If you search the web for beer butt chicken you will find no end of undignified and unbecoming image; birds with various cans shoved up their rear end, it looks unappealing and unnatural. Which of course is why I chose to use a can of cider. . .
The first thing is to make sure your oven or BBQ can handle the length of your standing fowl. Next is to find a suitable can. I think a 500ml can works best in terms of stability, though they are not nearly as abundant as the standard 330-375ml size.
At 200 degrees C, the actual cooking takes 60-80 minutes. Rub the chicken, inside and out, with a spice rub. I used a teaspoon each of fennel seed and cumin (both pounded in a mortar), a teaspoon of paprika, a teaspoon of salt, half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper and a liberal dose of black pepper. This was mixed with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil. Once coated, place a few springs of thyme in the cavity and then insert the can. Once balanced on a baking tray place on the floor of the oven. I started with both top and bottom cooking elements on, but after 20 minutes, used only bottom heat.
The most notable thing, besides the ungainly presentation, is the moisture and succulence of the meat.
3 comments:
Well there we have it Ed, perhaps my favourite Wino sapien photo yet!
That chicken is strutting with some real attitude! :)
That bird does look quite happy!
Chris and Chaim,
Though the chicken was delicious and rapidly devoured, I'm not sure I can bring myself to cooking it again. It still seems such a strange thing. . .
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