Beer Can Chicken Experiment

[@nicfleming5105]

I just watched an english speaking Dutch guy trying an American beer can chicken recipe with Alabama white sauce. We live in awesome times. We really do take the internet for granted.

[@madmonkeycycling9098]

poor away half of the beer, add some chickenspices to the beer, throw in some garlic & rosemary & close off the top of the chicken with an onion. Beer can chicken works

[@illuminayt]

That’s what I do. Drink half the beer and add spices, etc. So good.

[@PITMASTERX]

sounds good bro

[@DevonRegan]

Came here to say this. Always pour out half and use room temp beer.

[@Tom-nd1cs]

maybe heat the beer up inside the barbecue first so that it steams when you put the chicken over it. Maybe it works. :)

[@RichardCampbell_DotNetRocks]

I think the cage holding the beer cans in the video impairs the cooking process - you need the heat of the grate to heat up the beer can. I put my beer can chicken directly on a small cast iron fry pan - it makes sure more heat conducts into the can (so the liquid actually boils!) and it catches the drippings from the chicken so that I don't get flare-ups. Arguably, the most important thing that the beer can does it provide thermal stabilization - slowing down the rate of the breast cooking so that it doesn't dry out by the time the thighs are cooked. Also, cooking a chicken upright means that the breast sag downward, also making them thicker, so they cook slower. The traditional roasting chicken position means the breast flatted out and are thinner.

[@aaronkoch3273]

Being an american that grew up in Holland, it cracks me up to see 2 Dutch guys doing southern cooking. Awesome, pure awesome.

[@johnchase4408]

The point isn't to cook it faster. It's to make it moister and more flavorful.

[@jeffhouse9387]

But the liquid in the can never evaporates or boils out…he points out at 9:22 that the temp of the hot water he put in is nowhere near boiling, so it’s not really moisturizing anything.

[@Hades035]

@@jeffhouse9387 water does not need to boil to evaporate :) when you are under the shower, your water is not 100c but your surroundings are getting damp :)

[@Democrats-R-hypocrites]

I was laughing because you doubted the beer can chicken but you could tell It was the best ! The “ burnt seasoning “ looked like it was cooked right

[@Phaide]

As somebody that makes beer can chicken all the time I think there’s two keys to doing this properly. First thing is that you can’t use cold beer. The beer needs to be left out at room temperature minimally. Second if you take a high alcohol content cider (9-12% ABV) you’ll get a juicier apple flavored chicken which, in my opinion, goes with the flavor of chicken phenomenally.

[@Lilliancooks]

Eduardo...How many minutes per pound do you barbecue the chicken?

[@laynecox3992]

I always us 1/4 can room temperature beer. 20 minutes per pound @ 190-225 degrees. Alcohol boils @180-195

[@jimmylarge1148]

Couldn’t one heat the beer up prior to use?

[@jeffreymccullough8058]

Seriously.. Never use cold beer for beer can chicken.. you loose heat .. which is why it wasn't done with the other chickens

[@jimmylarge1148]

@@jeffreymccullough8058 one could always heat their beer up prior to use no?

[@bdg1405]

Closing the opening in the neck cavity will allow the steam to better stay inside the bird. Pull the skin over the opening and use a turkey lacing skewer to hold the skin in place. AND only 1/3 can of beer needed.

[@somebussiness5677]

Thanks!

[@PITMASTERX]

Thanks

[@chwaca]

To make a Beer Can Chicken recipe work you need: 1. half litre beer, so the beer will overflow and make the chicken juicy 2. beer in room temperature, so you don't need to warm it up that long 3. baking tray to deflect the heat and catch all the juice You can add some chopped onions and carrots on tray. The chicken should reach 75' Celsius. Done it, love it ! ;-)

[@jcat5150]

I did my own version of this experiment several years ago and decided to drink the beer and cook the chicken......lol....what I HAVE decided is that the stand puts the bird in an orientation such that indirect heat from the outsides cooks the legs faster without drying out the breast/body that I leave in the middle (in my case coals from a weber kettle on the outsides but leaving the middle burner off in a 3 burner gas rig would be same thing I suspect). Love your channel!

