You asked about the recipe for the chicken I prepared for the CAS
potluck last month. I prepared four chickens and all were spiced
differently, but were cooked together by the same method. I don't know
which ones anyone ate, so to prepare four as I did, here is the
procedure:
Start charcoal 2 1/2 hours before meal time.
While waiting for the charcoal to get going, open four 12 oz cans of beer.
Do something with half of the beer.
Rub four fresh whole pasture raised chickens (approx four pounds each), inside and out with spice rub.
Put half a handful of rub into each or the (now half empty) beer cans. (Foaming is normal).
Insert a can into the body cavity of each chicken. (The can and the bird's two legs now form a tripod).
Using an old aluminum pie pan or circle of heavy foil as a heat deflector, place each bird over the coals on the deflector.
Close the grill and let them smoke for two hours. No attention is needed during this time if plenty of charcoal was used.
Carefully remove the cans from the birds, carve and serve.
Rubs:
Spicy Memphis Rub: (enough for two times)
1/4 cup each of coarse salt, fresh black pepper, paprika and brown sugar.
2 Tablespoons of dried garlic (not powder, but the sort they put on bagels).
1 Teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 Teaspoon dry mustard
Salt and pepper: (enough for one time)
1/4 cup coarse salt
1/4 cup fresh pepper
Lemon pepper:
One dollar and a quarter jar of lemon pepper from the store
Montreal Steak Seasoning:
1/2 jar from the store.
Notes:
Use of root beer, Coca Cola, orange soda or other beverages will
greatly influence flavor but will work on the same principal. The idea
of the can of liquid in the body cavity is not to "inject" moisture
into the bird, but to preserve the chicken's natural moisture. The
liquid boils at around 212 F and thus prevents the internal temperature
near the breast from getting as hot as it would if the smoke outside
were inside, too. This keeps the breast from getting overcooked while
allowing the rest of the bird to get completely done. Alcohol is
vaporised and is not a factor in the finished product.
If I use disposable pie pans (which I generally do), I often put a
little water in them to begin with. About thirty minutes before meal
time I usually poke a few holes in the pans so that the fat will drip
onto the coals contributing flavor the the smoke.
There will still be scalding hot liquid in the cans, so be very careful when removing the cans from the birds.
You can search on line for "beer can chicken" or "drunken chicken" and
find thousands of recipes. There is also a book called Beer Can
Chicken, available at Books A Million. After reading a few recipes, I
think you will find that they are similar to what I do.
I had a demo fall over at the Harrisonburg Farmer's Market a few years
ago and now use a stand to hold the bird and can so that they cannot
tip. Stands are available locally in many stores. Excel Steel makes a
stand with an integral heat deflector.
Good eating,