Beer-Can Chicken

When I do this in the oven, I stand the chicken up in a bundt pan (cover the hole in the pan with foil first), with potatoes scattered in the bottom of the pan. For moisture in the bird, I poke a 1/2 a lemon with a tooth pick, and plug it into the open neck of the chicken.

Beer cans are lined with BPA which is dangerous. Any ideas how to get the same result without using the can? Maybe basting or adding to the pan and tenting with foil?

I agree that you should just use a vertical roaster and skip the beer can. Or if you *must* use a beer or soda can, make sure it's empty. As the Amazing Ribs site has shown (see link below), the liquid in the can doesn't get hot enough to steam and merely acts as a heat sink and makes even cooking problematic. I used to use the half-full beer method, but switched to a simple vertical roaster and found it makes a better chicken.

We make this every other week or so, in the oven, using a selzer can which is completely opened at the top, and a metal vertical roaster stand which holds the can and chicken, all inside a 9" square pan. For liquid, we half-fill the can, usually with wine. Adding 5-6 cloves of garlic in the can makes a difference! Also adding a lot of Herbe de Provence, etc. For the rub - whatever - TJ's Seasonings are good. But do not pour the super-garlicy liquid from the can into your pan drippings :(

Just wondering about all the many sites that are debunking this method, including the concerns with BPA lining and outer coating of the cans. For example:

http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/debunking_beer_can_chicken.html

Would love your response to these questions, NY Times!

I thought by this time everyone knew that beer cans are not designed for this purpose - plastic lining, paint and plastic coating on the outside - very toxic when heated.

I think you would better serve your readers who don't want to invest in another gadget to show a photo of chicken balanced on beer can on grill. And explain the process of getting the bird off the very hot can without spilling hot beer all over. The word "de-can" is a new one to me.

I've been making variations of this for 20 years and I've come to two conclusions. (1) put half the beer in the cook, who will become more cheerful (and the remainder will heat faster); (2) the really important thing is that the chicken be vertically roasted. I've bought one of those vertical stands and, when we have no canned beer, done without it. I can't tell a difference, and there's no difficulty with de-canning the bird.

Or... read Meathead Goldwyn's treatise on why beer can chicken is a really bad idea at http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/debunking_beer_can_chicken.html (BTW, if you're really into BBQ & outdoor cooking & grilling, this guy's web site should be in your bookmarks.)

I did the rub as described (but with red-pepper flakes), and situated the chicken in a Bundt pan. As for cooking time, I rely on the Cordon Bleu formula for roast chicken, 15 mins/lb + 15 mins, at 400 F, and it has never let me down. I threw mini potatoes in the pan, another suggestion that worked perfectly. The result was fantastic: a tender, moist chicken with a dark, very flavourful skin. The drippings in the pan yielded a caramel-like sauce that, when thinned out, made a tangy dipping sauce.

Need to really watch the internal temp and do not go by time solely or the chicken will be too dry.

This technique has been debunked. It's a novelty that does nothing to add moisture. Because it cooks indirectly, the beer never reaches a temp high enough to create steam, or very little to make an impact. Also, since the can is inside the cavity, the bird only cooks from the outside in, which creates a longer cook time. But, it's not all bad. A chicken looks awesome siting on the grill with a can up it's bum. Have fun with it.

I like to peal back the skin with my hand and add items to the flesh. Ginger and crushed pineapple was my last try and it was great.

Bunging four of these birds into an oven at noon will feed a very happy crowd of 8 - 10 folks for a late and lazy lunch. I usually throw in some large chunks of potatoes and sturdy vegetables (carrots, parsinps, swedes, beets, celeriac) tossed in olive oil and herbs into the roasting tray.

This method has also been debunked by the one of the greatest: Alton Brown. AB did an episode of Good Eats about this and showed that the liquid does not get hot enough to boil, therefore does not impart any moisture or flavor to the bird!