[@skinnydog6665]

Great example of just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. Thanks for unpacking this one objectively and for ensuring no more beer is wasted

[@PITMASTERX]

🤩💪🤩

[@HyborianAge]

I once saw a guy cook a whole chicken in a big coffee can. The can was filled halfway with charcoal. He lit the charcoal. The chicken was dipped in a spicy bbq sauce and then wrapped in banana leaves. He then put the chicken in the can. It looked good.

[@davyfrostcadence1467]

Sorry if im wrong Pitmaster, are you not supposed to empty the beer to under a half before cooking??

[@johnchase4408]

Drink 1/3rd to 1/2 and add seasonings. But, Yes.

[@benwarner3139]

yes as well as preheat the beer can

[@KristofVanOpstal]

And also inject some of the beer in the breast and thighs to ensure beer flavour

[@robertbunker2494]

Love the Channel! This is my version of Beer can ChickenPour out some beer in a bowl mix the beer with 1/2 tbs of melted butter with pinch of smoked paprika, salt, and 1/2 tbs of garlic powder. Inject the whole chicken. Heat the Beer on the grill till it boils first so the can and beer are hot! Then go ahead and finish everything the same way you did!!

[@tomstestkitchen]

Excellent experiment Roel! Technically it's the fact that "beer can chicken" is grilled vertically on some gadget, in most cases a beer can. Traditionally 3/4 of the beer is removed, spices are added and the chicken is propped on top. Theoretically the moisture from the beer will keep the chicken moist, but it doesn't. Nice white sauce BTW

[@aarnoarnold1973]

I used half a small can of beer, generous salt and rosemary inside the chicken, and a usual amount of seasonings on the outside. It was the best chicken I've ever had.

[@DROLTMANN]

As everyone else has said, you only use half a can of beer! It works well and we use this method all the time. We've even done a can with an apricot jam and mayonnaise mixture, which gave the chicken a almost sweet and sour taste my kids love. They are not huge fans of the beer taste, so I do both.... 😄

[@uncle3ivey]

The Alabama sauce is just excellent. ROLL TIDE, Pitmaster X!!!!!!

[@jroberts1734]

Roll Tide Roll!

[@johannesvanhoek9080]

The trick is to preheat the beer ,,, yes .... now the chicken breast will be juice as well ... did I say juicy as well ... I mean juicy as Hell ! 😂😂

[@rcenobi5059]

I do this every Thanksgiving day. Beer butt Turkey. It take me 2 hours to cook a whole 18LB bird. I put my bird in a roaster pan and wrap and seal the whole thing in foil. Best juicy tasting Turkey ever!!!

[@stevepeck2053]

have done the beer can chicken many times, a trick I use is, pour half the beer into saved fruit cocktail can ( because of the larger size). Because of the larger size, you'll have to stretch the bird over the can which will radiate and help cook bird from the inside as well. I use corn flakes (crushed of course) with the rub, to add that extra crunch, putting garlic and jerk power in the beer to add flavour.

[@johnj3577]

Cans contain a plastic film inside to keep the contents away from the metal. Wont that melt in the oven and fill the food with melted plastic fumes??

[@metalmulishaz123]

If you smoke it at a lower temperature like 225f then you can cook a chicken that size for two to three hours and you'd have more than enough time for the beer to get up to temperature of the chicken.

[@johnq.public2621]

I was under the impression you were supposed to pre-heat the beer can/contents BEFORE you put the chicken on it. This helps prevent things you spoke about at the beginning of your video.

[@IJNIP34]

Hahahaha He was lost on the "ROLL TIDE"

[@brandonroberts4171]

WAR EAGLE

[@miketerl6595]

When I bang my sister I yell RollTide

[@ivanestrada2408]

you can put aromatic herbs, garlic and other condiments inside the tin to improve its flavor, greetings from Mexico.

[@drivewayx30]

fantastic, keep up the good work, when I do a beer can chook I inject the chook with a bit of melted garlic butter which for me adds a bit of extra tenderness. You could omit the garlic depending on personal taste. This technique works great for me but doesn't mean it would suit others. Just thought I'd share the idea no need for negative reactions. Thank you

[@mikehuntsmels9680]

10:42...did you use the awm with a 15x at least?

