Cross post question about Beer Can Chicken in Weber Gasser


 

JimS

TVWBB Member
Hi all, I posted this in the Grilling Forum and someone suggested I cross-post it here. I have an old Weber Genesis Silver 2-burner that's probably 15 years old or so. One of my favorite things to do is beer can chicken. I sometimes had a problem because if I got too big of a bird, the top of the grill cover would contact the bird when I tried to close it. It was "OK" but I wouldn't want any less vertical space in my cooking area than what I have on that grill. For Christmas, I got a new Weber Spirit E-310. It's great because it has 3-burners and it was really hard to get indirect heat to work well on the older 2-burner. But I'm wondering if the vertical height from the grills to the inside bottom of the cover is less than what I have on my old model? The new unit is still in the sealed box, because I can return it and get a different model if I want. There are only 2 of us and my place is small so I don't really need a big grill. It looks like this unit would work for me as long as there is decent vertical space inside the cooking area. Can anyone tell me if they are able to do beer can chicken in this model? BTW, it's a 2017 model, not the 2018. Thanks in advance for your input. Jim
 
Sorry I don't know the specs on that grill. Couldn't you look at an assembled one in a big box store like Lowes? I would take a tape measure to it and compare it to your old grill.....

Beyond that you can always spatchcock your chicken. To me that works better than the beer can method and doesn't require much vertical height.

My best friend has a spirit 2 burner model. He loves his.
 
I gave away all my beer can chicken holders. Tried REALLY tried to like them and determine if they did anything. Sadly they don't. Bottom line is if you got that can hot enough to actually "steam" your bird from the inside the outside would incinerate. I honestly thought it was just a waste of a beer
 
Yah, but it sounds like fun and everyone gets to sit around the table saying how great it is, because they want it to be.

Just put a good rub on the chicken and lay it down on the grill and you will be just as well or better off. Better yet, rotisserie it.
 
Sorry I don't know the specs on that grill. Couldn't you look at an assembled one in a big box store like Lowes? I would take a tape measure to it and compare it to your old grill.....
Yeah, that's the next step if no one knows for sure. I suspect I might have trouble finding a 2017 model. Usually they start getting the new models in for the summer.
 
I gave away all my beer can chicken holders. Tried REALLY tried to like them and determine if they did anything. Sadly they don't. Bottom line is if you got that can hot enough to actually "steam" your bird from the inside the outside would incinerate. I honestly thought it was just a waste of a beer
I tend to use Coke instead of beer. I have no idea if steaming actually happens or not. But I can say I have had good luck getting moist birds that weren't overdone or dried out at all.
 
Yah, but it sounds like fun and everyone gets to sit around the table saying how great it is, because they want it to be. Just put a good rub on the chicken and lay it down on the grill and you will be just as well or better off. Better yet, rotisserie it.
When I do beer can, I do put rub on the outside as well as between the skin and breast meat. I have done it Spatchcocked as well as in pieces and that comes out good too.
 
The scientific theory is that the bird acts as a gigantic beer coozy. This prevents the beer from ever boiling. Water boils at 212 F. So does beer, basically. What I think people like about beer can chicken is that it's awesome to say and you do avoid overcooking the INSIDE of the bird. The outside cooks just like normal, but with the liquid in the center of the bird you are actually slowing the cooking of the chicken meat on the inside. This probably contributes to tender meat, simply because it's not overcooked! It's an interesting topic, but there is no chance that beer evaporates and penetrates the chicken. Maybe a little ethanol, but not much water ... take the temperature of the beer after you cook one to see!

Slainte!

Tim
 
Beer can chicken is like religion. You aren't going to convince anyone that it's not great, and if you do, they look at you like you slapped them in the face. I had some friends that tried beer can turkey one time using a one of those big cans of fosters. It turned out great, but when they were removing the turkey the near boiling beer spilled all down my friends arm causing 2nd degree burns.
 
Yah, just like "Beer Batter" on fish. Or a little wine in a recipe. If you tell someone it has a little "alcohol" in it, you are golden. Does it taste good or just sound good?

My opinion is, cook the chicken with a good grill and rub recipe and save the beer to wash it down when you eat it. But, to each his own.
 
Well beer in a batter or wine (other alcohols included) have scientific proof of their efficacy.
 
I was speaking about other things. I.e. many Italians (me included) use vodka in our gravy (sauce to you white bread and mayonnaise folks). Not because you "taste" the vodka but because it's neutral adding no flavor of it's own as wine does but it "opens up" certain flavor characteristics in tomato that are not soluble in water but open up and release essences and sugars that would never be there if they were not "bloomed" in the alcohol. Sure wine does this but many times especially on a lighter type sauce like a marinara which should not be cooked for long time periods you don't want that heavy wine flavor or the masking it brings. Vodka does this wonderfully. I keep a VERY cheap bottle handy for these things, I could go on but many times some ingredients are vital not because you taste them but because they help you taste or they help the texture of what you're cooking
 

 

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