Beer Can Chicken Question


 
L

Lee Morris

TVWBB Fan
I am planning on cooking a bunch of bird tomorrow. I have a 12 pound turkey (self-basting) and 3 whole chickens.

I notice that the beer can chicken recipe calls for cooking at 225-250 while most of the other chicken recipes call for 100% open vent high heat cooks.

Can I cook beer can chickens at high heat? About how long will that take if I do it?

Thanks.
 
i always cook the beercan chicken on my gas grill around 350+; to me poultry is not something i want to cook at any lower temp.
 
I would only cook poultry at "high heat" meaning 350+, unless you are going to discard the skin. You need that higher temp to crisp the skin. Otherwise you will have rubbery skin-yuk. I frequently do beer can chicken in my WSM-yummy!

Bill
 
I do the beer can chickens at 225 - 250 if I am cooking something else. They turn out very moist and tender after about 4 hours. The skin does not get crispy so I discard it. That's the trade off for being able to cook several things at once.
 
Anyone try poking holes all over the skin with a skewer before cooking? Or loosening the skin?

Rita
 
I loosen the skin and apply the rub under the skin. I've never cooked Beer Can Chicken at low temps, I always cook them indirect on my kettle with drip pans underneath to catch any spills. That also frees up the WSM to cook more ribs!
 
Thanks for the info, gentlemen.

I'm wondering if I can fit all that bird in the WSM at one time with the turkey down below and all 3 chickens up top.

If only my Stacker was here and not in a UPS truck somewhere, that wouldn't be a problem.
 
I like to do beer can chicken on the kettle. I have done beer can turkey on the WSM, but on the bottom grate and there was no room to put on the top grate. I don't think there is enough room for both grates on the WSM if cooking the birds vertically. If you have another grill you might want to consider using both if time is an issue. Depending on the size of the chickens you might be able to squeeze them into the WSM but it will be crowded.
 
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Rita Y:
Anyone try poking holes all over the skin with a skewer before cooking? Or loosening the skin?

Rita </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Rita, how do you think this would benefit? Are you thinking this might help the rub stick to the chicken?

I do all of my beer can chickens from 400-500 degrees on my kettle. Depending on the temp. (and size of bird) Lee, a high heat cook can take anywhere between 45 minutes to 2 hours. If you do like the skin and want to smoke it low n slow, you can always remove the beer can (be careful, incredibly hot) and throw the chicken back on the grill over the hot coals (to make this easier, you can cut the chicken and throw each individual piece back on).

Erik
 
Cook turned out pretty good. Sorry no pics. I have a nice digital cam, I just can't get into the food photography.

It was kind of an intermediate heat cook for most of the time. Stayed around 280-300 degrees for the first hour or more before easing up to the 350 I was looking for. Guess it had a hard time getting to temp with such a big load of meat. Had the 14 pound turkey laying down on the bottom rack and the 3 chickens standing up top.

Chickens took about 2 hours. The turkey was done in about 3.

The skin was chewy on all the birds, but I wasn't really trying very hard for good skin. I get enough pork fat with all the ribs and butts I cook. Didn't need to be eating chicken skin anyway! The meat was moist and very tasty from the chicks and the turkey.

Thanks for all the advice.
 
Erik, the intention of poking holes in the skin is a technique sometimes used with duck to help drain the fat and crisp the skin.

Now, to take that one step further, I wonder if dunking a chicken in boiling water for just one minute (or other duck technique) and drying before rubbing or marinating might help the skin crisp on WSM cooks at 300° or so. Inquiring minds....

Rita
 
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