[@morrisonhulshof3224]

Hahahahaha

[@JeffTheHokie]

The can as a stand is more important than the beer itself a)the chicken isn't laying in its own juices with a crispy side and a soggy side b)the meatiest part of the chicken is nearest the heat source and c) the thinnest and easiest parts to overcook are furthest away from the heat source. Since I'm a homebrewer my beer isn't canned. Last time I used a soup can and poured some homebrew stout inside. Since you have the chicken in that position, a good way to autobaste it is to drape a few slices of bacon across the top.

[@bpack5551]

I've been doing beer can chicken for years, I always brine the chicken night before and leave in the fridge overnight with all kinds of spices in the brine, room temp beer, room temp bird, then inject butter and spice mixture under the skin, and into meat. I've found 1/2 can Apple ales and the more premium beers seem to give the best flavor, Budweiser, Coors etc. give a bitter flavor. We've also tried fruit nectar's ( Apple, peach, apricot, pineapple) but prefer the beer. I wrap the bird in foil for the last of the cooking time after skin is nice and brown.

[@icewater7586]

If you want the skin to be crispy, use some air and blow it under the skin to separate it from the meat. Then when you roast it, the juices from the meat won't affect the skin and keeping it from crisping up

[@PITMASTERX]

great tip

[@kenwoodfl]

After watching this, we switched to half a can of Fresca and spices, heated by putting can in a pot of water on grill before it goes under the chicken. Pretty good!

[@Auger3504]

Use a room temperature can of beer pore about 2/3 out, add soy sauce, garlic and teriyaki and ginger if you like, to the beer. Cooks up fantastic.

[@joederue9900]

You mean drink it right?

[@Auger3504]

@@joederue9900 Yes

[@bumpandsquish]

i make the chicken using only 1/3-1/2 (4-6 ounces) of the beer with the rub, garlic, onion and/or whatever else i can think of thrown in. i also use a beer can chicken roaster that has an integrated tray to catch the drippings to avoid flare-ups. the drippings can then be used to make a sauce/gravy.

[@Dorset_Phil]

Set BBQ up for indirect heat but with the melal beer can touching a metal drip tray on the heat diffuser. (My can holder is made from iron.) Use half a can of beer. The beer will boil a lot quicker through conduction heating whilst che chicken cooks evenly. I get amazing results using a Big Green Egg style of BBQ.

[@AndyMacaskill]

I'm pleased it's not just a gimmick! It's hard to know without doing a side by side test. Thanks Roel!

[@mincooper]

Great test. I usually pour some of the beer on the chicken before adding the rub to really impart the beer flavour plus helps rub to stick. Then I only put about 1/5 of the beer in the can as too much takes the heat away from warming up the nearly full can. One can of beer is enough for dousing 3 chickens plus a bit for 2 additional empty soda or beer cans.

[@SPLEclipse]

So glad to see someone make Alabama white BBQ sauce! To be pedantic about it though - that style is specifically from Northern Alabama, almost on the Tennessee boarder. As you get further South you almost never see it being used. There's MANY variants, and most people who make it at home just use cider (or plain distilled) vinegar in about a 1:2 ratio with the mayo, add pepper, cayenne, salt, and that's it. I've also seen people add water to thin it out a bit. The original concept comes from BBQ legend "Big" Bob Gibson.

[@ybunnygurl]

I have made beer can chicken a lot, you have have to stick a apple or onion in the top trap the steam and flavor. But what i really like is coke chicken. Also only half a can of whatever your useing or it will over flow

[@ascaye]

I have a ceramic doodad that you can put the chicken on instead of using the Can which has aluminum which is said to be linked with various forms of dementia. I suppose what I can do is heat up the beer first and put it in there. Then I can cook my chicken and the beer should come up to temp sooner.

[@atomedgesharpening]

They say that you must make sure the can has no liner in it that is a plastic product or spray as it can go into what you eat. Many beers have a spray lining on the interior of them from what I've been told.

[@MrJeffm66]

It does work. My wife and I did one the other day. We put rosemary, garlic in the beer and put our own personal rub on the chicken and did it on the pellet smoker. It turned out amazing and juicy. Try it.

[@calvinc7733]

I don't know if anyone mentioned it, but roll tide is what the University of Alabama chants because their mascot is Crimson Tide

[@TheHarleycanuck]

I ike really crispy skin. I use a little Miracle Whip salad dressing (not Mayonnaise) Rub it on the chicken untill it disappears like a hand cream. Add your seasonings and roast.

