Chicken on a throne

No doubt you've heard of this way to roast a chicken - sitting a bird upright on a half-full can of beer filled with garlic and spice - but I've never had it. It sounds like a big pain to do it this way, so I want to know if any of you esteemed foodie forum types think this is really worth the effort.

Yumbo, it really is delicious. I did not find it that much trouble though, just season the chicken and set it on a beer and cook slowly.

I have tasted chicken cooked that way, but have not actually done it myself !! YES, is was very moist and juicy and very flavorful !!


I have heard that you can just about use any liquid you want. It does not have to be beer ! Someone (and I might have seen this on TV) suggested a can of apple juice !!

All right. This weekend I'm doing it. I'll report back.

Yumbo - I have just gotten into the art of beer can chicken (chicken on a throne). Couple of sugestions:

1.Put a rub on the chicken (inside and out) at least 4 hours before you intead to cook. Drizzle the chicken with a bit of oil.
2.Cook over an indirect heat
3.Use wood chips for added flavor. Soak for at least 1 hour prior to throwing on the fire. You can use the beer as a soaking liquid for the chicken.
4.Only use about half of a can of beer. Put some of the rub that you used in the chicken in the beer can.
5.I find that the chicken has a tendency to stick so I spray the can with Pam before I put on the bird.

For additional recipes and cooking techniques I would suggest that you pick-up a copy of Beer-Can Chicken by Steven Raichlen.

Did the beer can (Gennesee)chicken last evening for the first time. Rubbed in and out with salt, pepper, spices, herbs mix. Cooked for 3 hours at about 275- 300 over indirect heat. It was very good chicken - crispy skin and moist inside. I had assumed the beer would all cook away , leaving a dry can, but the can , on removal from the chicken , was full of a brownish liquid- not good to the taste, not beery, not chickeny (newly coined word ?). Where did all that nasty juice come from, and is that the normal result of the recipe?

I was at Walmart this past weekend and they were selling metal devices that held the chicken upright and provided a holder for liquid. They suggested using only a half can of whatever liquid you choose.

I believe the price was around $7.00 and appeared a little pricey for such a simple contraption, although I guess if you do it pretty often, it is a handy tool.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Yumbo its been almost a year, would you pleases tell us what you think! I cant sleep at night,just look at the time I'm up....

I saw this on BBU(Barbeque U, PBS)on yesterday. The oil drizzle and dry rub as well as the direct heat, covered, seem to be the way most people do this method. The guy situated the coals around the permiter of the grill and used a drip pan in the middle under the chicken. He did also mention adding a couple of other holes in the top of the can with a can opener. Suggesting you could use just about any type of juice/liquid in a can, including beer(yea!)he used a can of Lipton "Brisk" Iced Tea. He poured out half of the can of tea to use in his sauce that he drizzled over the chicken when it was completly cooked and cut into serving pieces.

It has turned out very good each time I have tried it. You can learn more under the recent string Chicken / Beer Can Chicken Fans below (last post 04/20/04).

Phil B.

I have never tried this method, but want to. Just one question: any health issues involved using a honest to goodness beer can? I am thinking that heating up all the dyes that go into labeling the can might not be so good for you.

I think I heard of this once but cant find any info on it.

renfrew:

If you're really worried about the dyes you could wrap the can in aluminum foil.

the residue liquid was probably the Genessee beer,which tastes neither beery or anything else that we know or want to know about......now Genessee cream ale is another deal altogether! matter-of fact,I may have to go find some right now, if unsuccessful,the local pub has Newcastle Brown Ale draught,served in imperial(20oz) pints....perhaps the chicken can wait

it strikes me funny that a chicken cooked after stuffing a beer can up it's back end is called "Chicken on a throne"!! yeah,right---bet thats not what the guy that invented it called!!! sounds like a cook book editors idea to me----it IS GOOD though!!

ps--if you are really concerned about the can--they do make a stainless steel one just for that purpose---and then you can add real bear--you know, the kind that comes in BOTTLES and really has flavor worth adding to your food!

Been doing it for a while & it's always turned out well no matter what liquid I used. I also have a little gadget that holds the can & provides stability or something. In any event, if you're careful about time, you don't have to use any liquid at all (that's an observation rather than a recommendation!). Finally, a convection oven is great for this if you can live without the smoke!

quote:

I had assumed the beer would all cook away , leaving a dry can, but the can , on removal from the chicken , was full of a brownish liquid- not good to the taste, not beery, not chickeny (newly coined word ?). Where did all that nasty juice come from, and is that the normal result of the recipe?

If someone cooked me with a beer can deposited there, any juices would surely be inedible.

Seriously, the inside of chickens usually have residual blood left there, plus the juices from the kidneys. These are not usually seen in chicken parts and cook away in fried chicken.

