Beer-Can Chicken: And 74 Other Offbeat Recipes for the Grill (Paperback)

by Steven Raichlen (Author), Jim Lambrenos (Illustrator)
Key Phrases: smoker pouch, bird with aluminum foil, chicken skin starts, United States, All-Purpose Barbecue Rub, Black Cherry Barbecue Sauce (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Steven Raichlen's Beer-Can Chicken tells everything one should ever need to know about roasting a chicken upright on top of a can of beer. For those who find that premise strange or silly (Raichlen, in fact, thanks his publisher for being "wacky enough" to produce the book), the author describes beer-can chicken as "the perfect bird, crackly crisp, succulent within ... the most flavorful chicken you've ever tasted."

Raichlen's goal is to encourage grillers to have fun and use their imagination, and he presents 74 "offbeat recipes" as starting points. Notable selections include Beer-Can Turkey, which requires a giant 32-ounce can of Foster's to do the job; Welder's Chicken, a stewing hen wrapped in aluminum foil and turned with welder's gloves; Dirty Steaks, cooked right on the coals; and Diabolical Chicken, soaked with spicy French mustard and which Raichlen makes "whenever I'm short on time or fancy ingredients but want to impress the hell out of my guests." There are also recipes for "beerless birds" (Ginger Ale Chicken, Black Cherry Soda Chicken), side dishes, and desserts, as well as info on grilling techniques and equipment.

A chicken straddling a beer can, at the very least, makes a great conversation piece at an outdoor beer bash. Raichlen's most helpful hint? Make sure the beer can is open before putting it on the grill. --Andy Boynton

From Publishers Weekly
After such all-encompassing efforts as The Barbecue! Bible and How to Grill, Raichlen turns his attention to a single and hilarious style of preparation, one based on an inspired theory: if there is anything a guy loves more than his grill, his brew and his gadgets, it is the opportunity to combine the three into a succulent main course. The basic technique is simplicity itself, boosted by just enough schoolboy rudeness to make it irresistible. Take one whole chicken, insert half a can of a favorite beer into its cavity, then prop it up on the BBQ. The can, in combination with the drumsticks, forms a tripod that keeps the bird upright, allowing the skin to achieve a fine crispness even as the internal steamer flavors the bird and eliminates the need for basting. A cornucopia of rubs, marinades, and beer-can fillers provides for more recipe variations than one would sanely care to attempt (massage the chicken in dill, sugar, garlic and mustard, pour a little Scandinavian liquor in with the ale and, voilØ, Chicken Aquavit). For teetotalers, there are sauces made from cola, ginger ale, peach nectar or lemonade, each with the appropriate can of soft drink inserted into its awaiting fowl. He does include some recipes that might be better in theory than practice, such as the Quail on a Throne, which involves small cans of prune juice and a Cinnamon-Prune sauce. Subtle safety tips are proffered (Never grill a bird on an unopened can!).
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 326 pages
• Publisher: Workman Publishing Company (May 6, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0761120165
• ISBN-13: 978-0761120162
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 4.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #9,363 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

33 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good book, but tough to follow up his previous works., May 21, 2002

By	Matthew Hanley (Marietta, New York USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Although this book sounds a little gimicky, it is still packed with many quality recipes. If anyone has used Raichlen's previous books, you know the recipes produce outstanding results - and this book is no different. I've tried about 12 recipes so far and they've all been outstanding. The Coca-Cola can chicken is every bit as good as the title recipe. (In other words, restaurant quality, or better)

The majority of the book is beer can chicken and its derivatives. And there are quite a few variations on the theme, almost enough to make you forget that this is mostly a book about poultry on a can full of some sort of liquid. Don't get me wrong, the resulting dishes are varied and spectacular, running the gamut from true American barbecue to Asian, to Indian, to Middle East, etc. - similar to his Barbecue Bible. However, you'd better like poultry if you buy this book. There are some meat, fish, and vegetable dishes (and dessert), but it's mostly poultry on a can.

One plus that the author mentions, and most people will figure out, is that even though it is mostly poultry on a can recipes you don't need to stop there. There are so many rubs, sauces, and marinade recipes in there, you can really be creative and do whatever you like with them. Throw in some good tips here and there and you've got a great book.

Call it 4-4.5 stars, simply because the author's previous barbecue books are true 5 star books that are hard to live up to.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Love this book!, November 13, 2002

By	"[e-mail]" (Houston, TexaS United States) - See all my reviews

As a long-time fan of basic "beer-can chicken", I was intrigued by this book and bought it for my husband. Its terrifically original, with lots of unique recipes and variations on the "beer can chicken" theme. (Including recipes for roasting a turkey on a Foster's can and quail on little bitty cans). If you're looking for new and interesting ways to grill, this is a great book.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy, quick and great tasting food, July 1, 2003

By	Alley Vance (Tuscaloosa, AL) - See all my reviews

I became interested in this book after watching the TV show BBQ Bootcamp on the Food Network (try to watch that show if you can, it will help you understand the logic behind the recipes). Now that I have the book and have tried some of the unusual easy recipes I am more pleased than ever. The Beer Can Chicken alone may be the best chicken I've ever had. It's extra juicy and a little spicier than I would have expected but VERY GOOD.