Beer Can Chicken sans Beer

[Nick Cosby]

Last night I made my first attempt at this so call awesome dish, which I found out is complete BS cause the beer doesn't actually add any flavor to it, it's just a stand to cook the bird vertically. Anyhow, I used the Weber recipe off the site for Smoke Beer Can Chicken with just garlic, onion, and chili powders, and pepper after the dry brine of kosher salt for two hours on a 5.36 lb bird, and a 1-1/2 hr smoke on the 26.75" and yum, this was the juiciest chicken yet for me.

 

[Tony A]

nice work. I think the "fluid" is the important part, not that actual beer is used...

 

[Nick Cosby]

I didn't use any fluid except the water used to soak the hickory wood chips.

 

[Chad Bman]

The can of fluid is shoved up the cold bird which keeps it insulated. By the end of the cook, the fluid is barely a steam and doesn't offer a thing.
My brother puts his fluid into a waterbowl of sorts and near the flame so it boils. He claims that imparts flavor into the bird.
I'm skeptical at that also and stick with brining or injecting.

Nick - what is dry brine?

 

[Nick Cosby]

Nick - what is dry brine?

That's just what I call it, I took 1/4 cup of kosher salt covered bird inside and out, tossed it in fridge for 2 hours, rinsed off salt patted dry, as if I had actually brined it in a bag in a cooler, like you would a turkey. There's probably a "technical" name for I just called it that cause its similar to regular brinning.

 

[Tony R]

Nice job Nick.

 

[Gregory R]

Nice cook! Bird looks great!!!

 

[Bill Schultz]

However you did it looks delicious

 

[Frank H]

It sure does!!

 

[R Dembkowski]

Nice job on the chicken. From what I have always understood about beer can chicken is that it does not add flavor but moisture. When I do mine i always use half a can of beer with my seasoning that I use.

 

[J Reyes]

Nice job on the chicken. From what I have always understood about beer can chicken is that it does not add flavor but moisture. When I do mine i always use half a can of beer with my seasoning that I use.

If I'm not mistaken fliuid (juices, fat, evaporation) leaves the bird as it cooks not the other way around ... I just stand the chickens up by spreading the legs to hold it up .. no can

 

[Mike Cosgrove]

Its a good excuse to slug a half a beer before you throw the chicken on!

 

[Nick Cosby]

This bird was really moist so water wasn't an issue for it. Just shoved it on the vertical roaster and smoked away using hickory chips.

 

[Rob (Allentown)]

After having down a chicken two weeks ago on just the stand and saving the beer for me, I believe the can of beer does nothing.

 

[Geir Widar]

It looks kinda cool, that's it. And if you have friends that think it is funny to think about the fact that the chicken gets a beer bottle rammed up into the cavity, well, okay, I might not want to comment that.
I have tried the beercan method, and to be frank, it is much better to use a rottiserie. Wet brine your chicken, and spin them on a stick until they are very dizzy, and you will have the moistest chicken ever. And the skin will be crispy. Do it right, and I that is a promise.