406270 Tue May 29 17:41:44 -0700 2007 82 31 Home Cooking 0 2611792 Okay, I have been wanting to make "beer butt chicken" for awhile but my boyfriend says he won't eat it because of all the dyes on the aluminum cans and the toxic chemicals they will produce when heated. Is there any truth to this? Has anyone come up with a solution that would produce the same result but not use an actual beer can? I was thinking a really clean tin can with beer in it... But I really don't know. Any thoughts? Tue May 29 17:41:44 -0700 2007 76054 daily_unadventures 1 2611810 There's always this: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/9085283/index.cfm?clg=69&cm%5Flid=1&pgid=sku9085531&cm%5Fsrc=rel Works fine, but I wouldn't fear the beer can either. Tue May 29 17:48:12 -0700 2007 2611792 14252 sweetpotater 2 2622462 that looks so cool...i just might have to buy it...thanks the blurb mentions "up to a 12 pound chicken"...yikes, that's one big chic!!! Fri Jun 01 20:31:23 -0700 2007 2611810 68998 kleinfortlee 3 2627814 Somebody gave us one as a housewarming gift. It actually works very well indeed! Mon Jun 04 10:24:08 -0700 2007 2622462 14386 BobB 2 2637683 This is what I use, got it as a gift and it's great. I've used it in the oven and on the grill w/wonderful results. The liquid you choose dosn't seem to matter. http://www.mysecretpantry.com/prodinfo.asp?number=1BCCK&gclid=CIfivbfkyYwCFRGCGgodf1wjaw I also received this one for cooking turkey, again best results I've ever had cooking turkey. http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/NTEUnpublishedItem?storeId=6970&langId=-1&rfno=200316978 Thu Jun 07 03:29:09 -0700 2007 2611810 64459 jnk 1 2611831 Steven Raichlen who wrote the book on beer can chicken has said himself that it's safe. Basically, the ink is applied at 500 degrees. In the cooking process, you'll never go above 212 degrees if you follow that process. In other words, you can't get hot enough to get the dyes to revert back to a gaseous or liquid form - no seepage. As the other poster suggests, there are always the kits (Mr. Raichlen makes one himself) that allow you to encase the beer can if this is a sticking point. Tue May 29 17:54:43 -0700 2007 2611792 98228 Stephmo 2 2611910 couldn't you just wrap it in foil? Tue May 29 18:28:45 -0700 2007 2611831 26512 meltedcheese 3 2611980 sounds too simple to me... (j/k)...such a practical solution, seems like a good idea whether it is necessary or not Tue May 29 18:56:42 -0700 2007 2611910 57890 KaimukiMan 3 2622499 Yes, but some people also want to avoid their food having with aluminum. Fri Jun 01 20:54:44 -0700 2007 2611910 42513 Mawrter 2 2613064 The beer can will probably be exposed to well more than 212 of heat. The grill is much hotter than that, and generally some part of the exterior of the can is exposed to direct heat. But I agree that there is probably no reason for concern -- particularly when you factor in that grilling itself is not e very healthy way to cook. Wed May 30 07:53:35 -0700 2007 2611831 43893 C. Hamster 1 2611954 Go For It !!! It is safe, lets all stop being so cautious, while you are at it, drink from the garden hose and toss out the bottled water !! Tue May 29 18:47:31 -0700 2007 2611792 51489 Jimbosox04 2 2612205 I say go for it as well. I really hate it when these overpriced cookware stores like Williams Sonoma and Sur La Table make something like this fancy beer can chicken cooker for $30. The whole point here is that you have something around, like beer, and use the can for something else. Pretty soon they'll come up with a stainless steel coffee can to bake Boston brown bread in and charge $40. Tue May 29 20:38:01 -0700 2007 2611954 10245 oakjoan 3 2618295 But coffee cans are too small now for my mom's recipe for BBB! Thu May 31 14:20:08 -0700 2007 2612205 11995 pikawicca 3 2627273 I got the W-S vertical roaster on clearance a few years ago (Who pays full price for things