Cooking For Engineers Forum Index Cooking For Engineers
Analytical cooking discussed.
 
 FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
 ProfileProfile   Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 

Cooking Tests: Beer Can Chicken
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6  Next
 
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Cooking For Engineers Forum Index -> Comments Forum
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
Looking for mayonnaise
Guest





PostPosted: Mon Feb 19, 2007 9:56 am    Post subject: Beer butt chicken Reply with quote

I have tried making beer butt chicken on a kettle type grill. I have done it several times and have had pretty good chicken. So I thought I'd try it with something sweeter and did it with root beer. The results seemed pretty much the same, nice moist meat! Haven't really noticed much of the liquids flavor imparted into the chicken. Of course I too have used some chicken seasoning, garlic and lemon.

I would cut open the top of the cans and remove about 1/4 of the liquid to allow for some spices in the liquid. I would use somewhat indirect heating by having the coals around the edge of the grill and the chicken in the middle. It's been a while since the last time I grilled one, but I think it only takes an hour on the grill.

While grilling to enhance the flavor of the chicken meat I also put some pieces of apple wood, and live oak, or hickory on the coals to make smoke. I suppose because of the spices and smoke I didn't notice any real flavor from the beer or root beer, but it was still great moist chicken. Smile Oh the thing that I have noticed was the the meat was so moist, that when I used the two tined meat fork to take the chicken off the can the chicken would fall apart.

So it mostly appears to me that having a can of liquid in the cavity of a chicken while grilling is to keep the meat from drying out. Although maybe having a strong flavored/aroma liquid could impart some taste to the meat too. When roasting a turkey we use stuffing to keep the bird moist, but hardly ever use this to keep a whole chicken moist. Hmm... maybe I should get a chicken out of the freezer and try a beer stuffing.
Back to top
Guest






PostPosted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 11:49 pm    Post subject: can in the hole Reply with quote

I have found that with any type of cooking the cheaper the liquid. i.e beer, wine. the better the flavor. I have been cooking beer can chicken for years. and I have done the the exact same test, because I wanted to know the exact same answer. THe best beer I have found to work is PBR.

Also try this, I guarantee you will not be dissappointed.

Boil. Worshester sauce, red wine, or cheap champagne, salt, lemon and a bay leave with the chicken for at least 15 min. yeah you are boiling the chicken, once done transfer to beer can rub with honey, and stuff the top of the cavity with a lime that has been rolled and broken for the juices to drain. smoke with pecan wood, till chicken has reached 165.
Back to top
GaryProtein



Joined: 26 Oct 2005
Posts: 535

PostPosted: Tue Apr 10, 2007 12:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't know. To me, beer is beer, but they all taste different and there are some I don't like. Wine is another thing. When you cook with wine, with the exception of dishes like coq au vin the use a lot (a bottle or more) of wine as an ingredient, most dishes that call for wine don't use very much and their cost doesn't usually impact the cost of living, and I wouldn't cook with a wine that I wouldn't drink. That is not to say I would cook with $50 or $100 bottles of wine, but $10-30 or so wine for cooking is alright. The same goes for recipes that call for hard liquor. The $2.99 wine popular in high school is not something I want in anything that I spend a lot of time cooking, especially when there are other delicious or expensive ingredients.
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Carmen Hess
Guest





PostPosted: Sun May 20, 2007 10:18 pm    Post subject: Try iced tea Reply with quote

different beers will give you different flavors. I prefer the Miller beers, such as Icehouse. But, try using a can of Lipton Iced Tea. This gives the chicken a lemony sweet flavor
Back to top
Guest






PostPosted: Mon Jun 04, 2007 2:38 am    Post subject: White wine Reply with quote

If you are not a beer drinker use white wine and see if it has a discernable difference and as for the Budweiser I agree it is fizzy yellow water. Many microbreweries use higher quality malts and even fruits and herbs to flavor their beers.

You actually got me interested about steaming vegetables over wine.

One last note. GUINNESS ROCKS!
Back to top
guest
Guest





PostPosted: Tue Jun 12, 2007 1:00 am    Post subject: Grill Roasted Beer Can Chicken Reply with quote

Cook's Illustrated (the magazine) did a story about this in the July-August 2000 issue. I use their recipe with the Fragrant Dry Spice Rub on the same page. It is outstanding in my book!
Back to top
Befuddled
Guest





PostPosted: Wed Jun 13, 2007 11:22 pm    Post subject: An engineer did this experiment? Reply with quote

Laughing Out Loud Are you serious? I'm not an engineer...just a 'lil 'ole science teacher
and I find it hard to believe that you would even try this experiment by
cooking the two chickens in the same oven!!! Come on guys!
I have never acquired a "taste" for beer, but I do love wine...especially the reds. My family LOVES beer butt chicken and it doesn't seem to matter what kind I use. I usually go for what's on sale and give most of it away, saving about 4 cans for future use in the whole chickens. There is definitely an unusual flavor added by the beer. It might have something to do with hops...who knows???
Back to top
TomatoQueen
Guest





