If you don't cook whole chickens beer can style, you are missing something easy and delicious! No, you don't have to use beer! While I started out propping my chicken on a beer can twenty-five years ago, I progressed to affording a stainless steel beer can rack/pan to use on my grill. You can find those online in a variety of designs and prices. I even have a ceramic one to use in the oven.
I've been wanting to make 5 Spice Chicken, so I decided to just add it to my beer can approach! I really enjoy the combined flavors of fennel, cinnamon, star anise, cloves and ginger. As I was looking around the wine racks for something to pour in the insertion can, I found something I bought at Christmastime and never used! Spiced Cherry wine from Germany ... that is normally mulled and served warm. I happily drank some of it on ice and used some of it for the chicken. Fusion ... German and Asian! The spices were compatibly the same!
I knew I would have a nice iceberg lettuce salad with my dinner, so I added something creamy to balance the kick of spice on the chicken! I love the oven under my outdoor grill. It is perfect for any side dish and keeps me from heating up the kitchen! I made the hash brown potato casserole that we all love!
I called beer can chicken easy. It is! You simply add about 1 1/2 cups of liquid in the can with your favorite herbs ... and set the chicken's bottom right down over it. Cook it over indirect heat on the grill - medium high - for about 1 1/2 hours. Use your meat thermometer to make certain your chicken reaches 165 degrees internally. During the last thirty minutes of cooking, I usually brush my bird with a little olive oil and seasoning. This time, the seasoning was 5 Spice. Your dried seasoning spice with make a dark crust and the skin will be delicious. You don't have to do a think to this chicken while it cooks, but it is important to pay attention for a splatter of grease that causes a flame up. INDIRECT HEAT is the key. Beer can chickens are always moist, juicy ... delicious!
I will probably share this post with a couple parties listed in my side bar. Take a look for more wonderful posts!
