All-American beer-can chicken

STACY SQUIRES/The Press

CHICKEN IN A CAN: This is a classic Memphis recipe that produces juicy, delectable meat.

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Aside from being a quirky conversation piece, it produces a superb chicken. The upright position helps drain the fat, yielding utterly crispy skin, while the beer can steams away out of sight, flavouring the bird from the inside. The result is a juicy, delectable bird.

It is important to use only half a can of beer; a full can has too much liquid and it will boil over rather than steam.

I like to smoke the bird using wood chips, so they're included in the recipe. However, you'll still get a great result if you don't use them.

Set up your barbecue for indirect grilling – cooking the food next to, not directly over, the heat source. For charcoal (most likely in a Weber-style barbecue), rake the lit coals into two piles on either side of the barbecue, leaving a gap in the middle.

Place a tray under the grate to catch drips. During cooking, keep the heat at medium, and the vents on the lid slightly open. (Closed vents will extinguish the fire; wide-open vents will give you a raging fire).

Gas barbecues need at least two burners. Preheat only one burner, then cook the food over the other (unlit) burner.

If your barbecue has three burners, light the two outer ones and cook the food in the centre.

Most gas barbecues also come with a drawer to hold wood chips for smoking.

If not, make a secure aluminium foil pouch, and poke a few holes in the top to let out the smoke.

Position it under the grill plate, directly on one of the burners.

Beer-can chicken:

INGREDIENTS

1 can beer
1 whole chicken (1.5-2kg)
3 Tbsp barbecue rub
2 cups wood chips (optional)

Basic rub recipe (makes 1 cup)

¼ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup sweet (Hungarian) paprika
3 Tbsp ground black pepper
4 Tbsp flaky salt
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp celery seeds
½tsp cayenne pepper

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and store in an airtight container. Lasts about 6 months.

METHOD

Open the beer can, then using a sturdy skewer make 3-4 more holes in the top to prevent the can exploding during cooking. The beer can must be half empty. If using the smoking method, empty half the beer over the wood chips, then add sufficient water to completely cover them.

Rinse the chicken inside and out and dry thoroughly. Massage 2 Tbsp of the rub over and inside the chicken. Spoon the remaining rub into the opened beer can. Don't panic if it foams up.

Insert the can into the cavity of the chicken and spread out the legs to form a tripod. The back leg of the tripod is the beer can. Tuck the wing tips behind the chicken's back.

To cook/smoke using a charcoal grill, toss the wet wood chips directly onto the charcoal.

With gas, see above. With or without smoking, stand the chicken on the unlit bars, over the drip pan, away from the heat.

Cover the entire grill and cook until the skin is a dark golden brown, very crispy, and the meat is cooked through, about 114-112 hours (a drumstick will move freely in the joint when done).

If using a charcoal grill, add 12 fresh coals per side after 1 hour to maintain the heat.

When the chicken is cooked, carefully transfer it – still on the beer can – to a carving board. Let it rest at least 5 minutes, then using tongs take it off the can. Carve and enjoy

Serves 4.

- © Fairfax NZ News