[@vansteel393]

I just don't like wasting beer. I think you get more added flavor if you brine it first for a few hours.

[@bhoglund1905]

Its not a speed thing and you only use a partial can, not full, thats a waste.

[@popey2710]

I use a half can of coke and use a compound butter under the skin plus add baking powder to the rub. The baking powder helps crisp up the skin at a lower temperature . I also cook at a slower rate than normal. The butter and the steamed coke makes it almost TOO juicy.

[@HarrySatchelWhatsThatSmell]

For all my friends in Holland: The University of Alabama has an American Football team called "The Crimson Tide" Hence the phrase "roll tide"!

[@johnh8615]

What are the hidden contaminates on the surfaces. Bpa plastic coatings?

[@BlueBullsFan]

The point is to cook it slowly over indirect heat. Rotate it relatively often to ensure even cooking.

[@anitaalexander9894]

I use an empty cream of mushroom and add some Bacardi rum with coconut. I then use drippings from inside and outside chicken plus cream of mushroom soup to make gravy, yum

[@BurkaLifter]

I think the unevenness of the grill interior has to be considered. There is simply not enough volume of liquid in a 12 ounce can to prevent equalization and similar result to can that had a temperature head start by more than 5 minutes or so.

[@TriMeX1987]

Whats the best way to check core temp? Use a probe? Or one that connects to your phone and tells you without opening the lid?

[@jamesbrandon8520]

You can also put aromatics like thyme rosemary and the such in the beer can and you are supposed to drink about half of the beer before you use it because it’s just going to overflow when it gets hot which might be why it took longer to cook

[@jeanforget992]

1-drink half the beer 2-add same spice same as on chiken in the beer about a tbs 3- use an aluminium plate under to colect the juice it will help the breast to stay moist It does take at least one hour of cooking timel, no need to rush a good thing 4- use the juice and the beer from the can to make a gravy. Try it out woth your pitmaster twist i m sure itwill be even better

[@bradmiller2464]

I prefer squirt soda. I also do it in an oven in a pyrex 13x9 with veggies and potatoes and pour another can of soda in the veggies. You also did it wrong you have to cut the neck hole so the soda boils over the top. It keeps it so much more moist.

[@Lrod1952]

No need to complicate a fairly easy cooking method. It works. The common denominator is to use 1/2 the beer. Flavor it with garlic, rosemary, thyme or whatever herbs you wish. You cannot mess this up. I like to put some bbq sauce in the last 10 minutes of cooking. Your best friend is a digital meat thermometer.

[@tool4132]

I'm from Tennessee and it broke my heart to hear you say "roll tide."

[@tool4132]

@John Daley "roll tide" is University of Alabama's slogan. The football team's nickname is the Crimson Tide.

[@jroberts1734]

Roll Tide Roll!!

[@andytaylor3949]

It’s the same principle as if you stuff a chicken full of stuffing it won’t cook evenly. Pretty basic thermodynamics. As others have said, use half (or less) of the can. It works with warm chicken stock instead of beer as well...

[@jpgiii85]

I always used a torch to heat up the beer can before putting the chicken over it. Also, you can drink some of the beer down to about 2/3 to make it easier to keep warm.

[@SMichaelDeHart]

Use room temperature beer instead of cold....may keep chicken from overcooking.

[@I_like_turtles_67]

I'll even leave them outside in the sun to get them warm.

[@Artyomthewalrus]

Start with a cold beer, drink half of it, then leave it in the sun to warm, then use it

[@is2837]

yeah and put half the beer

[@BobKubista]

I always warm the beer can up

[@ktennyson7108]

I used a cold one 🥲

[@_HippieThugg_]

with the beer can (drink 1/3 before) it does take a little longer, but the beer should boil out while the chicken cooks. It usually takes me 1 1/2 hours at 350F. The best flavor will be in the breast and rib meat.

[@K_Gangmei]

What is barbecue rub made of??? I mean like which components???

[@jonathanhill8691]

roel is going to eat every last fucking chicken in that tent!

