Wendy's Kitchen Table
Beer Butt Chicken
INGREDIENTS
Beer Can Chicken Rack (Bunnings $9.95)
Whole chicken 2kg, washed, patted dry
1 opened, half-full can of beer
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon sea salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
METHOD
Pre-heat hooded BBQ or oven to 180ËšC.
Rinse chicken inside and out and pat dry. Rub chicken with oil. Rub sea salt, black pepper and thyme evenly over chicken surface.
Make sure the beer can is open, and only half-filled with beer (drink the other half!) If you want, you can put a sprig of thyme (or another herb like rosemary or sage) in the beer can. Place can on the rack then insert chicken so that the chicken is sitting upright (legs pointing down), with the can in its cavity. If you don’t have a rack just use the chicken legs and beer can as a tripod to support the chicken on the grill and keep it stable.
Close the hood. Do not even check the chicken for at least an hour. After an hour, check the chicken .Keep checking the chicken every 15 minutes or so, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 160°F - 165°F. The total cooking time will vary depending on the size of your chicken, and the internal temperature of the grill. A 2kg chicken will usually take around 1 ½-2 hours. If you don't have a meat thermometer, a way to tell if the chicken is done is to poke it deeply with a knife (the thigh is a good place to do this), if the juices run clear, not pink, the chicken is done.
Carefully transfer the chicken to a tray or pan. Carefully remove the beer can as it can be quite hot. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes. Carve.
My husband got given a Beer Can Chicken Rack for Christmas from my brother. This is a brilliant way to roast a chicken and if it involves beer and a BBQ then the man in your life will suddenly take a keen interest in cooking. Can be cooked on a hooded BBQ (using indirect heat) or in an oven. Just season with your favourite rub. While the chicken is dry roasting on the outside, the inside is being bathed with steamy beer keeping the chicken meat moist. You can experiment with your favourite herbs and spices or use wine or stock inside of beer inside a can.