Beer Can Chicken (aka Beer Butt Chicken)

OK, first I have to admit that this is one of the weirdest recipes I've made...but the outcome is really delicious. The chicken meat is moist and the skin crisp...and it has a nice flavor also. It's a recipe that was undoubtedly developed by some drunk guys at a backyard barbecue. The premise is this: take a full or partial can of beer and carefully "sit" the chicken on it. Place the chicken on a grill with a lid (making a sort of oven) and cook it over indirect heat until done; this also works well in a traditional oven, as these birds were cooked this morning. You can purchase wire racks to help hold the chicken vertical but they are not necessary; if you are careful the bird(s) stand by themselves. As the chicken cooks the beer boils in the can steaming it from the inside-out, and giving the bird a nice flavor. Simultaneously the bird roasts from the outside-in and the skin browns and becomes crisp. I made these for employee lunch today. Everyone seemed to love it; tomorrow leftover meat will be made into chicken salad. Not withstanding, and regardless of how good the chicken is, am I the only one that thinks there is something slightly obscene about this recipe? For a multitude of recipes and apparatus to cook this recipe, click here.

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