it is and ppl say it tastes different with a can than with a stone or iron, then guess what, they like the taste of aluminum, it should not taste much different, but makes you think about all the things of whether beer taste better in a bottle or a can, should be same right?), you can cut the chicken up and do it in a dutch oven, or don't cut it, the beer and the steaming process is the main thing. Just a warning, like I said, I do not know and no proof exists but a thin piece of metal on hi temp seems that metal is going to melt and go somewhere, and you may eat it.


----------



## Lifter (Nov 3, 2004)

Hi MJ

I would like to "exorcise" the "haunting" for you a bit, if I can...

"BeerButt" is a sort of "happy allusion" to the method, that started more than ten years ago of using beer as an agent in the steaking of chicken (any suggestion of "steamed" chicken" would be much worse marketting of the method, n'est pas?)

Most of us that do this sort of thing use "steel" cans (well, at least, they are magnetic!) like Campbell's soup cans....

I really doubt on the "transfer" of "heavy metals" such as iron or aluminum to the carcass of a chicken or turkey, in such a short period of time, and, if there were such a concern, "doubtless" doctors or scientists would have been warning us off in the past ten years that I've known of this method being popularly used...

I DO sort of have to agree on the "paint" issue, as well as the "fear" of "whatever all else is smeared on the beer can" thinking, which is why I personally, never do this with a beer can...

Alzheimers is always a big fear in our family, as we lost my FIL to that second-only-to ALS dread disease, but evidence is coming out that its not just aluminum (let alone. did any of us check out our "starting" "pot" set, 30 years ago or more?)

If "chicken" ever got to 900 degrees, trust me, you will be evacuating the house, rather than eating it, in fact long before that point....and if you take a good run at it, you CAN boil water in a paper bag over an open flame, using just about th physics you describe (and never exposing paper to an ignition tempy, unless there's water on the opposite side!)

You have some VERY GOOD THOUGHTS here, that some of us (meaning ME!) neglect to pass on, in our methods and recipes, but we (including ME ) do not wnt to threaten people like you (or anyone else!) with our recipes, let alone ourselves, and "we" do in fact eat this stuff...

Anyways...

Lifter


----------



## subfuscpersona (Nov 3, 2004)

This sounds so neat I'm almost persuaded to buy a can of beer. 

However, as someone who seldom drinks beer, here's a silly question - is the can supposed just to have two little openings (like you punch in with a can opener) or are you supposed to take the entire top off?


----------



## Lifter (Nov 7, 2004)

Like with that ancient tool the "can opener", I guess...or, following the follow up guidelines, using alternate fillings, with a steel soup can...

And I've not seen a beercan like that in 30 years, so I must believe you in the inexperience of beer...

Anyways, "beer" references aside, read the "safety stuff" and give this a try, its literally wonderful to the taste and texture!

LOL!

Lifter


----------



## YT2095 (Aug 28, 2006)

don`t worry about the altzheimers issue, it`s yet to be proven as a link between corelation and causality, the 2 are NOT the same, besides, you`ll get more alu inside you from a cup of tea than you ever will from a beer can!
the Paint issue, I`m uncertain about, I`m not sure I`de trust it personaly, but the iron based cans pre-burned are totaly harmless, as are the cast iron grilles and balti woks etc...
if anything, it`s likely to be beneficial


----------



## Sephora (Aug 28, 2006)

Cans are no longer painted like they were in the 80s and 90s.  I did one of these chickens and the can was fully intact when I removed it from the chicken.  I bought a great stand at WalMart to do this chicken with.  It is the best and keeps the can from resting directly against the chicken.


----------



## Harborwitch (Aug 31, 2006)

We have those too.  I've never noticed the labeling coming off - it's always still on the can.   In addition beer can chicken is cooked (most often) on indirect heat - not directly over the flame.  We brined our chickens last weekend in CJ's sweet tea brine and used her cinnamon spice rub.  Gawd it was fantastic.  