at W-S, anyway? :-) ) and I really love it. The base makes a fine basket for grilling veggies, and the bird is more stable and much easier to handle. I never worried about toxins leaching from the can as much as I worried about the bird falling over or losing it when trying to move it from the grill to the plate. Mon Jun 04 07:55:31 -0700 2007 2612205 69452 jzerocsk 1 2612038 I make beer can chicken alllll the time and it's always delish. Never had a problem with a tinny taste or any of the dyes. Also I usually add a peice of ginger into the beer for another aromatic :) Tue May 29 19:23:35 -0700 2007 2611792 69079 starlady 2 2616645 I'll definitely drop some ginger and garlic into the can next time. As other people have said, I don't think it matters what liquid you use. We seldom have beer around and usually use Coke. I've also used La Croix lemon fizzy water. What you put on the chicken (I put Stubb's rub all over it, under the skin, and inside too) seems to matter more. I love to make beer can chicken--fun, easy, always comes out moist and tender. I read about a guy who made a contraption that could hold up to six chickens at once! Now that's a party! Thu May 31 07:58:00 -0700 2007 2612038 10550 zorra 1 2612041 Safe? Yes. Worth it? Dubious... Tue May 29 19:24:46 -0700 2007 2611792 18981 Jimmy Buffet 2 2612048 Worth it? You bet your can it's worth it. It's some of the most tender, succulent chicken ever to come off my grill. Sometimes I use a can of frozen pink lemonade instead of beer and we like that even better. Tue May 29 19:29:14 -0700 2007 2612041 50795 greenstate 3 2612122 I use ginger ale too :) Tue May 29 20:01:03 -0700 2007 2612048 69079 starlady 3 2612497 Frozen pink lemonade? Is that concentrate, or actual soda (Minute Maid?) that's been frozen? ETA: Or a beer can emptied and refilled with pink lemonade. Sometimes I am really dense... at least I didn't try freezing a can of soda *cough* again *cough*. Tue May 29 23:02:45 -0700 2007 2612048 64157 dietfoodie 4 2612677 Frozen pink lemonade concentrate is something I always have, so one day I pulled it out of the freezer, stuck the chicken on top of it, and baked. Necessity is the mother of invention! Wed May 30 04:47:47 -0700 2007 2612497 50795 greenstate 5 2614468 I am totally going to try that next time I do a chicken! You didn't have any issues with the paper container melting or anything? (I can't afford another fiery grill disaster until everyone's forgotten the last one.) Wed May 30 13:37:39 -0700 2007 2612677 64157 dietfoodie 5 2617878 Interesting! However, in my town, pink lemonade comes in a cardboard can with metal ends. That, I'd have to pass on. Thu May 31 12:43:50 -0700 2007 2612677 58961 dhedges53 2 2613207 As a native New Yorker now living in Texas, I never ate beer can chicken until a few weeks ago. Bone Daddy's, which is a pedestrian barbecue chain more known for skimpily clad waitresses than food, had been overflowing with diners since it opened near the DFW airport a couple of months ago. You can't even find a parking spot in the lot because of the crowd. We wanted to see what all the fuss was about. (I do think it is about the young girls, and not the food.) So, my husband and I tried it because it seemed like it could be one of the best things on the menu. Apparently it is --juicy, flavorful, and, hopefully, really cooked using a beer can. At least that's what they said, but who knows? Their kitchen might be stocked with dozens of WS's imitation beer can chicken holders for all I know. I was so surprised at how good it was that we are going to try to cook it at home on the grill one of these nights. Wed May 30 08:41:37 -0700 2007 2612041 87837 RGC1982 1 2612184 If you have a problem with the dyes and such on the can you could use a couple of unlined, washed tin cans. Stainless steel molds of all sorts can be found at a resty supply store, and the are as safe as you will ever find. I