Physics Question about Beer-Butt Chicken

KevinH

I've had great success with NakedWhiz's dead-simple spatchcocked chicken. Thanks, NakedWhiz! But some people I know swear by the beer-butt method, so I'm giving it a try right now. Once I got her situated in the egg, a question occurred to me. The beer can is 3/4 of the way to the top of the bird's cavity. I can see it through the neck when I peer down through the dome of the egg. I'm not exactly sure how that is supposed to keep the bird moist inside. Isn't most of the steam going to rise straight out of the neck?[p]If the idea is simply to get the moisture flowing around inside of the egg, I could have just put the beer can on the grate next to the chicken. That would have saved me the trouble I'm going to have later of getting the beer can out of the chicken before carving it.[p]Can any of you experts explain the physics of Beer-Butt Chicken to me?

PapaQ

KevinH,[p]I did two beer butts last week. They were great. I stuffed wedges of apple in the neck of one and onion wedges in the other to help keep the steam inside the chickens.[p]Good luck.[p]Paul

Unknown

KevinH,[p]My theory is the liquid has 2 purposes, to emit moisture during the cook and to limit the cooking temperature. The beer can effectively limits the cooking temp at the interior of the chicken to just above the boiling point of the liquid.

KevinH

I appreciate the replies. It's probably hard to go wrong stuffing an onion in the neck, and paulH may have the correct answer.[p]The chicken turned out fine. I cooked a 4# chicken at 300 for a little over 2 hours, using firebricks and a drip pan for indirect heat. I used a simple paprika based rub and put garlic, onions, peppercorns, worcestershire sauce, and cider vinegar in with the beer. Threw a couple of mesquite chips in with the BGE lump. SWMBO and I don't eat the skin much, so I work to get the rub under the skin. I did rub the chicken with olive oil to help lock in the moisture.[p]The chicken turned out fine, but I really couldn't tell the difference between this method and a spatchcocked chicken. Spatchcock is easier and quicker, so I may prefer that method. Crispier skin, too, if you go in for that. However, I have heard you can cook beer butt chicken at 450 for an hour and get crispy chicken.

Unknown

KevinH,[p]Like you, I prefer spatchcock chicken. The only advantage I see to beer-but chicken is if you want to cook multiple chickens. The spatchcock method takes up a lot of grill space.