Beer Butt Chicken, Part 2!

Full disclosure, I made this exact recipe on June 5th, 2015...just over a year ago.  But now that I have my own grill, I wanted to take another stab at the preparation, because we had some issues with using such a big bird (9 pounds) last time.  This time I'm using a 5.5 pound bird, which was purchased fresh, not frozen.  I reviewed YouTube quite a bit before I posted my blog, and most folks say a 3-4 pound chicken works best. 

As I said previously, I know that the beer doesn't cook into the bird. I'm aware of the many articles and sciencey-types who have gone through the effort to thoroughly debunk the idea that a half-can of beer, or soda, or any liquid in a can actually helps the bird stay moist.  I've roasted whole chickens on the grill before, via rotisserie and in roasting pans.  None of them have ever come out as juicy as the beer butt chicken, so while the science may disprove the beer keeping the chicken moist, I'll still use the beer-can method simply because it delivers tasty results, and I'm capable of using a thermometer to check the bird's temperature if a few spots. 

Vertically roasting chicken has a number of  benefits. First, the skin roasts to crispy perfection because the fat drains away, and the whole chicken browns better because it isn't tied/trussed.  By standing a chicken vertically and cooking it indirectly, the white meat cooks a bit slower than the dark meat closest to the heat.  Therefore it cooks both to the correct temperature.  A can of beer in the middle reduces the effectiveness of cooking a chicken in this manner, but I'll argue that I've done this a bunch of times and it's always come out tasty.  Science or not, I go with what tastes good.

Much appreciation to my father-in-law, Jerry, who provided the recipe!

Beer Butt Chicken

Ingredients:

• 1 organic roasting chicken (5-6 pounds in this case) 

• 1 16oz beer.  Use something inexpensive like Coors or Bud, the microbrews are best saved for yourself.  I used Heineken.

• 1/4 cup chicken stock (not broth)

• 3 tablespoons softened butter

• 1 tablespoon of brandy

• 2 tablespoons Cajun rub

• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Instructions:

1. If you have the awesome option to use a charcoal grill, get the coals going nice and hot.  Spread them out for indirect cooking.  Be sure to have enough coals to last you about 2 hours!  I used a propane grill, it's obviously much easier to set up for indirect cooking.  Just make sure you have enough gas on hand to last the cooking time.

2. Open the beer and drink or pour out 1/2 the can.  Poke another hole or two in the top of the can an set aside while you prep the chicken.  If you have a beer-can-chicken stand, pop it in the holder.  If you don't have a stand, it's not a big deal. 

3. Combine the chicken stock, softened butter, brandy and 1 tablespoon of the Cajun seasoning in a small bowl.  

4. While the marinade sits, clean the chicken and pat it dry with a paper towel.  Use the remaining tablespoon of Cajun rub inside the chicken.

5. Place the chicken over the beer (hence the name).  If you have a stand, tuck the legs close to the body so they won't dry out.  If you don't have a stand, the beer serves as one point of a tripod with each of the legs as the other standing points.  

6. Rub about half of the liquid marinade over the chicken.  If you can inject some under the skin, you can do so.  Tuck the wing tips behind the chicken's back  They won't necessarily stay there throughout cooking, but it helps the bird cook and prevents them from drying out.  

7. You're ready for the grill.  Place the chicken on the grill standing up.  Place a sheet of aluminum foil over the top of the chicken to prevent it from making contact with the grill cover.  Cook for 45 minutes, then baste with the marinade.  I kept about a 1/3 of the marinade for a second basting session because the bird is still bigger than what most recipes call for.  Cook for 1-1/2 to 2 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 165F.  Measure the thigh and the breast. 

8. Once it's done, use a pair of tongs to remove the chicken from the grill.  Carefully remove the beer can, remembering it's going to be REALLY hot.  The chicken may stick to the can, so be careful.

My tips:

1. Don't wear flip-flops or go barefoot.  You're around a hot grill, with a REALLY hot can of beer stuck in the cavity of a REALLY hot chicken, please don't risk your little piggies by wearing open-toed shoes.  Doubly so for charcoal users. 

2. Wear an apron if you have it.  It's easier to toss a dirty apron in the wash than to wash the proteins out of your favorite band's t-shirt.  That, and again you're going to be dealing with a really hot chicken with a really hot can of beer stuck in the cavity.  It's best not tempt fate and risk having a chicken-shaped burn on your chest/belly when you visit the ER.  

3. I used a can of Heineken with the bird.  Seriously, use a can of Bud or Coors or some other inexpensive brew.  Don't waste your craft beer in this, it doesn't convey into the bird.  On a related note, if you drink Heineken, please stop reading for just a moment.  Just go to #4 on the tips list. 

   Eww, Heineken comes pre-skunked and may just be the nastiest beer I've ever tried.  I tried it, because you have to empty a bit of the beer out of the can before you stuff it in the cavity, and I almost lost my appetite.  It's thin, over-carbonated, and somehow manages to be too-sweet and ruined by skunky taste.  I checked the expiration date on my can just to be sure, and it's about as fresh as it could be.  I don't understand the marketing hype behind this beer, and the success of the company. Oy, it's nasty.

   Now we can continue.

4. Preparation is absolutely key to making beer butt chicken work.  Clean and dry the chicken, if you don't it won't work well, trust me, I've been there.  

   1. If you bought a frozen chicken, make sure it's completely thawed.  Remove it from the package and be sure to check the cavity for a giblet package or related grossness.  Remove them, and make sure the company didn't decide to leave the kidneys in the bird too.  They're little reddish lumps near the back cavity.  I just used a spoon to pop them out.

   2. Wash the bird, inside and out.  Seriously.  I had all sorts of fatty skin-like junk come out of the cavity.  

   3. Trim the excess skin/fat away from the cavity end.  There's usually a bunch at the neck too.

   4. Use paper towels to dry the bird.  Once you think it's dry, let it sit for about 5 minutes, then come back and dry it some more.  Once it's dry, you can season it.  Season it inside and out.

   5. Don't open the grill unless you are basting or checking the temperature.  This is indirect cooking, so maintaining temperature is important.  No reason to go in there except to baste or check the temperature near the end of an hour and a half of cooking.  Seriously, go find something better than Heineken to drink and chill for an hour or so. 

I paired it with grilled corn and grilled bacon-wrapped asparagus.  Because grill.  

ENJOY!