use the beer can and have never had a problem. Tue May 29 20:29:13 -0700 2007 2611792 22220 Kelli2006 1 2615808 I have used root beer and orange soda, both very good. U can use anything creative. I added herbs to the soda, plugged the neck with an onion - it was soooo tender. Wed May 30 20:26:53 -0700 2007 2612295 49588 lexpatti 1 2612326 My husband makes it all the time..fabulous. If it's good enough for the Barbecue Bible man..it's good enough for us. Tue May 29 21:28:37 -0700 2007 2611792 11408 melly 1 2612495 I too make it all the time and there is no sign that the beer can is interacting with the chicken in anyway. I like to be fairly cautious, but in this case your boyfriend is really reaching. Tue May 29 23:01:06 -0700 2007 2611792 39764 coconutz 1 2612987 To chime in with all others, my BF and I just made our first beer can chicken and there was absolutely no tinny taste and the dyes on the can didn't budge at all. The can was disqustingly covered in chicken goo but under all that it looked totally normal. And we checked because my boyfriend was also convinced that the dyes would react and give us killer chicken. But if you really are worried about it I see no reason why you couldn't either use a clean tin can or just wrap the beer can in foil. Both would give you that extra piece of mind with almost no added work....and certainly without the added expense of the beer can style roaster do-hickeys. And really...it sounds redneck to say that you're shoving a beer can up a chicken's butt and throwing it on the grill (not that that's a bad thing) but it is really very good. In my experience, it was second only to the Zuni chicken for crispy skin + tender succulent meat. And second only because the skin wasn't as perfectly crispy...the meat was actually more juicy and tender (but I love me some crispy skin). I'd imagine you could get the skin to crisp up perfectly (instead of almost perfectly) if you were cooking on a gas grill and could crank the heat for the last bit of cooking. We were using charcoal and didn't have that option. Wed May 30 07:29:51 -0700 2007 2611792 58274 wawajb 2 2613050 TO get the skin really crispy I CRANK the grill up really high and leave it going for a half hour before lowering it. Also the less times you open the grill and let the heat escape the better. I love crispy skin too and the secret is the original high heat followed by slow and low without opening it up to let the heat escape. Also oiling the bird up beforehand is key Wed May 30 07:49:53 -0700 2007 2612987 12484 MVNYC 3 2613130 ohmigawd... I'm buying a chicken on the way home! Tender succulent meat and crispy skin.... Wed May 30 08:10:39 -0700 2007 2613050 90565 Cookiefiend 3 2613371 You can also leave the chicken in the fridge on a rack over a plate (or just on the plate) to let the skin air dry overnight. That's another sure bet for achieving crispier skin. I do it with Thanksgiving turkeys, too. Wed May 30 09:27:38 -0700 2007 2613050 11098 BackyardChef 1 2613009 Michael Chu writes a blog "Cooking for Engineers" in which he tested whether the beer made any difference and he concluded that it didn't. His account is here: http://www.cookingforengineers.com/article/171/Beer-Can-Chicken He also gives a link to an alternative to beer cans. Wed May 30 07:35:28 -0700 2007 2611792 12335 cheryl_h 2 2613242 i've always found that you can prove any hypothesis by taking a simple, well-established idea, do it completely WRONG (in order to have scientific objectivity, of course), & then writing a paper about it so you and your friends can flex your big frontal lobes. i wouldn't eat a meal at this guy's house-- i'd drive over a bridge he designed, though. the exact opposite would hold for almost every good cook i know, & i think that's probably a good thing. Wed May 30 08:48:50 -0700 2007 2613009 46030 soupkitten 1 2613098 I hope so, because it's our favorite way of grilling chicken--always