I have several upright chicken towers for adult and game hen, and all work well. The large versions will easily take a beer can in the middle.

quote:

Originally posted by seafarer john

Did the beer can (Gennesee)chicken last evening for the first time. Rubbed in and out with salt, pepper, spices, herbs mix. Cooked for 3 hours at about 275- 300 over indirect heat. It was very good chicken - crispy skin and moist inside. I had assumed the beer would all cook away , leaving a dry can, but the can , on removal from the chicken , was full of a brownish liquid- not good to the taste, not beery, not chickeny (newly coined word ?). Where did all that nasty juice come from, and is that the normal result of the recipe?

I did this last night and brined my chicken for about an hour first for the heck of it and didn't notice this. Maybe you could give it try and see if you notice a difference.

Steven Raichlen's cook book BEER-CAN CHICKEN has so many recipes to try, In my opion this is worth getting. Try sampling Brewmeister's chicken first.

Beer can chicken tastes awesome and very easy to do. It is definitely worth trying. Here are some tips to help the beginners:


First, I prefer to use a large diameter Weber Kettle which uses charcoal. I highly recommend purchasing the optional grill with folding edges which makes it easy to add more charcoal (you can buy it at Target for around $15). I also use the optional charcoal fuel holders which hold the coals to the sides which allows indirect heat rather than having coals under the chicken. (You can make these using several layers of heavy duty aluminum foil or use a disposable pound cake pan so long as you make several holes in the bottom & sides to allow for airflow. I put around 25-30 briquets on each side and add another 9 -10 to each side after an hour. I open the airholes on the bottom and the top of the BBQ all the way once my fire is going well and just before I put the chicken on. I put an aluminum pan under the chicken 1/2 filled with water. (You can add spice to the water, use beer, wine, coca cola, or whatever). Be sure your coals are directly under the grill's folding doors so that adding them will be easy. Make sure your grill is on a level surface.

I have done this on a gas grill with the chicken side shut off, a water pan under the chicken and an oven thermometer next to the chicken. Just make sure the temp stays at 250 with the cover down.

I use 4-6 pound whole chickens. I remove the neck & bags, wash them and pat dry. I liberally rub the essence on the chicken inside & out-it will taste best if you do this several hours before cooking. I use 3/4 can of beer (I use Bud) and add several tablespoon's Emerils Essence to each can. Consider adding some garlic or whatever suits your taste.

When you're ready to cook, sit the chicken on top of the beercan and be sure the can is in the chicken as far as it can go. The biggest problem I have had is balancing the bottom of the beercan on the grill (I usually do 2-4 at once). I wrap a piece of 18 gauge aluminum wire gently around the chickens helps balance them if I'm cooking more than one. Otherwise, you'll have to find the balance point before putting the cover on.

The grill will cook at 250 degrees once covered. Do not peek during cooking. I check the coals after 1 hour and add more coals (gently) as needed. If I am cooking multiple chickens, I may rotate them to ensure they are cooking evenly all around.

I find the chickens are done after around 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 hours. DO NOT grab the wing to see if it is done before you remove the chicken as the wings & legs will easily pull off.

Before removing the chicken from the grill, be reminded that the beer can has hot liquid inside it and that the can will not usually come out easily. Be sure to wear mitts and have another person with you with mitts on the first few times to help you do this. I recommend having one person hold the chicken while another gently twists the can and removes it. Remember that the cans will stay hot for some time. Discard the can & its contents once cool.

Test the chickens with meat thermometer before eating. They should be at 180 degrees internally.

Enjoy!

Rick

I do the chicken in the regular kitchen oven, rubbed with bbq rub, 350 degrees, for about 1 1/2 hours, until the instant-read thermometer says it's o.k. Convection makes the skin a bit crisper. I've used a half can of soda water with good results. The rack instructions say to put a pie pan with some water in it underneath to catch the drippings. I just sit the chicken in the water in the pie pan.

A few years back, there was a gadget advertised on TV for roasting a chicken in the oven standing up, because it was the healthiest way to go. The thing apparently flopped. Then they added a beer can and say do it on the barbecue, and it's a success. Marketing!

My laws are coming for a visit in a few weeks. My father in law has learned how to cook chicken this way and says it is fantastic and I can hardly wait to try it.
Can it be done on a Webber charcoal grill?

carl reitz

Hey Carl sure you can. Just make sure you do it over indirect heat. Charcoal on one side and a drip pan on the other. Chicken should be over the drip pan. You may need to add more charcoal and I would have a meat thermometer handy. The thigh should be at 180 degrees or more. And remember don't peek. Keep the lid on. Should take about 2 hours maybe more. It really comes out flavorful and moist.