soupnancy

Beer-can Chicken

You might recall that this was a trendy thing in the food world in the 90’s..

Back then, I was all over the place, excited by everything food & cooking, but without a yard with a BBQ, or even a big enough oven, I never tried; besides, I was more into the likes of JG Vongrichten and Charlie Trotter for inspiration at the time, haha.. 

In case you missed out - the idea is that you perch a whole chicken on a can of beer (after having taken a few swigs) and then roast it on the BBQ (or in the oven), resulting in a bird that roasts from the outside while steaming on the inside - so ultimately crispy, yet tender and moist.

I am not a gadget girl, and this all sounds very messy, especially on the grill, but I did get into it once I got into pottery (and slightly less finicky cooking). You see, some creative potter had the brilliant idea to craft a vessel that replicates the cooking method, and it works like a charm.. I hear there is even a commercial version on the market now.

I was gifted with one magnificent original like twenty years ago - a beautiful piece of pottery from an artisan in Tewkesbury (Stoneham) – a big ceramic bowl with a short horizontal tube in the middle. The tube replaces the beer can and the bowl provides the sides of the roasting pan to catch the juices. I started seeing a simplified version at '1001 pots' (the famous pottery exhibition in Val David) shortly afterwards, without the bowl, just a tube on a base that you then place in any roasting pan. Enamored with this ingenious thingie that was more accessible in price, I gifted them to many friends who cook; and since, I have started making them myself.

Because I love pottery, and because I love chicken cooked this way. It really is the best way to roast a chicken: Fill the hole, season your chicken and plant it on top; 400F for an hour or a little more  (Maybe 375F for a bigger bird) – until the juices want to run clear at the leg joint and the leg agrees when you give it a tug. Foolproof and forgiving, if you overshoot slightly, it won’t show.

Ever since I was a kid growing up in a big family when we had to scrap over the crispy, crackly, savoury skin, I’ve thought that it is the best part of the bird, and the main reason for roasting a whole chicken.

As with any bird, technically, for perfect ‘cuisson’, you would separate the quicker cooking breast from the legs which benefit from a longer, slower moist cook. I hate a dry breast and in our family we’re both dark meat people, so someone has to eat the white stuff! And since I’m nice (or at least the nurturer/nourisher-chef type used to offering the best to my guests, or boyfriend), often it’s me.  Thankfully, with this method though, it stays pretty juicy.

However more practical and proper cooking the breast and legs separately may be (as I would do at the restaurant), roasting a whole bird is much more romantic, spectacular and festive, and something I enjoy doing at home. Plus, it calls forth a comforting ritual of chicken soup and extra leftovers to be used in sandwiches and fried rice..   

A fun part of this activity too is that you can play around with the liquid in the equation. I like to put white wine or my homemade mead in the hole instead of beer, but you can equally put apple juice or whatever you like. I have even tried pickle juice! Which I have to say was pretty delicious if you dig dill like me.

I marinate my chicken first with our chimichurri vinaigrette (which is just a spicy, garlicky vinaigrette packed with herbs) for an hour or so while the chicken comes to room temperature, but season it however you would normally season your chicken. Steak spice is good. You can do this in advance if you like the 'dry-brine' technique (I approve), but I can't say I ever do more than an hour or two in advance. And you can always stick a few garlic cloves, lemon wedges and sprigs of thyme etc into the pot too.  

The minimum would be: Salt, pepper, favourite dry rub or marinade; Beer, wine, cider or liquid of choice (the equivalent of half a can or 3/4c) ..

Preheat the oven to 400F. If your chicken is on the big side (more than 31/2 lb), lower to 375F right away. If not, wait until 45min in, when the skin starts to reach a nice brown. Start checking the doneness at the leg at the hour mark. It will probably take a good 15min more. And then give it a 15min+ rest before carving.

With a suitable pottery dish or roasting pan that fits snugly enough (just not too large), you should have a good amount of tasty ‘lovejuice’ that has accumulated- a mix of the wine/beer and chicken dripping to serve alongside or to make a gravy with.

If you aren’t lucky enough to have the pottery, and are using a beer can, you should take the top of the can off. As with the streamlined pottery tube, you want to set your beer can in a roasting pan that is perfectly sized for the chicken if with some wiggle room, but no more than a an inch or two on the sides so that the juices accumulate instead of burning. I guess you could always check and add a little water if need be, although I’ve never had to with this kind of setup. I’m an oven girl, but if you want to do it on the BBQ before the season is over, consult the internet for extra tips.

It's hard to believe that I have never taken a picture of my roast chicken! At least, you might think so if you're of a younger generation.. But no, I forget to, only taking minimal food photos at the resto, and even then, caught up in the moment, it escapes me most of the time..

But Trust me, Give it a try sometime!

Here are some other recipes and instructions to complement mine:

https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/beer-can-chicken

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/beer-can-chicken-recipe-1939861

Bon appétit!