so moist and tender. Easy, except for clean-up. We have graduated from an actual beer can to the teflon beer can chicken tray thingie. The teflon tray does capture the juices, which might be a bad thing if you want the smokey flavor that comes from the juices running off into the fire. But, we don't eat the skin anyway since it's kind of rubbery. The chicken meat, is moist and tender though. (I'm sure the ideas above for getting the skin crispy are very effective and delicious, but I don't need any excuses to eat chicken skin so I'm going to pretend I didn't see them.) ~TDQ Wed May 30 08:01:51 -0700 2007 2611792 12005 The Dairy Queen 2 2613139 Something about using teflon on a grill, exposed to open flame, that makes me nervous. Wed May 30 08:14:36 -0700 2007 2613098 43893 C. Hamster 3 2613270 Oh dear, that's a worry I didn't know I should have. It's actually made by Weber. It has a non-stick surface on the "stand" part that touches the chicken, as well as on the tray that catches the drippings. We have a gas grill. Do you think this is not safe? http://www.weber.com/bbq/pub/shop/product/view.aspx?ProductID=1073 EDIT: Oh, and now that I've clicked the link on the WS version, I see theirs has holes in the "tray" to allow the drippings to run through, thereby solving the problem for folks who want the smokey flavor created by the drippings. By the way, we just got that grill top pizza stone featured on the same WS page as the beer can chicken roaster and we love it. The pizza crust comes out wonderfully! ~TDQ Wed May 30 08:56:49 -0700 2007 2613139 12005 The Dairy Queen 4 2617990 I have this one too and the chicken comes out great - mine had a bit of crispy skin on it. I put some veggies in the tray too, yummy! Only problem was getting the chicken off of it, seemed like it would be easier than it was. No matter - tasted the same shredded a bit :-) I'm sure it's safe - Weber is very well respected and they probably tested the s--t out of it before they sent it out to market. Thu May 31 13:14:15 -0700 2007 2613270 12099 sivyaleah 1 2613132 My thoughts on this topic: I have made the beer can chicken 2 times and found it to be a decent, different variation on chicken, it does come out juicy. Regarding the"health risk" of the beer can, and even as someone mentioned grilling in general, I kind of chuckle at these notions. I live/eat for today, as the great lyricist of The Grateful Dead, Robert Hunter penned: "if the thunder dont get you than the lightning will." Wed May 30 08:11:06 -0700 2007 2611792 26725 swsidejim 1 2613212 i see 2 possible scenarios for the o.p.-- 3 if you decide not to do beer can chicken, in which case the op and bf should move to sheboygan and get an all-beige wardrobe :) 1. yeah if he's wigging out just use a clean tin can with the beer-- the whole point of the beer can is that it's the original vessel of the beer anyway, that and that you slice the top off the can and then, erm, shove it, *uhhh* in the rear orifaces of differently. . . endowed. . . or shaped chickens, scrunching if necessary for a smaller fowl. . . ***insert sir mixalot sample*** 2. oh come on, we're talking about the op having the once in a lifetime opportunity to use tinsnips on the top of a can of budweiser tallboy, handing the (jagged edged intentionally?) thing to BF and saying "shove it, hon," or whatever! what could be better?! then the chicken will be so good that you'll want to do the whole thing over again, and lingering thoughts of possible toxins will flit away like applewood smoke over the may morning rooftops. . . sorry, it will be hickory for us today, and pork, but don't get me started-- it doesn't matter what you shove, just shove somethin up thar! remember that it's fun! Wed May 30 08:42:48 -0700 2007 2611792 46030 soupkitten 1 2613255 it wasnt safe last week when my wife left the grill on direct, rather than indirect heat. She returned to find the bird on