United Nations Beer Can Chicken Recipes

UNITED NATIONS BEER CAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Add coals to one half of grill. Clean chicken, remove head and innards. Rub paprika, sugar, salt, spice mix, oil, mustard, and pepper into chicken, under skin and inside cavity.
• Open the beer and add any remaining seasoning to beer can. Place chicken over the beer can, inserting the can gently into the cavity of chicken.
• Place chicken on opposite side of coals on grill. Make sure chicken is covered - use large pot if your grill cover is too small. Add coals to maintain high heat if it cools down. Make sure chicken is not directly over coals. Use an instant-read thermometer to test temperature, it should read 165 degrees F under thigh. Remove carefully and carve.

BEER CAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Prepare the grill: If you are using charcoal, put the coals on one side of the grill, leaving another side free of coals. If you are using a gas grill, fire up only half of the burners.
• Season the chicken and rub it with oil: Remove neck and giblets from cavity of chicken, if the chicken came with them. Mix the salt, pepper, and thyme in a little bowl, and rub it all over the chicken. Rub the chicken all over with olive oil.
• Lower chicken onto half-filled beer can: Make sure the beer can is open, and only half-filled with beer (drink the other half!) If you want, you can put a sprig of thyme (or another herb like rosemary or sage) in the beer can. Lower the chicken on to the open can, so that the chicken is sitting upright, with the can in its cavity.
• Carefully transfer the chicken to a tray or pan: I say "carefully" because the beer can, and the beer inside of it, is quite hot. One way to do this is to slide a metal spatula under the bottom of the beer can. Use tongs to hold the top of the chicken. Lift the chicken, beer can still inside, and move it to a tray. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes. Carefully lift the chicken off of the can. If it gets stuck, lay the chicken on its side, and pull out the can with tongs.

OVEN BEER CAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Remove all but the bottom rack from the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Set a large ovenproof skillet on a baking pan.
• Mix the coriander, paprika, lemon zest, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper together in a small bowl. Pat the chicken dry and sprinkle the spice mixture all over the chicken and inside the cavity.
• Pour about 1/2 cup of the beer into the skillet, then insert the open can into the larger chicken cavity. Set the chicken upright on the can in the skillet. Add 1 cup of water to the beer in the skillet.
• Transfer the baking pan with the skillet to the oven and roast until the chicken is golden brown all over and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the breast registers 160 degrees F, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes. Carefully transfer the chicken with the beer can to a cutting board and let stand 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pour the contents of the skillet out into a fat-separating measuring cup (be very careful, the skillet's handle will be hot). Spoon 1 tablespoon of the fat that has risen to the top onto the skillet. Set the skillet over medium heat and add the shallot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Pour the juices from the measuring cup into the skillet, leaving the remaining fat behind (if you don't have a fat-separator, pour the juices into a bowl and remove as much of the fat as possible with a small ladle). Bring the juices to a simmer in the skillet, about 1 minute, then add the cream and bring back to a simmer, about 1 minute. If the sauce seems too concentrated, dilute with a little water. If it seems too thin, simmer until reduced to a nice coating consistency. Stir in the parsley.
• Remove the can by placing tongs around the edge of the neck cavity and tipping the chicken back just slightly. Carefully twist and remove the can while holding the chicken back with the tongs. Return the chicken to the middle of the cutting board and carve into pieces. Serve the chicken with the sauce.

BEER CAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, about 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Mix the brown sugar, chili powder, paprika, dry mustard, salt, and ground black pepper in a small bowl. Place the half-full can of beer in the center of a plate.
• Rinse chicken under cold running water. Discard giblets and neck from chicken; drain and pat dry. Fit whole chicken over the can of beer with the legs on the bottom; keep upright. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the seasoning mix into the top cavity of the chicken. The beer may foam up when the seasonings fall inside the can. Rub the remaining seasoning mix over the entire surface of the chicken.
• Place the chicken, standing on the can, directly on the preheated grill. Close the lid and barbeque the chicken until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 1 hour 15 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). Remove the chicken from the grill and discard the beer can. Cover the chicken with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area for 10 minutes before slicing.

BEER CAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Remove and discard the fat just inside the body cavities of the chicken. Remove the package of giblets and set aside for another use. Rinse the chicken inside and out, under cold running water, then drain and blot dry inside and out, with paper towels. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the rub inside the body and neck cavities, then rub another 1 tablespoon all over the skin of the bird. If you wish, rub another 1/2 tablespoon of the mixture between the flesh and skin. Cover and refrigerate the chicken while you preheat the grill.
• Set up the grill for indirect grilling, placing a drip pan in the center. If using a charcoal grill, preheat it to medium. If using a gas grill, place all the wood chips in the smoker box and preheat to high; then when smoke appears, lower the heat to medium.
• Pop the tab on the beer can. Using a 'church key'-style can opener, make 6 or 7 holes in the top of the can. Pour out the top inch of beer, then spoon the remaining dry rub through the holes into the beer. Holding the chicken upright, with the opening of the body cavity down, insert the beer can into the cavity.
• When ready to cook, if using charcoal, toss 1/2 the wood chips on the coals. Oil the grill grate. Stand the chicken up in the center of the hot grate, over the drip pan. Spread out the legs to form a sort of tripod, to support the bird.
• Cover the grill and cook the chicken until fall-off-the-bone tender, 2 hours. If using charcoal, add 10 to 12 fresh coals per side and the remaining wood chips after 1 hour.
• Using tongs, lift the bird to a cutting board or platter, holding a large metal spatula underneath the beer can for support. (Have the board or platter right next to the bird to make the move shorter. Be careful not to spill hot beer on yourself.) Let stand for 5 minutes before carving meat off the upright carcass. (Toss the beer can out along with the carcass.)

BEER-BRINED BEER-CAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Make the brine: Combine the beer, brown sugar, salt, orange zest, orange juice and cardamom pods in a bowl; stir until the sugar and salt dissolve.
• Put the chicken in a gallon-size resealable plastic bag and add the brine; seal and refrigerate 2 hours.
• Prepare the grill: For a charcoal grill, pile 3 to 4 pounds briquettes in the grill; ignite and let burn until the coals are ashy. For a gas grill, preheat to high.
• Prepare the chicken: Remove from the brine and pat dry; reserve the orange zest and cardamom. Rub the olive oil all over the skin. Loosen the skin on the breasts and legs with your fingers; rub 1 garlic clove under and over the skin. Combine the brown sugar, coriander, cumin, paprika, allspice, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and a few grinds of pepper; rub under and over the skin of the chicken and inside the cavity.
• Pour half of the remaining beer can into a disposable 8-inch-square pan. Add the reserved orange zest to the pan. Poke 3 or 4 holes into the top sides of the beer can using a paring knife. Add the remaining 3 smashed garlic cloves and the reserved cardamom pods to the can.
• For a charcoal grill, bank the coals to both sides in two piles; nestle the pan with the beer between the coals and replace the top grill grate. For a gas grill, reduce the heat to medium on one side and turn off the burners on the other; place the pan under the grate on the unlit side.
• Set the chicken over the beer can, inserting the can into the cavity so 1 inch of the can is exposed. Set on the grill grates over the drip pan so the chicken balances on the can and legs like a tripod. Cover the grill and cook until the chicken is golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F. If using charcoal, this will take about 1 hour 20 minutes; add a handful of briquettes to each bank of coals every 30 minutes to maintain the heat. If using gas, it will take about 1 hour 5 minutes; carefully rotate the chicken halfway through.
• Remove the chicken from the grill, discard the can and transfer to a cutting board; let rest 10 minutes before carving.