[@unappropriate1]

I typically do a half can room temp beer (and spices) with indirect heat. I put the back of the bird to the heat to have the most indirect heat to the breast (i.e. left side burner off and right side on). It prevents the flare ups and overall burning of the skin. I tend to think turning the bird back to the fire helps retain moisture better.

[@bradtrosclair2912]

You got a

[@bradtrosclair2912]

You have to plug the neck and cook it low and slow for internal temperature of 165

[@creature1974]

Partial can of beer and make sure the beer is at room temperature. Also use a kolsch type beer. It pairs well with the chicken. Use charcoal and not gas grill. Makes all the difference. And it's not about how fast it cooks, it's about the beer infusing into the chicken.

[@Pix8176]

Just made my first BBQ smoked chicken 🐓 on a gas BBQ with Apple, Cherry and Mesquite wood chips. 3.5hrs at 150*C. Was absolutely delicious 🤤

[@bestum183]

I’m from Alabama and white sauce isn’t my fav. I’m not real big on it, but I do use it on chicken sometimes. When made right it’s actually good. Roll Tide is a way of life!!! ROLL TIDE ROLL!!!!

[@scotthanson4449]

I'm from Columbus, Ga and I've never even tasted white sauce. This Dawg will never root for Bama or Auburn again after you girls lost to Clemson and UCF.

[@brandonfarlin678]

I'm blown away by this Alabama sauce! I'm from that region of the US and have never heard of it. SO cool. : ]

[@eddiemunster143]

In south Texas in many different ways. Try different beers and soft drinks. I use cherry coke. It comes out extremely juicy.

[@wolf1963bro]

There is also a more stable based method that the chicken juices drain back down into the 1/2 beer and spice that I have found works even better. It has about a 10 Inch base that the cone and a perforated platform come of so that the beer/soda/soup base then cook and steam from the inside. also root veggies can be steamed and cooked in the juices.

[@incognitoalias2808]

I cook beer can chicken in my oven, turns out so Blanking moist that it gets devoured in no time. I use apple juice, good German beer, coke(liquid), rootbeer it all works. Always baste it with olive oil or butter at 260 for 4 hours

[@islanderson691]

Would the type of beer you use change the taste or flavor of the chicken

[@MrFiredragon1976]

I mix the rub with oil (olive). it sticks more to the chicken and I save a step :) since boiling water was tastier... why not try to boil the beer? also... I had some herbs to the beer (rosemary) another thing to try? had a whole citrus of some kind inside instead. I always cook my turkey with an orange and a mandarine inside. It's more juicy and fragrant. (and more healthy than using a syringe to fill it with melted butter) I then use the juice that fell in the pan to build my sauce.

[@kristygrigsby5890]

I'm from Decatur, Alabama... Home of Big Bob Gibson's and the original Alabama white sauce. As much as I love your videos, that was NOT Alabama white sauce.

[@09jamesfamily]

Right my fellow Decaturen..all kinds of knock off but not the real thing

[@christopherbell1953]

The experiment needs to be repeated with the chickens in three different locations each to even out the possibility of a hot spot on the BBQ. The one without liquid in the can might have been near to a hot spot.

[@stephentownsend7379]

What would happen if you heated the beer to near boiling first?

[@DanielGloverTheGreat]

"A knife is a tool; you should use it that way." Words that so many of my fellow American men need to hear. There's this weird sensation around "manhood" about having the nicest, most expensive, knife and never using it because they don't wanna ruin it. What's the point of the knife then? Anyway, great cook today! I have really enjoyed your channel since I found it in November. Keep em coming!

[@PITMASTERX]

Rock on Daniel!!!

[@JalapenoDNA]

I know right. He said it and then it immediately resonated with me. It makes sense. Lol

[@rogermccaslin6750]

I agree that a knife is a tool. A couple of other tools that go with the knife is a sharpener (stone, machine, etc) and a butcher's steel. Sharpen the knife and do what you need to do. Resharpen when needed. Even cheap knives will cut well when sharp. As for cutting the top of the can, I don't see that as necessary. Just pop the top and pour out most of the beer. I leave about 1/4. The steam/aroma/flavors will just as easily come out of the built-in hole as they will if the top is cut out.