fire. A good lesson learned by all. When done slowly, over indirect heat, with a BBQ rub, it is both tender and flavorful. Wed May 30 08:52:23 -0700 2007 2611792 12241 ooroger 1 2613481 Wowee what a thread!! Thanks everyone for posting. I will definitely convey the thoughts over the the bf and if he still being all difficult I will use a tin can or similar instead of an actual beer can. But for the record, I don't drink bottled water and I did grow up in a house where a bit of a dirt is good for you. I wouldn't even have thought about it except for him. If you listen to all the things you shouldn't do too much then you wouldn't do anything.. but everyone has to draw their line somewhere, smoking, drinking, processed foods..what have you. heheh.. thanks for the fabulous images of him shoving a can up the... Not to mention baby got back is now stuck in my head. Wed May 30 09:56:25 -0700 2007 2611792 76054 daily_unadventures 2 2613703 The liquid in the can will not add any significant flavor, just moisture. It doesn't matter if it's water, beer, Coke or lemonade. As the liquid heats up it's the water that evaporates to moisturize the chicken and this carries little if any flavor components. So don't dwell on seasoning the liquid but do season the chicken. Wed May 30 10:52:33 -0700 2007 2613481 89493 scubadoo97 3 2613719 or add other aromatics in the can to provide additional flavors-- garlic, onion....etc... Wed May 30 10:55:18 -0700 2007 2613703 11098 BackyardChef 3 2616511 I'm in agreement on this one...I've found that various liquids (ginger ale, beers, cola, 7-Up, lemonade, brewed tea, pineapple juice, orange juice, etc) don't impart a whole lot of flavor, but garlic & ginger dropped into the liquid do make a small difference. A light coating of oil & dry rub on the outside provide most of the flavor; marinating the whole chicken for a couple of hours before grilling really boosts taste. Still, it is the single easiest way to cook a whole chicken, by far. Once you figure out your grill's particular idiosyncracies, you only need to rotate it once, halfway thru cooking. It requires almost NO attention. Thu May 31 07:15:03 -0700 2007 2613703 12023 Hungry Celeste 4 2616572 I've read articles that say that liquid that is used makes no difference. I'm guessing it's because all that boils off is water. DT Thu May 31 07:37:58 -0700 2007 2616511 11291 Davwud 5 2616596 Other compounds do indeed boil off other than water....aromatic oils & other flavoring ingredients are released (depending on the liquid), but are in too small quantities & are quite ephemeral & overwhelmed by the heavier, carbonized grill-char flavors. Thu May 31 07:45:22 -0700 2007 2616572 12023 Hungry Celeste 1 2614375 If it were dangerous, NASCAR tracks all over the south would be littered with dead bodies. Yes it's good to be cautious when it comes to your health. But being paranoid of every little thing is bad for your health. DT Wed May 30 13:21:35 -0700 2007 2611792 11291 Davwud 2 2615009 Maybe it just damages your brain enough to make you drive in circles a lot. Wed May 30 15:58:51 -0700 2007 2614375 10784 Scrapironchef 3 2615064 when they start taking right hand turns I will worry about the can. I don't think it is painted with lead paint is it ? He He Thought I would add a pic of my beautiful beer can chicken on the grill with some "grill-woked potatoes, peppers and onions" MMMMmmmmm How do you say NO to this ?? Wed May 30 16:16:07 -0700 2007 2615009 51489 Jimbosox04 4 2615294 Looks soo good. The bf still isn't convinced. For some reason he thinks trusting people on the internet to be credible is flawed. Sigh. Still though, something metallic is getting shoved up somebody's butt, and soon! Wed May 30 17:33:07 -0700 2007 2615064 76054 daily_unadventures 5 2615575 See, this is the problem. What's worse? People believing what they read on the internet? Or not believing what they read on the internet? You