Chicken

[damnfingers]

I just read Limey's post about "Beer Can Chicken" and have to admit that I just tried the same thing with not so good results.

First I have to admit I did not brine the bird.  If that's all I did wrong then "next time" I'll get it right but I have some questions that I need answered before "next time".  My main problem was there was little, if any taste, to the meat unless you were eating some of the outer white meat where I had used "Jeff's Rub".  I'm trying to use as little salt as I can due to BP but even my wife says it needed more than there was.

1.  I used a whole 5lb fryer, not a roaster.  Does that make any difference?
2.  As mentioned above, I'm using Jeff's Rub since I'm trying to use as little salt as I can due to high BP but even my wife says it needed more than there was.  How much salt taste would brining have added (if any)?
3.  The outer skin of the bird was like tanned leather.  It had a decent taste but eating it was like eating shoe leather so I peeled most of it off what I was eating.  Is the skin normally edible?
4.  There was no "beer" taste to the meat at all - should there have been?  I even used the part of beer that I didn't leave in the can in a bread tin along the wood box and couldn't detect any taste from it either.
5.  I smoked it for 4 hours at 235 in my SI#2 using about 3 oz of cherry.  That might have been a bit long but the thigh temperature was 165 when I checked it so I think it may have been okay.  I don't have an external thermometer yet (Maverick 733 will be here Tuesday) so I hate opening the door any more than I have to.

That's it for the questions - any help you guys can give will be appreciated. 
Thanks,
Gene

 

[NDKoze]

I have grilled beer can chickens on my grill with mixed results, but not in my smoker. So I can't really comment on that part of the method.

But, will say that brining definitely helps both with flavor and moisture retention. It does add some salt flavor, but that can be managed. I always brine my poultry and based on recommendations here have started stuffing the bird with mire poix (equal parts onion, carrot, and celery).

Regarding the rubbery skin, that is one of the few downfalls of electric smokers. At temps less than 250 degrees combined with the moist smoking environment, getting crispy chicken in these smokers is virtually impossible unless you add an Auber and bypass your stock controller which will allow you to cook at higher temperatures. The other alternative, is to smoke to 155-160 degrees and finish up in an oven or grill.

 

[Limey]

Sorry things did not turn out too well Gene. I'm not sure why. Brining helps preserve moistness in the meat and does add a slight salty flavour, but it is certainly not essential if you use the beer can method which in itself is designed to promote moist meat. It does not give a beery flavour to the chicken, at least as far as I can detect, and you can use other liquids if you like (Coke etc). I usually smoke chickens at 245 and usually try and find the largest bird I can(leftovers are delicious) but I don't think either of these should have made any difference to your result. If you want crispy skin you need to finish at a higher temperature-oven, grill, or bypassed Auger. Maybe you just got a bad bird-I like Purdue or Bell & Evans.

 

[damnfingers]

Thanks Limey - I'll try a roaster next time with the brine...your's sounded delicious!

 

[SuperDave]

damnfingers,
Your chicken wasn't dry was it?  I don't think your problem was brine or the type of chicken you bought.  IMO, 235 was your problem.  There is no way to steam your beer into the chicken at that temperature.  Chicken is meant to be cooked, or smoked at much higher temps than beef or pork.  If you have an Auber, you can crank it up above 250.  If you don't have an Auber, I don't recommend wasting your time with beer can chicken in the smoker.  Try it on your bbq grill and see what the difference is. 

 

[bigbassnutt]

I like to do chicken and turkeys at 275 degrees.

 

[damnfingers]

Thanks SuperDave...no Auber so I'll stick to my wife's fried chicken (I love it)!

 

[DivotMaker]

Gene,

No surprise in your beer can chicken disappointment.  I pursued this, many different ways, over several years.  I just knew there had to be a way to perfect the venerable holy grail of BBQ - the "Beer Can Chicken!"  Nope, there's not.

I know I'll catch some arrows on this one, but here's a great article by Meathead (amazingribs.com) that absolutely confirms what I learned:

http://amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/debunking_beer_can_chicken.html

Bottom line - lots better ways to get stellar roasted/smoked chicken than the beer can.  Keep the beer in your hand and belly, not in the chicken!

 

[Limey]

Very interesting link. I will have to do a few experiments. Agree with Meathead that it does not give chicken a beery taste but I think you do get a very moist bird which is very forgiving if you overcook it somewhat.

 

[damnfingers]

Thanks DM...very interesting link!

 

[Barrel99]

Man, Meathead does seem to go overboard sometimes. That's one heck of an article debunking Beer Can Chicken.