[@user-jc5ep4jl8n]

Daniel Glover i thought u were reffering to stabbings when u said "a knife is a tool; you should use it that way"

[@generalharness8266]

No just no. A knife is a tool yes but there are ways to be used correctly. There is a reason you do not use a Philips screw driver on a pozidrive drive screw. Both look the same but there is a correct way and the incorrect way. There are skinning knifes paring knifes chefs knifes filleting knifes if it is not designed for the task do not use it that way.

[@TheZooness]

You only needed less than half a can off beer, then add some aromatics.

[@thriftshop2609]

You may want to try grilling a few hamburgers while those chickens are smoking up a storm. The smoke from the Chicken Fat gives the burgers quite a delicious flavor.

[@rkbatruckingshow1873]

Use 1/2 can of ROOM TEMPERATURE beer. Add some chicken rub to the beer and drop in a rosemary sprig. Close off the top of the chicken with either an apple or sweet (vidalia) onion.

[@joops110]

Maybe a beer can chicken, but can a chicken beer?

[@robertrodgers1423]

Have you tried the original Alabama white sauce? Amazon offers the original Big Bob Gipson's White Sauce but I don't know if it can be shipped internationally.

[@bramcoenen7369]

beer can chicken werkt met een paar kleine aanpassingen wel. 1)het bierblikje mag maar 1/3de gevuld zijn 2) ik start met mijn kip in te pakken met aluminiuimfolie en dan 15 min rechtstreeks op de kolen te zetten, dan aluminiumfolie eraf en verder garen zoals jij doet. waanzinnig goed, de smaak van kip 3 met de sappigheid van 1 en 2

[@robertwren2289]

So I'm thinking, heat the beer, then pour it back into the can. Mine with room temp beer was a bit dry on the breast too. Great job, I enjoyed watching.

[@yoyo5069]

3 chickens on a can....I wonder what magazines each one were reading

[@Goldman623]

What was the point of adding ice cold beer normally when you cook that way the beer is starting at room temp

[@tokeintuckz]

you should actually warm half a can of beer on the grill before putting the chicken over the can never start with cold or room temperature beer 😊

[@LukeRT]

Thought it was dangerous to use an actual beer can, health wise.

[@wereallwinstonnow4099]

Try the beer can only 1/4 to 1/3 full so you don't have so much liquid to come up to temp.

[@Mad-v3d]

You know beer cans are lined with BPA, right? You're literally cooking it into your food.

[@ybunnygurl]

99% of the cans produced today are BPA free FYI.

[@Mad-v3d]

ybunnygurl that's definitely not true

[@muzzaball]

Well we have been cooking chooks on a beer can on the campfire in Australia for years and always have a great result. Lots of flavour and nice and tender. Secretly, the beercan is the way to go!

[@loriturrell7284]

Any can, only leave the pop top open. 1/4 to 1/2 cup of beer. Smashed garlic. Maybe a bit of water to increase fluid level, but no higher than a third of the can. A 3-4 pound chicken will be done within an hour depending on temperature. I put the chicken on a foil pie plate to reduce flare up and grease mess. That is a beer can chicken. Drink the beer!

[@barneyfieldhouse3250]

It kind of makes sense that the chicken with the boiling water inside has less taste, because you aren't getting the roasted flavours on the inside of the chicken

[@bryanbenson6436]

We use room temp beer, that has gone flat from being open and left in fridg. and use cornish hens. Use temps @ 220 Degrees. until temp in chicken is 165 dergees. Craft beers add more flavor . Replace crap beer with high hops brew in can , sure, add spices if you want. for great results.

[@1dowsey]

What’s the core temperature you need to achieve to know it’s done please

[@edspencer7121]

What if you puctured some holes in the bottom of the empty can Or add a spice slurry to the bottom of the empty can.

[@DF-we4pt]

Why would the temps of the liquids not be the same? Flawed

[@sniperneil53]

I got worried when he cut the thigh off the chicken and I saw the undercooked meat near the bone. That is the area I test temperatures in......I'll bet it was around 60c.

[@randycorrigal3860]

Neil, he mentions in the video that you can’t go by the colour. I also test at the thigh and have noticed that especially with free range birds the meat tends to stay pink even past 175deg.

[@geurvreter1521]

Actually you should consider the fact that one chicken can taste better than the other even if they are cooked in exactly the same manner.