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To follow the official recipe, you drink half a can of beer and stuff the can, with the rest of the beer, up the rear end of a chicken. The can forms one leg in a three-legged stool that is completed by the chicken's own two legs. The bird roasts standing up, basted from the inside by beer and from the outside by fat and juices draining from stem to stern.
So much for the theory. In practice, every bird's tendons and skin stretch and shrink at different rates during the roasting. As the geometry changes, the bird may topple over, spilling the beer before it has fully basted the meat. One way to solve the problem is to devise a holder or rack or buy a Beer Can Chicken Roaster, a folding stand that holds the bird securely and supplies a shelf for the beer can. It's a help with chicken and is essential for other fowl or small game that do not have legs long enough to form their own "tripod".
In any case, can roasting has pizzazz and potential well beyond chickens and beer. Try it in at home, in camp, in the back yard kettle grill, or even in the field, using a hot fire and a reflector oven. All you need is a cooking space tall enough to hold a bird standing on tiptoe.
Orange Duck
- 1 can orange soda
- Cleaned, gutted duck about 4 pounds
- Salt, pepper
- 10-ounce jar orange marmalade
- One-half cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons Dijon-style mustard
Directions:
Empty half the can of soda and place it in a rack suitable to hold the duck and the can upright (ducks can be top heavy). Press the duck down over the soda can. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Prick the duck skin all over and place it on its rack atop a drip pan. Roast in a covered grill or a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes per pound or until browned and tender. In a small saucepan, whisk together the marmalade, orange juice, a paste made with the lemon juice and cornstarch, and the mustard. Heat gently until it thickens and clears. Cut the roasted duck into 4 pieces and pass the orange sauce.
Mrs. Dash® Can-Can Chicken
This salt-free recipe calls for one of the Mrs. Dash seasoning blends.
- Whole chicken 4-5 pounds
- 3 tablespoons Mrs. Dash Tomato Basil Garlic Seasoning Blend
- 16-ounce can beer
- 1-2 teaspoons olive oil
Directions:
Remove giblets and fat from inside the chicken. Clean, wash, and pat dry the chicken with paper towels. Sprinkle a tablespoon of the seasoning blend inside the chicken. Rub olive oil on the outside, then sprinkle with the remaining seasoning. Pour out half the can of beer. Pre-heat a covered barbecue or your oven to 450 degrees. Set the chicken down over the beer can, put it on the grill, and form a tripod with the chicken legs. Close the barbecue lid and roast for 90 minutes, or roast in the oven, uncovered, until the chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender.
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Game Hens Aloha
For this recipe, you'll need a 10-inch, deep dish, disposable aluminum pie or cake plate and two lengths of heavy duty aluminum foil about 24 inches long. Lay out the foil, crossing in the center, and place the pan on the center. Using an ice pick, make holes through the pan and foil.
- 4 birds about 1 pound each
- Salt, pepper
- 4 individual-serve cans pineapple juice
- Small can crushed pineapple
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
Directions:
Salt and pepper the birds. Enlarge the bird openings if necessary to admit the cans. (Kitchen shears work well). Empty each can of juice halfway, saving the excess juice in a medium saucepan. Stand the birds upright in the pan, braced against each other, with a can inside each. Bring up the sides of the foil tightly to help support the birds, but leave an opening at the top so steam can escape. Place the packaged birds on a grill or in the oven, using a drip pan either place, and bake at 350 degrees 45-60 minutes or until the birds are done through. Mix the juice from the canned pineapple to make a paste with the cornstarch and add it with the pineapple to the pan of juice. Cook gently until it thickens and clears, thinning with a little water if necessary. Stir in the sugar just until it's dissolved. Place a bird on each serving place with white rice, and sauce with the pineapple mixture.
Beer Can Basics
- Handle the hot bird with tongs and beware of boiling liquid.
- Let the bird stand 5 minutes for easier carving.
- Place a pan under the bird to catch dripping fat and juices.
- Always remove any paper labels, and empty half the can of liquid.
- Experiment with canned light and dark beers, ales, ginger ale, lemon-lime, and cherry cola to compliment different birds.
- Try different herb mixtures such as herbes de Provence, lemon-pepper, Cajun.
- To can-roast game birds that don't have much fat, lay a couple of bacon strips across the neckline.
- After cooking, discard the can and any liquid left in it.
About the Author
Janet Groene's books include Cooking Aboard Your RV and ABCs of Boat Camping. Contact the Groenes at www.GordonandJanetGroene.com.
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