BBQ Chicken on a Beer Can

I've been wanting to do this dish for quite some time now.  Prior to this, I've always stood on the sidelines and witnessed from afar everyone else cook a whole chicken with just a can of beer and a grill.  I'm not entirely sure why it took me so long to try this recipe myself.  It's no secret that I am a lover of any dish that involves cooking with alcohol.  

Once I arrived at my parents' house, I called our photographer friend, Steve to document the whole event.  Steve is used to photographing bikini clad babes, so I wasn't sure how he (a vegetarian, I must add) would feel about shooting us violate a foul with a huge can of Sapporo.  But, like a pro, he hid any reservations he may or may not have had behind a smile and snapped away.  

Here are a few snapshots from that day! 

Before we begin, let's have a collective "Awww..." for the family dog, Dolce. 

Awwwww

It is essential that the can of beer is half full. 

What's that you say? You want to see another picture of Dolce? 

"Where's my chicken?"

I'm sorry that vegetarian Steve had to witness this

Leave it on the grill, close it and forget it. So simple! 

A thing of unflitered beauty. 

Beer Can Chicken

adapted from a recipe found on Food Network

Ingredients

1 (4-pound) whole chicken

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoons of your favorite dry spice rub

1 can beer

Directions

Remove neck and giblets from chicken and discard. Rinse chicken inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels. Rub chicken lightly with oil then rub inside and out with salt, pepper and dry rub. Set aside.

Open beer can and take several gulps (make them big gulps so that the can is half full). Place beer can on a solid surface. Grabbing a chicken leg in each hand, plunk the bird cavity over the beer can. Transfer the bird-on-a-can to your grill and place in the center of the grate, balancing the bird on its 2 legs and the can like a tripod.

Cook the chicken over medium-high, indirect heat (i.e. no coals or burners on directly under the bird), with the grill cover on, for approximately 1 1/4 hours or until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F in the breast area and 180 degrees F in the thigh, or until the thigh juice runs clear when stabbed with a sharp knife. Remove from grill and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Asian Spice Rack Drunken Ribs

"I want ribs for breakfast."

 This is what a beloved said when I announced that I was going to make ribs for dinner the following night. Point blank, my ribs are so good that you want to eat them for breakfast. 

There is no real secret as to why my ribs are so spectacular. The only three things you need to remember is to make sure you marinate the ribs overnight. Number two, cook your ribs LOW and SLOW. Number three, always use a fresh meaty swine.  That's it. 

 Since I was still in Jacksonville and not in my own kitchen, I didn't have my own spices, so I had to improvise and search through my ma's spice rack.  Here's what I found. 

 

Little of this (taste) and a little of that (taste).  Seriously, you can use anything at your disposal that you normally love to spice your meat and you will be fine! Don't be scared! It's just ribs! Since I had to make a lot of ribs, a lot of marinade was necessary. In need of some serious filler, I decided to add half a bottle of my favorite honey bbq sauce.  Done.

Well, not quite.

Any excuse to use a little of the happy drink! I found this in my parents' china cabinet next to a porcelain bear reading a book about friendship. I thought... whisky? Good. Honey? Gooood.  American? Great! In it went in my marinade!  

Marinate the ribs overnight in your sauce (set aside a cup of unused sauce for glazing later).  Preheat your oven to 275 degrees (remember! Looowww and sloowwww). Place the ribs meat side down in a pan along with the marinade. Cover tightly with foil and slide in the oven. Wait three hours. Meanwhile, read a book, run in circles or cuddle with puppies! When the three hours are up, CAREFULLY (hot steam! hot steam!) remove your foil and sear the meat in a searing hot grill pan or an actual grill until the ribs achieve that beautiful char we all love.  Glaze with preserved sauce. Serve!

Asian Spice Rack Drunken Ribs

Serves 4

For The Marinade:

Remember! This is an approximation.  I usually use the "add a little of this, taste. Add a little of that, taste some more" technique

 1 tablespoon of dry mustard
 1 tablespoon of chili powder
 1 tablespoon cayenne
 1 tablespoon paprika
 1 tablespoon ginger powder
 1 tablespoon garlic powder
 1 tablespoon of montreal steak mix
 3 tablespoons of soy sauce
 3 tablespoons of fish sauce
 1 4 oz shot of your favorite brown liquor
 1/2 cup of your favorite BBQ sauce
 5 cloves of garlic minced
 2 tablespoons of honey
 1/4 cup of brown sugar
 3 tablespoons of oyster sauce

 2 racks of St. Louis Style Ribs

1. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl, tasting the sauce before you add each ingredient!

2.  When the sauce is to your liking, reserve a 1/4 cup of the sauce and set aside.

3. Submerge the ribs in remaining sauce and marinade overnight.

4. The next day, preheat oven to 275 degrees.

5. Once the ribs reach the desired temperature, place ribs meat side down in oven proof pan, still submerged in sauce.

6. Cover tightly with foil and insert into oven, let cook for three hours. 

7. Preheat your grill or grill pan.  Once hot, lightly coat with oil.

8. CAREFULLY remove foil, and take out ribs.  Your ribs will be fork tender, so remove with care.

9. Char each side of the ribs on grill and coat with preserved BBQ sauce. Serve! Finger licking good!!