roast chicken

We got another 5-lb chicken in our Fresh Fork delivery last week. ANOTHER chicken! Just when I thought I was done sticking my hand inside that cavity to find the giblets … nevermind, I digress.

I already made pretty much the best roast chicken ever (Thanks Mom!) … and I don’t have a deep fryer … so what was I to do with another 5-lb chicken? One of my coworkers, Gail, kept suggesting I make Beer Can Chicken. I have to admit – I was skeptical. Beer Can Chicken? Didn’t that involve sticking a beer up a chicken? That wasn’t something I was really ready to do.

The chicken and the beer can meet … it gets more awkward. (Yes, I have red/white/blue Bud cans)

But when we picked up the chicken, I still didn’t really know what to do with it. And so when I asked B, and he also suggested Beer Can Chicken, I knew it was likely a done deal. So I found a few different highly-rated recipes and decided to give it a try. The result? Awkward? Yes. I may have had a few conversations with the chicken while I was making it. They kinda went like this:

Me: (As I’m pushing the chicken on top of the beer can) Oh boy, I’m so sorry…soo sorry..so sorry Mr. chicken!

B: Who are you talking to?

Me: Uhh, the chicken?

B: Why? What are you saying?

Me: I may be apologizing. I just feel so rude … I’m literally sticking a beer can up this chicken’s … umm …

B: You realize it’s dead, right?

Me: (starting to feel sheepish) Yes …

B: And you realize you already stuck your whole hand inside of it to clean it and take out the giblets, right?

Me: I still have no idea where these giblets are! I think I got another giblet-less chicken!

Okay, that’s probably not word-for-word what happened … but you get the idea. And then when the can had to come out of the chicken? That was even worse. Anyway, if you think you can bring yourself to stick a beer can inside a chicken, then this recipe is for you. Pretty simple, pretty delicious – and the leftovers are just as good!

beer can chicken | i crashed the web

Beer Can Chicken (based on this recipe)

Here’s what you need:

1/2 c. garlic powder
1 tbs salt
2 tbs onion powder
1 tbs oregano (I used dried)
1 tbs basil (I used dried)
1 tbs parsley (I used dried)
freshly ground black pepper
2 (12 fluid ounce) cans light-flavored beer (I had Budweiser®)
1 whole chicken (mine was 5-lb)
1 yellow onion, chopped into one inch pieces
5 large carrots, peeled and chopped into one inch pieces
5 stalks celery, chopped into one inch pieces

Here’s what you do:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
Clean and rinse chicken. This where you’re supposed to discard the giblets, but I honestly didn’t find them. Again. Anyway, wash the inside of the chicken and dry it completely.
Mix the seasonings together in a small bowl – garlic powder, salt, onion powder, dried oregano, basil, parsley, and ground black pepper.
Pour 1/3 of one can of beer into the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Place the open beer can (2/3 full) in the center of the baking dish.
Place the chicken, legs down over the open beer can. With the breast of the chicken facing you, use a knife to cut a small slit on each side of the front of the chicken and insert the tip of each wing into each slit. It will look like it’s crossing its arms.
Rub the dry seasoning mixture over the entire chicken. Place chopped veggies in pan surrounding chicken. Open the remaining beer and pour 1/2 of it into the pan under the chicken and over the veggies. Save the remaining beer.
Bake the chicken for about 45 minutes and then pour remaining beer into the pan around the chicken. Continue baking for about 45 more minutes or until the juices run clear. A meat thermometer should read 165-170 degrees when inserted at the thickest part of the chicken.
Remove the chicken from the oven and remove the beer can. Be careful – it’s hot!
Cover the chicken with aluminum foil, and allow to sit for 10 minutes before slicing. Enjoy with veggies!

Before …

After!

As you can tell by the title of this post, it was a week of firsts! This week B and I picked up our first CSA pickup. I’m excited that we finally signed up for the small share of Fresh Fork and the pick up is just down the street from where we live. It really is perfect!