PostPosted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 9:14 pm    Post subject: Beer can chicken Reply with quote

On the east coast we use the Brewbutt Chicken kit, which is a tall narrow aluminum can, screwtop lid, and a plastic bag with the dry spices built in, and a detailed recipe and method on the label. The recommended method works well and is flexible. The brining step isn't needed at all. Having made my weekly chicken this way for many years, I get a moist juicy chicken every time, by being careful about the temperature of the oven, setting it to preheat at 425 F first, then after roasting at that temperature for 15 minutes, I turn it down to 375 F for the next hour. Expect the bird(s) to take a bit over an hour. ALWAYS baste with the juices in the pan, always always always, about every 20 minutes or so. When the legs wiggle freely, turn the oven wayyyy down and let the birds rest for 15 minutes in the oven. Then you can get on with the carve and serve. I don't try to remove the whole chickens from the cans any more, but take my kitchen shears and cut the birds into serving pieces, slowly and carefully, cutting down the back bone and breast bone, then across.
My beer of choice is Newcastle Brown Ale, or Newky Broon to those who love it. Guinness works well enough but Newky Broon is a bit lighter. Be sure to include plenty of mashed garlic and onion in the liquid mix, I neglected this once and the difference in flavor was surprising. I roast a 3 to 4 pound fryer each Sunday night and the flavor of the meat stands up until the bird is gone at Thursday lunch time.
Back to top
Davey Crocket
Guest





PostPosted: Sun Jul 01, 2007 7:32 am    Post subject: Beer Reply with quote

I love beer, from Guiness to MGD. So, I have tried using the Beer can chicken both with and without the Beer(ran out and used water) and have used Beer in the marinade. The best flavor result was from having the chicken in a Beer marinade(with standard spices). Having beer or water in the can made little difference to me.

P.S. I used MGD because it seems a shame to not drink the darker beers.

Happy Grilling. :-)
Back to top
Sandi
Guest





PostPosted: Sun Sep 02, 2007 4:01 pm    Post subject: Beerbutt Chicken using terra cotta Reply with quote

I haven't tried this yet, but watched a show on TV where new terra cotta pots (that's right, the garden variety) were used. After all the brining and seasoning is done, place your chicken in one terra cotta pot sitting inside a baking pan, and enclose it with another. I think that before I try this I may 'season' my pots first.
Back to top
Guest






PostPosted: Sun Nov 11, 2007 5:16 pm    Post subject: try an ale Reply with quote

i am not a beer drinker (dont really like the yeast in it) but i have found that using an ale gives good flavor to meats(and it tasts better than beer)and if you like wine a good cheep red wine .
Back to top
Otto Rik Shah
Guest





PostPosted: Sat Jan 05, 2008 9:28 am    Post subject: why not Reply with quote

just butterfly the beast?
it facilitates flavor penetration.
and eases the maneuverability during preparation, along with the carving and disposition of the bird just before eating =D

also, regarding your discussion at the grocer - the alcohol itself would not be likely to flavour much, esp. given its volatility (consider pouring everclear over a chicken) ... though perhaps the other chemicals in beer and wine will help.
i wonder if a good cabernet sauvignon would be worthwhile, even disregarding cost: many of the flavours are subtle enough that, while appreciable as a drink, might not be substantial enough to impart to a meat. I think there was a column on this in the NYTimes within the last two years. A comparison of cheaper wines with very fine clarets elicited no difference in final product. So it seems their conclusion was certainly aligned with yours.
Back to top
Guest






PostPosted: Sat Feb 16, 2008 11:34 pm    Post subject: I like the beer best Reply with quote

I think I like a good lager best. The way I do it is to roast the chicken in oven and drink the beer while the chicken is being cooked.

No matter how it turns out, it all taste good after couple of beers.

Cheers.
Back to top
Keith
Guest





PostPosted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 3:41 pm    Post subject: beer can recipe Reply with quote

Beer can chicken is a redneck recipe. It doesn't matter what type of beer -- just what is on hand at the time.
Back to top
Keith
Guest





PostPosted: Sun Feb 17, 2008 3:55 pm    Post subject: Re: beer can recipe Reply with quote

Keith wrote:
Beer can chicken is a redneck recipe. It doesn't matter what type of beer -- just what is on hand at the time.
I should have said, use whatever beer you are drinking at the time. Because Rednecks drink any beer that anyone brought on the trip ( hunting, fishing, est. ). If the chicken is cooked long enough, it is very tasty and very tender. It should be enjoyed-not analyzed!
Back to top
Display posts from previous:   
Post new topic   Reply to topic    Cooking For Engineers Forum Index -> Comments Forum All times are GMT
Goto page Previous  1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6  Next
Page 4 of 6

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You can reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You can delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group