Input requested: When is beer can chicken NOT beer can chicken?

[WillTravelForFood]

Hopefully Meathead will chime in on this important question.

According to the free site (and the Meathead cookbook) and others, "beer can chicken" should never be attempted. It doesn't do anything worthwhile to the chicken, so why bother?

Well, here's a counterpoint that we're looking for input on.

The most recent issue of Cook's Illustrated has (what appears to be) a wonderful recipe for PERUVIAN GRILLED CHICKEN, which we are going to attempt.

Reference: https://www.cooksillustrated.com/art...ts-own-holiday

BUT, the directions clearly state: "put the bird onto the half-full beer can, and stand it up on the grill"

To us, this CLEARLY is a violation of the "no beer can chicken" rule.

But reading further, we see this:

Since I didn’t have a rotisserie to rotate the chicken horizontally, I used the half-empty beer can to prop it up vertically, sliding the cavity onto the vessel to create a sort of tripod with the drumsticks. I positioned the propped-up bird in the center of a kettle grill outfitted with a split fire made by dumping piles of hot coals onto either side of a disposable aluminum pan and nestling a packet of wood chips on one side.

To mimic a wood-fired rotisserie, prop the bird up on a beer can and flank it with smoldering charcoal, placing a packet of wood chips on one side. Rotate the bird 90 degrees every 15 minutes for about five turns. The resulting chicken will be almost indistinguishable from the spit-roasted kind: succulent; imbued with the sweetness of wood smoke; and encased in evenly browned, well-rendered skin.

Nowhere in the recipe do we see any reference to the beer can being used to infuse flavor. It appears to be used merely as a prop (a half-filled with beer prop, but a prop none-the-less) to allow the bird to rotate around an axis, allowing two sides of the bird to face heat at any given time.

There is no reason why the can needs to stay full of beer (specifically), if we read the recipe correctly. Just that the marinade needs 1/2 the can, so they just put the rest of the can to its chicken-supporting purpose.

SO... all that being said -- is THIS a proper and acceptable/allowed use for "beer can chicken"? Inquiring minds need to know a final verdict.

[Jfrosty27]

A waste of 1/2 can of good beer.

[WillTravelForFood]

technically, the marinade recipe calls for 1/2 of a beer that's not overly hoppy. So wasn't looking to use a GOOD beer for this project. (ie good = one we would normally drink vs mass-produced for cooking purposes)

[rlozinak]

Unless it is PBR or Coors light

[bbqLuv]

rlozinak how dare you despair PBR!!!
Coor's light I fully understand, but PBR--shame on you.

[Oak Smoke]

Of course it is. I’m the only human on the planet that still likes beer can chicken. There’s one in every crowd, I’m that guy in this crowd.

[tbob4]

No - I wrote, then deleted a long response. I don’t do it but a buddy’s dad did growing up and it was delicious. I looked up the origins which said it originated in the ‘8o’s and was popularized in the ‘90’s. However, he was doing it in the late ‘70’s. While this was in Merced, CA he was originally from Oklahoma and visited relatives there.

[Oak Smoke]

tbob4 Thank you for your understanding reply. I mean I don’t boil ribs or put ketchup on a ribeye. I was born in Texas then did a few years in Okla. I learned to cook several things there that I still enjoy today.

[bbqLuv]

You are joined by many. I refer to it as PBR can chicken, simple, easy and tastes great.

[Donw]

Basic fluid dynamics. The beer can blocks airflow through the internal cavity and the beer acts as a heatsink to reduce the heat cooking the internal areas. If the "writer" wanted to prop up the chicken then they should buy a vertical roaster which allows the proper temperature airflow through the cavity unencumbered

[WillTravelForFood]

Agreed. At no point are they suggesting the beer can is anything more than a prop for a rotisserie effect.

But wouldn't purposefully slowing the cook help with crispier skin?

[Donw]

"sliding the cavity onto the vessel to create a sort of tripod with the drumsticks."  No matter their intent the can will block the airflow and the energy used to heat any liquid in the can will be diverted from cooking the chicken meat. There are many ways to get crispy skin without needing a gimmicky beer can to do so.

[rickgregory]

There are no absolute rules. Not even Meathead's. Not even mine (refer to the start of this reply )

While I mostly agree with Donw a vertical roaster would be better, if someone doesn't have one... a can is fine. What I'd do though, if I just wanted to prop the chicken vertically, is to leave the can empty and either put holes in the bottom for airflow or just remove it.

OR... what I do in these cases is to spatchcock the chicken and cook it hot

[WillTravelForFood]

(Shhhh. we went with spatchcocking. don't tell anyone)

[Polarbear777]

Yep a can with the top and bottom cut out would be fine.