gotta figure out if the information is credible, for goodness sake! And then at some point you have to ask yourself, "so what's the worse case scenario?" If a Budweiser label is the worse thing you ever eat, you're pretty lucky. Wed May 30 19:00:53 -0700 2007 2615294 32444 MakingSense 6 2615618 I really like this makingsense guy, he is right up my alley....I agree with ya Bro !!! Keep it simple but make it complicated is the American way Wed May 30 19:12:30 -0700 2007 2615575 51489 Jimbosox04 7 2616212 I agree I also think that if there were some inherent danger, we'd have heard about it by now. What with how popular this method has become. DT Thu May 31 04:06:51 -0700 2007 2615618 11291 Davwud 6 2616816 Besides, where are his facts that beer can chicken DOES do you harm? Thu May 31 08:44:52 -0700 2007 2615575 17481 QueenB 7 2616836 he probably got it off the internet! LMFAO! Thu May 31 08:50:24 -0700 2007 2616816 46030 soupkitten 8 2616847 I wasn't going to type that, but I sure was thinking it!!! Thu May 31 08:54:45 -0700 2007 2616836 17481 QueenB 4 2616434 How can I say no? Because it's cooked over gas....LOL!!!! Just joshin' (insert goofy smiley here) Thu May 31 06:49:03 -0700 2007 2615064 11098 BackyardChef 5 2616583 well, here's the moment i realize that for all i know everyone on this thread is talking about doing this method of poultry cookery in the oven like the engineer, or on a gas grill????!!!! i'm a little slow sometimes, i guess-- is anyone besides me and BackyardChef talking about smoke cooking here? Thu May 31 07:41:53 -0700 2007 2616434 46030 soupkitten 6 2616597 We do beer can chicken on a gas grill. ~TDQ Thu May 31 07:45:38 -0700 2007 2616583 12005 The Dairy Queen 6 2616599 I'm doing it on a gas grill with soaked wood chips in the smoking tray. So I guess it's a hybrid method... Thu May 31 07:46:07 -0700 2007 2616583 12023 Hungry Celeste 7 2617842 I do that too. CHips and a gas grill. Thu May 31 12:36:38 -0700 2007 2616599 69079 starlady 6 2616637 Gas grill. Always. Did beer can duck too. Make sure to put down a drip pan. DT Thu May 31 07:56:21 -0700 2007 2616583 11291 Davwud 7 2616652 Have you seen the turkey rocket? It's a sort of sideways rack that holds up a whole turkey. Thu May 31 08:00:22 -0700 2007 2616637 12023 Hungry Celeste 6 2616664 Yes! A good old beat-up smoker, with mesquite chunk charcoal and sometimes some soaked wood chips too. I have cooked it in the oven before, though, and that worked out all right (minus the smoky flavor, of course). Thu May 31 08:04:26 -0700 2007 2616583 10550 zorra 6 2616858 not that the method wouldn't work, just that you'd miss all that fruit-wood smokiness! Hungry Celeste's hybrid method would approx some of the flavor in a gas grill. . . i'd rec everyone tries beer can chickens done in a real slow smoker at some point, it's the real deal! Thu May 31 08:57:02 -0700 2007 2616583 46030 soupkitten 7 2617992 we use a soup or veggie can, remove the paper label (and glue) and wrap it in foil. we find this to be a pretty sturdy alternative to the beer can. also - this recipe from food network is awesome http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_32921,00.html Thu May 31 13:14:44 -0700 2007 2616858 43709 coffee_addict 6 2620158 I always do it over lump charcoal, but only sometimes with smoke. (Depending on the rub or on my foresight to soak some chips.) Fri Jun 01 07:33:36 -0700 2007 2616583 100905 cali2ia 1 2624450 Here's another option http://www.amazon.com/Cameron-Cookware-Chicken-Beer-Roaster/dp/B0000TPCZY Sat Jun 02 19:48:18 -0700 2007 2611792 89203 jword2001 2 2624469 "Who knows where the can has been and what inks might come off if you insist on cooking on an aluminum beer can?" How can you trust the opinion of someone trying to sell you something?? DT Sat Jun 02 19:59:14 -0700 2007 2624450 11291 Davwud 2 2691267 I like the looks of this, nice and strudy. No tippee Mon Jun 25 08:52:47 -0700 2007 2624450 11234 toodie jane 1 2627311 can this be done in a home oven as well as a grill? can the bird be cooked horizontally instead of vertically? Mon Jun 04 08:09:35 -0700 2007 2611792 103050 nyc_cravings 2 2627797 I think the vertical orientation is one of the things that makes it work, but if did it right it could probably work lying down. Sounds like a good excuse to relive your college days and "shotgun" half of the beer :-) But you can definitely do it in the oven. I did it just last night since I didn't feel like tending the grill in the pouring rain. I think the only caveat is to make sure you put something underneath to catch the drippings. Mon Jun 04 10:19:59 -0700 2007 2627311 69452 jzerocsk 3 2631144 did you cook last night in the oven vertically? just the bird, the beer, and a sheet pan? Tue Jun 05 08:45:37 -0700 2007 2627797 103050 nyc_cravings 4 2631216 Yes...although I have a roasting basket designed for this sort of thing (see my post above in this same thread), but that's pretty much all there is to it. Tue Jun 05 09:14:24 -0700 2007 2631144 69452 jzerocsk 1 2627556 I have given this "safety" question lots of thought, and i guess beer can chicken could get pretty exciting if you forgot to open the can...BOOM...not good!, my question is has anyone tried this method with turkey?,using maybe a large veggie can filled with liquid?, if so how long would you cook per pound in the oven,not the grill,thanks. Mon Jun 04 09:15:03 -0700 2007 2611792 89203 jword2001 2 2627829 I believe it was Steve Raichlen (BBQ U) did it. He used a Fosters king can for the turkey. He also did a duck (Which I've done) and if memory serves, he did a Cornish game hen on a tiny can of beer. I can attest for the duck. It was great. DT Mon Jun 04 10:28:07 -0700 2007 2627556 11291 Davwud 3 2631124 Raichlen has an entire cookbook devoted to the beer can method--it's a book I own & recommend to others. IIRC, the cornish hens are done on little cans of pineapple juice. Tue Jun 05 08:41:35 -0700 2007 2627829 12023 Hungry Celeste 4 2642399 Hey, I was just at the used bookstore and saw this cookbook sitting on the shelf--I remembered your recommendation, so I picked it up. Some of the recipes in here look fantastic! And it looks like he has a sense of humor, too. Thanks for the recommendation. Along with our "vegetable share" this year, we're getting whole chickens from our CSA and this cookbook will give us plenty to experiment with. ~TDQ Fri Jun 08 11:12:48 -0700 2007 2631124 12005 The Dairy Queen 1 2631184 When I make beer can chicken the chicken usually burns and I wake up on the floor in a puddle of drool. That could be because I'm drinking all of that canned Shlitz... I may have the methodology incorrect, but I digress. If he is afraid, open a can of beans or something, pull the label and wash out and then pour the beer in there. Cowboys have been cooking in these cans on hot coals for a century and those crusty ole' bastages seem to be alright. Tue Jun 05 08:59:16 -0700 2007 2611792 88192 holy chow 1 2631237 It is safe, not only is the ink applied at high heat to "seal" it, any ink that comes in contact with food or drink must be FDA approved. So assuming you trust the government... Tue Jun 05 09:18:38 -0700 2007 2611792 32853 mmalmad 1 2635295 I've made this twice in the oven at home and once on a gas grill. I've never gotten sick, nor has anyone else that ate it. Wed Jun 06 11:00:28 -0700 2007 2611792 19594 FoodFanNYC 1 2642271 Just for the record, I had my first ever beer can chicken the other day at a friend's house, and I'm still alive. And I could definitely taste the beer (she used Budweiser -- it's pretty, um, distinctive). I suspect the guy linked to above who couldn't taste any difference between the beer and water had too many other spices going on; my friend just used a very simple, very mild barbeque rub. Fri Jun 08 10:38:12 -0700 2007 2611792 64157 dietfoodie