Debunking Beer Can Chicken

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It's been a long long long looooong time since I did one of those.
It's a good thing you've stopped that nonsense. Cooking chicken in that manner has now been officially debunked, it's finished.

I guess I'm one of the few lucky ones that never fell for that chicken chit way of makin' chicken, wastin' good beer and all, not to mention the possibility of blowing up my neighborhood. Live and learn my friends, live and learn! 
 
I really have no dog in the fight so to speak, I've never done a beer can myself, but I've had them several times and never had any problems with them. I'm not going to go into the pros and cons of the whole deal, because frankly I don't care. However, after skimming the article, I got to the "Dangerous" portion of the cons list. I'm just going to quote the ones I hold issue with and then below explain why.


Now cmon, these 7 bullets I left out of the list of 9 aren't really related to the dangers of doing a beer can chicken, but more to the dangers of letting an idiot do the cooking. The two I excluded from my list were



To which I nearly didn't remove at all, because a little common sense alleviates these "dangers" also. This danger list is really reaching, which isn't uncommon for HP. And to be perfectly honest, nobody without enough common sense to not do the stupid shit on the "danger" list should definitely not be playing with fire in the first place.
:rotflmao:

Come on, man, you know there have to be disclaimers in this litiginous world we now live in. The sad thing is that when you see a disclaimer it usually means some fool has done it, like those little packets of silicon they ship things with to absorb moisture that always have a warning not to eat :-)
 
roflmao.gif


Come on, man, you know there have to be disclaimers in this litiginous world we now live in. The sad thing is that when you see a disclaimer it usually means some fool has done it, like those little packets of silicon they ship things with to absorb moisture that always have a warning not to eat :-)
You mean that little Seasoning Pack???  
biggrin.gif


Bear
 
 
To which I nearly didn't remove at all, because a little common sense alleviates these "dangers" also. This danger list is really reaching, which isn't uncommon for HP. And to be perfectly honest, nobody without enough common sense to not do the stupid shit on the "danger" list should definitely not be playing with fire in the first place.
Well let's just all agree that we're aware of the fact that there are indeed, a number of idiots out there who play with fire and who also bbq meats with or without alcohol. ha ha

Typically, if there's a warning label on something. It means someone already did that exact thing. Which is really depressing when you see incredibly stupid warning labels on products, because than you just stop and go "holy shit, someone probably tried that already" 
nonono2.gif
 
What is a spatchcock method? I have done a few beat can chickens, couldn't tell if they were any better than any other method I've tried. I might do it to make room in the smoker for more goodies, no other reason.
Randy,
 
Well let's just all agree that we're aware of the fact that there are indeed, a number of idiots out there who play with fire and who also bbq meats with or without alcohol. ha ha

Typically, if there's a warning label on something. It means someone already did that exact thing. Which is really depressing when you see incredibly stupid warning labels on products, because than you just stop and go "holy shit, someone probably tried that already"  :nono:
It's where you crack the back and lay the whole chicken flat on the grill. I've never tried it, but a lot of people swear by it.
 
Enter spatchcocked chicken on the search bar and you should have plenty of ideas. It's basically butterflied and cooked flat. A great way to smoke chicken and Turkeys.
 
 
Very interesting.

I haven't done a beer can chicken since I did my first spatchcock chicken a few years ago.

Thought about it a few times, but the spatch bird cooks so much better.

Al
Exactly Al.  Once I split a yardbird I never looked back.  

Spatch the bird.  

Take it to 165 degrees internal temp at the breast, give a bit of a rest and you've got one awesome juicy dinner. B
 
I still want to know what spatchcock cooking is? And while I am at it what does BCC stand for? After almost 3 years on the form I still don't know what all the abbreviations stand for.
Randy,
 
I still want to know what spatchcock cooking is? And while I am at it what does BCC stand for? After almost 3 years on the form I still don't know what all the abbreviations stand for.
Randy,
Beer Can Chicken (BCC).

This should help on your Acronyms:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/73935/acronyms

And a Spatchcock Chicken is Split in half & flattened out on the grill, but someone else can elaborate on that.

Bear
 
I always use use the beer can method, and will continue to use it, in spite of this idiotic article.

This article is clearly click bait, condemning a method that many people use and like with specious reasoning, and ignoring the positives of the method, even after listing some.  Most of the negatives that are listed have to do with beer/flavor penetration through the cavity, so as long as you take it for a given that like the other methods there will be no beer/flavor penetration there is nothing wrong with this method.  And as KRJ wrote, the reasons the article list as dangerous cons are only a problem for someone who should not be around fire or sharp objects to begin with.  

My reasons for using (and loving) BBC:

-A beer can up the chickens butt essentially becomes a vertical roaster, which the article praises (I doubt that the decrease in airflow through the chicken cavity - which the article states isn't great to begin with- would provide better heat transfer than the aluminum in contact with the cavity walls).

-I don't like owning single use gadgets, and even less buying them, especially when there are other items in my house that can do the same thing- in this case buying one, or several vertical wire roasters, and finding room for them in my kitchen (and remembering where that place is), when at most times I have several empty cans in my recycling bin, and always several full ones that I wouldn't mind cracking and drinking.  Why would the answer to a method that works using what you already have be buying a gimmick that does essentially the same thing?

-Using the beer can method allows me to get 3 chickens at a time on my 22" Weber- try that with spatchcocked birds.  Even vertical roasters usually (always) take up more room, so they wouldn't allow 3 to cook at the same time either.

