I’d long thought of making a beer chicken, ever since I’d first heard about it. A misunderstanding between Janet and me was what had me making beer chicken instead of just buying a pre-made chicken from the store. It appears it’ll be a while until we work out how to avoid misunderstandings and frustrated expectations, but we both agreed the beer chicken was tasty and worth making again (maybe next time with a brine, too).
I mostly followed this recipe, which I’m certain is originally American anyway, considering that the dry rub ingredients contain brown sugar and dry mustard, and learned that a mostly full beer can stuck up a dead chicken’s butt will not get even close to evaporating off all its contents in a 220-degree oven. I guess soaking the entire oven sheet with beer helped the wash-up.
Did you serve beer bread with your beer chicken? And will you make it when I’m there if I bring brown sugar? For someone who can’t stand the smell of beer, I seem to like quite a few things with beer in them. Yes, that includes my siblings and my son-in-law.
I’m sorry about the misunderstandings, but when kiss-and-make-up involves discovering a good new recipe, it can’t be all bad.
That sounds really good!
I’m always amazed at the difference a quick brine makes. And you can include brown sugar in a brine. 🙂
I made a Dr. Pepper Braised Chicken this week, improvising with stuff we had in the fridge. That’s the style of cooking I enjoy most. I’ve been curious about the beer can idea, but never knew anyone who tried it. Your post just gave me a little courage (and that can be a dangerous thing).
I know exactly where you stand, Steve, because I’d been curious for about five years since hearing that a friend’s dad would make it as his signature (=only) cooking effort. Points I’d pass on include the following:
– The only reason for choosing a good beer over cheap booze is that the beer can should be two thirds full (according to the recipe I followed), and you may want to imbibe the other third. No discernible beer taste gets transferred to the chicken.
– In America your ovens are bigger, but perhaps so are your chickens. I had to put the oven sheet to the lowest setting to fit the chicken in.
– You could also try the same thing in a covered barbecue grill.
– Have tongs ready to pull the can back out of the chicken when you take it out of the oven, so that you can cut the chicken without beer spilling everywhere.
I’m not sure if we have brown sugar or not, Sursumcorda – I faked it by mixing refined white sugar with a dab of Janet’s blackstrap molasses. If you bring some over, I can certainly reward you with another attempt at beer chicken!
He did, however, use the the dry mustard you brought, and if he makes it for you again we’ll be nearly out, so if you want beer chicken please bring some more dry mustard, too!