I think the main purpose of the can is to provide a source of steam and flavor.  I've used fruit flavored sodas, wine, beer, herbs, juice, and pretty much anything I could shove in the can!  Yummmm!

I agree; if there were a problem it would be on the evening new program!


----------



## sattie (Aug 31, 2006)

*Cornish Hens*

I have done this with cornish hens as well and it works great.  Instead of a beer can, I use something like what a Red Bull comes in, a more slender can and put beer in it.


----------



## sparrowgrass (Aug 31, 2006)

The can is inside the chicken--the temp of the can itself probably wouldn't be much higher than the temp of the chicken--180 or less.  The bottom of the can is exposed to the grill, but the liquid inside the can would keep the temp of the bottom of the can at 212 or less--the boiling temp of water.

I think the alzheimer/aluminum link has been debunked pretty thoroughly by real scientists--as opposed to internet "scientists".

http://www.niehs.nih.gov/external/faq/aluminum.htm


----------



## SpiritWolf (Sep 17, 2006)

Sorry BangBang, but here in Aussie Land we have a very similar dish called "Drunken Chicken",  BUT  You put the Chicken over the can of beer, not drink it and fill it with "Apple JUICE", , that is why it is called DRUNKEN CHICKEN, but we do drink beer as we are waiting for it to cook, It has a very nice beer flavour to it.  And you dont get drunk eating it, only drinking the beer that you have had before it, it is very nice, and unusual, you should try that some time.
                                      My Regards from Aussie Land
                                             SpiritWolf.


----------



## Constance (Sep 17, 2006)

We compromise, SpiritWolf...I drink half the beer out of the can, and leave the rest for the chicken.


----------



## Katie H (Sep 17, 2006)

I have to chime in about beer can chicken, too.  It's one of the easiest and most flavorful ways to cook a chicken around.

When our children were young - they're now in their mid 30s - they lovingly called it beer butt chicken.  If you have children, you know potty talk never goes out of style.

At any rate, we do beer can chicken several ways.  Our favorite (and our childrens' favorite) involves mixing a rub of 1 tablespoon seasoned salt, 1 tablespoon garlic powder and salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.  Generously rub this mixture all over the outside of the bird and sprinkle some inside.  Open a 12-ounce can of beer, pouring off about a third.  Well, actally, drinking about a third.  With a church key, put about 6 or 7 more holes in the top.  Put the remaining rub in the beer.  Because of the salt, it's going to foam up quite a bit so do this over the sink or outside.

Place the chicken (about a 5-lb. bird) over the can in the appropriate "throne" position using the legs to stabilize it.  Put the whole  works in a disposable aluminum 8-inch square pan.  Put it on your grill and grill, covered, at about medium to medium-high heat for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours.

The pan helps to catch juices and prevents flare-ups from fat dripping down into the fire.  We usually separate the fat from the juices because this is one of the tastiest parts of cooking chicken this way.  It's great to dip the moist tender chicken in.

We also cook chicken, in the oven, using an empty washed out soda or beer can and fill it with white wine and tarragon.  Oil the outside of the bird well and salt and pepper the inside.  Cook in the oven as you would over the grill.

Just let your imagination be your guide.  There are lots of flavor combinations to play with.  All of them good.

Steven Raichlen has devoted an entire cookbook to this subject.  It's called _Beer Can Chicken_ and is filled with lots and lots of great recipes and ideas.

Enjoy!

Katie


----------



## LesleyP (Sep 20, 2006)

I never imagined doing this but i think I will have to give it a try, does it have to be american beer or will a UK Brew do?


----------



## Katie H (Sep 20, 2006)

I don't think it really matters.  We just used what we had on hand.  Although, I don't think we ever used any of the dark beers.  Generally we stuck to the least expensive for this purpose.  Saved the good stuff to drink.


----------



## shpj4 (Sep 20, 2006)

*Happy Wednesday*

Beer Can Chicken sounds great.  I will print out the receipe for my collection.  Thank you very much.

Jill and Jolie


----------