But then again spatchcock is better in most cases.

[Rob Johnston]

I go back to--whatever works for you. What do you like and what taste good to you. I try things and they fail all the time. I try recipes that work out for others and taste like crap to me. I say try something, if you and your family like it, keep doing it!

[HawkerXP]

I'll use the holder just without the can.

[FireMan]

Ya use what ya can, no pun intended. Yer use is cuz it’s what ya have. Does it do anything extra, no! Does it serve a purpose, fer you, yup! Is it a gimmick, yessiree!

[hoovarmin]

Hey bro, if you want to do beer can chicken, knock yourself out. Donw is absolutely correct, but if you are impressing a special lady friend, or some other worthy cause, then beer can that bird up.

[Meathead]

Yes. I read that magazine. I'm a huge fan but this writer is... Well, Christopher Kimball is his boss, and a good friend of mine, so no comment.

In this case, as you state, the can is a prop just to get heat from all sides. Of course there are many other ways to do this. My article explains that the BEER does nothing for the process. But if you want to stand the bird up like this, or use one of the many vertical roaster racks, or better still a rotisserie, go right ahead. I still maintain the cutting the bird into pieces so you can remove the breasts at 160 and the legs at 170+, and get it brown on all sides, and have it cook faster with less moisture loss, is a better way. But the sauce sounds cool.

[WillTravelForFood]

The marinade and the sauces were very tasty. Will make again.

[bbqLuv]

If I am correct, you stated it tasted good after all its roasted chicken.
I agree, may not be the best, but good.

[Mosca]

I will say this: I’ve eaten pollo a la brasa with aji amarillo, in a Peruvian restaurant in Santiago, Chile, and it is freakin’ amazing. It was served with about a dozen different kinds of potatoes that were sliced up and served as a side dish: purple, orange, yellow, white, brown, etc.

Peruvian food is fantastic.

[Bkhuna]

Peru is a potato lovers paradise.

[DogFaced PonySoldier]

Indeed, I saw a show where they showed them growing all those odd potatoes and they talked about the flavor differences and such - I think it was Gordon Ramsay.

[Bkhuna]

I just added DÃa del Pollo a la Brasa to my calendar. Time to whip out the rotisserie.

[Dan Deter]

Looks tasty. Since I do have a rotisserie I'd use that instead, but as has been pointed out there are a ton of methods. Use whatever works best for you.

[Dadof3Illinois]

IMO, just cook things how you like them!! Try all sorts of ways of cooking chicken and find what works for you. I actually love beer can chicken but stopped using the can because I worried about the off gassing on some of the internal protective coatings in and on the cans. So I use a rack now or my rotisserie.
I'm not a fan of folks telling me I'm wrong on how I like to cook something, part of the fun of this hobby is the experimenting and practice cooks.

[WillTravelForFood]

Helpful advice: telling someone "they're wrong" regarding their desired cooking method per a recipe should probably be rephrased to be a more caring and understanding conversation

[WillTravelForFood]

Thank you to everybody who chimed in (including our fearless leader/host).

For those of you wondering, we....

• used 1/2 a 12oz can of "light ale" that happened to be in the fridge for the marinade. All the other available cans were 16oz IPAs or other craft-oriented beers that would be too beer-forward a flavor per the recipe requirements.
• somehow obtained jars of amarillo aji paste and huacatay paste at a local market, avoiding the need to order online. It helped that we called a local Peruvian-oriented restaurant and asked for their suggestions on where to potentially go to obtain these.
• After a very serious "discussion" surrounding the "beer can chicken" cooking method.... time ended up being the deciding factor. We spatchcocked the bird, put it on the grill with a smoke box and let the magic happen. After getting the bird to appropriate temperature, flipped it over onto the hot side to crisp things up.

Result:

• Delicious. The recipes (posted above) will be made again. Oh yes, it will be made again.
• Darn it - we should have roasted some potatoes. Next time...
• The green sauce was more desirable vs the yellow sauce for us -- ended up using a stick blender to smooth out the cilantro/garlic pieces into a less-gritty feeling sauce (didn't need to do that for the yellow sauce)
• Casual observation: no need to buy a full container of Generic Yellow Mustard just for this recipe that requires a teaspoon of the stuff. Just grab a packet from your TakeOut Condiment Drawer and use that instead.

In hindsight, don't think that we'll need to go the Beer Can Chicken method in the future, as spatchcock worked just fine. But it does suggest that a rotisserie is probably a future purchase for this and the planned porchetta later .