1st beer can chicken

[bedford banger]

Here's the 1st one, i thought that i'd stay simple for the first one and just have some Italian beer from M&S and Hickory chips and It turned out pretty well.

BB



http://i1107.photobucket.com/albums/h40 ... 210081.jpg

[keith157]

Looks nice, love the adornments in the background to enhance the Italian feel. Not had any Italian beer, how did it affect the taste of the chicken?

[bedford banger]

we tried a bit of the beer before we put it in and it was quite fruity- a bit like peroni so I think it made it taste a bit sweeter.

BB

[keith157]

Might try some fruit beers in that case, cheers

[Eddie]

What a nice bird . Been trying different beer with this cook and have had some fantastic results . As there are so many beers out there to try, it's one cook that I don't think I'll get bored of .


Eddie

[FlashGordon]

I did beer can chuck on saturday, i used Bud (in honour of the BBQ show on foodnetwork). Chicken was great, skin was nasty and rubbery though.

I do think the chicken is one of the best things to do on there though.

[Pecker]

It tickles my daughter Freya (four and a half) pink when I say we're getting a chicken and 'putting some wine up its bottom'.

I usually use white wine and a mix of garlic powder, onion powder, and dried sage. You can simmer this very gently for a while first to get the flavours infusing. The wine that's left makes a far more pleasant gravy/sauce to dribble lightly over the chicken than the rather bitter taste of beer or lager.

I rub the chicken with a dry rub of the same plus a little paprika and black pepper. Also similar herbs mixed with butter and put under the skin. I also turn the chicken 3 times at even intervals, so it does a 270 degree turn and faces all 4 directions during cooking, to keep it even.

On a nice Summer's day (I know, we don't get many) with a salad and some new potatoes coverred in melted butter, chopped fresh mint and maldon sea salt...well, Sunday Dinner doesn't get a lot better.

The glory of beer can chicken is that, even if you cook it for a little longer than necessary, it doesn't dry out, so you can get that well-cooked chicken where the meat just falls off the legs.

One more thing, no wood chips. Use wood chips and you may as well use Morrison's budget beer or even hot water and no seasoning. Chicken is so delicate, if you use chips it just comes out tasting of smoke and nothing else. If you want a subtle smokey-taste in there use a very good quality smoked paprika.

Steve W

[keith157]

I don't use wood chips, I use foil packs with flavoured charcoal, it imparts a slight sweetness and doesn't detract from the flavour of the chicken. I have also used Tarragon in the wine instead of sage along with the garlic and that works well, as well

[Pecker]

Tarragon and chicken - classic combination!

Steve W

[keith157]

Nowt wrong with the classic (unless they're still in Ancient Greek.....even I'm not that old )