The first week included some strawberries, red kale, broccoli, black turtle beans, lettuce, eggs and a whole 5+ lb chicken. That’s right, I got a 5+ lb organic pasture-raised chicken to use!

our first week’s CSA goodies

what we’ve done so far with our 1st week of Fresh Fork (ignore the shadow of my hand taking the photo)

We have of course been eating the lettuce for salads, eggs for breakfast, strawberries for snacking and I immediately made the beans to enjoy as part of nearly every meal. The chicken? I had to call / email my mom for her thought – and she suggested I roast it. I figured she was right – she IS my mom, and roasting a chicken is one of the easiest things you can do – plus I’d never done it before!

How did it go? It ended up tasting delicious and we’re halfway through the leftovers. But it wasn’t as easy as it looked. Sure, seasoning it and cooking it? A piece of cake. But cleaning it out? Finding the so-called giblets (pronounced with a soft G, not like I was saying – glib-lets)? I still have no idea if I found them. I had to call my mom and ask her what they looked like and how to take them out. I even took a picture of the inside of the chicken just to share with her so she could tell me where I may find them and how to get them out. Here’s how our conversation kinda went.

Me: I just sent you a picture.

My mom: Of what?

Me: The chicken.

Mom: Is it done?

Me: No, I can’t find the gliblets.

Mom: Giblets? They’re in a bag.

Me: No, this chicken doesn’t have a bag inside it. It’s a REAL chicken. No bags. It’s natural.

Mom: Oh I just got the picture. Eeew! That’s gross. I’m deleting it.

Me: No! Wait! Where are they?

Mom: I see them! See that white thing? Just down the back past them!

Me: Where? I don’t see them!

Mom: Eew, clean it out better, some parts are still red.

Me: Again? I just want to find the giblets!

Mom: They’re right there!

Me: They should have them come painted green or something so you know to take them out. And can find them.

Mom: Then it’s not natural if it’s painted?

That’s pretty much it. Word for word. I know now you’re probably wondering what recipe I used to roast the chicken, right? Because your mouth is watering after hearing that whole conversation? Well, here you go. It’s below. It’s a combination of my mom and Ina Garten’s recipe – and it’s delicious!

My First Roasted Chicken

Here’s what you need:

1 5-6 lb whole chicken, ready to be roasted
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tbs garlic powder
2 tbs parsley
4 tbs thyme
2 tbs (1/4 stick) butter, melted
3 tbs paprika, mixed with water so it’s turned into a paste
1 lemon, quartered
3 bulbs of garlic
1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced
4 carrots cut into 2-inch chunks
4 stalks of celery, cut into 2-inch chunks
1/2 c of chicken broth

Here’s what you do:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Remove the chicken’s neck and giblets. I’m told that if you buy a roasting chicken at the store it will come in a baggy or something … if not, call your mom for help.
Thoroughly rinse the chicken inside and out. Pat the outside VERY dry.
Liberally add salt and pepper and 2 tbs (approx) of thyme the inside of the chicken. Stuff the chicken with the garlic and lemon quarters.
Brush the outside of the chicken with the butter and the paprika paste. Sprinkle again with salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley and remaining 2 tbs (approx) of thyme.
This is where Ina and my mom suggest that you tie the legs together with kitchen string and tuck the wing tips under the body of the chicken. I didn’t have kitchen string and since I’ve seen Bridget Jones Diary I know better than to use any old string. So I didn’t — and it turned out alright!
Place the onions, carrots, and celery in a roasting pan. Pour chicken broth over vegetables. Spread around the bottom of the roasting pan and place the chicken on top. Put it back/but side down and belly side up!
Roast the chicken for 1 1/2 hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between a leg and thigh, or the thickest part of the leg/thigh is 160ish degrees with a meat thermometer. Remove the chicken and vegetables to a platter and cover with aluminum foil for about 20 minutes.
Slice the chicken and serve it with the vegetables.

Ready to go in the oven .. sorta! I texted the photo to my mom and she called to tell me it was upside down. Whoops! And that it should “go on its back not its belly” which is what Ina’s recipe should’ve said in the first place