-The beer can method allows me to put the chickens on the grill and walk away to cook everything else for dinner at what ever temp I want (as long as you know your grill).  While of course cooking cut up pieces of chicken will afford the most control, it also takes the most work to ensure that nothing burns.  Even spatchcocking requires turning the chicken to brown the interior (and if you don't, is it really an improvement?)

-This method, with 3 birds placed in a ring, breasts facing in, and charcoal in a ring on the outside cooks the chicken perfectly with browned crispy skin and both breast and thigh cooked perfectly without any work after the initial placement. This can also work with two chickens.

I understand that everyone will have their favorite method for cooking chicken, I just think that BBC is a valid method that makes damn good chicken for very little work and with no cost as long as you don't expect it to do what other methods don't do either.

Give it a try before you rule it out!
 
 
I always use use the beer can method, and will continue to use it, in spite of this idiotic article.

This article is clearly click bait, condemning a method that many people use and like with specious reasoning, and ignoring the positives of the method, even after listing some.  Most of the negatives that are listed have to do with beer/flavor penetration through the cavity, so as long as you take it for a given that like the other methods there will be no beer/flavor penetration there is nothing wrong with this method.  And as KRJ wrote, the reasons the article list as dangerous cons are only a problem for someone who should not be around fire or sharp objects to begin with.  

My reasons for using (and loving) BBC:

-A beer can up the chickens butt essentially becomes a vertical roaster, which the article praises (I doubt that the decrease in airflow through the chicken cavity - which the article states isn't great to begin with- would provide better heat transfer than the aluminum in contact with the cavity walls).

-I don't like owning single use gadgets, and even less buying them, especially when there are other items in my house that can do the same thing- in this case buying one, or several vertical wire roasters, and finding room for them in my kitchen (and remembering where that place is), when at most times I have several empty cans in my recycling bin, and always several full ones that I wouldn't mind cracking and drinking.  Why would the answer to a method that works using what you already have be buying a gimmick that does essentially the same thing?

-Using the beer can method allows me to get 3 chickens at a time on my 22" Weber- try that with spatchcocked birds.  Even vertical roasters usually (always) take up more room, so they wouldn't allow 3 to cook at the same time either.

-The beer can method allows me to put the chickens on the grill and walk away to cook everything else for dinner at what ever temp I want (as long as you know your grill).  While of course cooking cut up pieces of chicken will afford the most control, it also takes the most work to ensure that nothing burns.  Even spatchcocking requires turning the chicken to brown the interior (and if you don't, is it really an improvement?)

-This method, with 3 birds placed in a ring, breasts facing in, and charcoal in a ring on the outside cooks the chicken perfectly with browned crispy skin and both breast and thigh cooked perfectly without any work after the initial placement. This can also work with two chickens.

I understand that everyone will have their favorite method for cooking chicken, I just think that BBC is a valid method that makes damn good chicken for very little work and with no cost as long as you don't expect it to do what other methods don't do either.

Give it a try before you rule it out!
Typically, when I first walk into someone's home, I say hello before I consider telling them they are wrong about something...
 
 
I always use use the beer can method, and will continue to use it, in spite of this idiotic article.

This article is clearly click bait, condemning a method that many people use and like with specious reasoning, and ignoring the positives of the method, even after listing some.  Most of the negatives that are listed have to do with beer/flavor penetration through the cavity, so as long as you take it for a given that like the other methods there will be no beer/flavor penetration there is nothing wrong with this method.  And as KRJ wrote, the reasons the article list as dangerous cons are only a problem for someone who should not be around fire or sharp objects to begin with.  

My reasons for using (and loving) BBC:

-A beer can up the chickens butt essentially becomes a vertical roaster, which the article praises (I doubt that the decrease in airflow through the chicken cavity - which the article states isn't great to begin with- would provide better heat transfer than the aluminum in contact with the cavity walls).

-I don't like owning single use gadgets, and even less buying them, especially when there are other items in my house that can do the same thing- in this case buying one, or several vertical wire roasters, and finding room for them in my kitchen (and remembering where that place is), when at most times I have several empty cans in my recycling bin, and always several full ones that I wouldn't mind cracking and drinking.  Why would the answer to a method that works using what you already have be buying a gimmick that does essentially the same thing?

-Using the beer can method allows me to get 3 chickens at a time on my 22" Weber- try that with spatchcocked birds.  Even vertical roasters usually (always) take up more room, so they wouldn't allow 3 to cook at the same time either.

I can get 4 spatched birds in my 18.5" WSM, and three can fit on a 22" Weber grill

-The beer can method allows me to put the chickens on the grill and walk away to cook everything else for dinner at what ever temp I want (as long as you know your grill).  While of course cooking cut up pieces of chicken will afford the most control, it also takes the most work to ensure that nothing burns.  Even spatchcocking requires turning the chicken to brown the interior (and if you don't, is it really an improvement?)

I do the same thing with all my chicken cooks (mostly spatched). Walk away and prep the sides. Come back and pull the bird off. You do not need to flip a spatched bird.

-This method, with 3 birds placed in a ring, breasts facing in, and charcoal in a ring on the outside cooks the chicken perfectly with browned crispy skin and both breast and thigh cooked perfectly without any work after the initial placement. This can also work with two chickens.

As does spatching a bird.

I understand that everyone will have their favorite method for cooking chicken, I just think that BBC is a valid method that makes damn good chicken for very little work and with no cost as long as you don't expect it to do what other methods don't do either.

Give it a try before you rule it out!

Tried it many times. Prefer spatching.
 
 
Typically, when I first walk into someone's home, I say hello before I consider telling them they are wrong about something...
Good for you!

But this has been my home for a long time, even longer than you in fact, I just don't speak up normally.
 
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