lemon beer can chicken

 

i maintain that "if you can read, you can cook."  i keep trying to convince my husband of this; my daughter's cooking is heaping evidence in my favor.  so i placed a challenge before the two of them and boy did they succeed.  tasty, juicy, fantasmagorical success.  this is the recipe i compiled at 04:30 am and emailed home.  it definitely did not need to be cooked 20 minutes per pound, as i read in a couple different recipes.  this bad boy is for 2 5-pound chickens, because one bird is just not enough in this house.

2 tsp crushed rosemary
1 tsp thyme
salt & pepper to taste
2 chickens
2 lemons
2 beer cans
frozen green beans
minced garlic & pepper
 
shouldn't take an hour to prep...
 
1 - SHOP:  go to store and buy at least 2 12-oz cans of beer.  (must be
cans.  whatever flavor you want.)
 
2 - SPICE:  have leidy, lars & seamus take turns crushing rosemary in
the mortar & pestle.  easier to crush if it's about 1/2 tsp at a time.
it will prolly take 20 min.  add thyme & pepper (1/4 tsp?) divide this spice rub in half.
 
3-  SLICE:  have bria slice both lemons thinly - maybe 8-10 slices each?
set aside.
 
4 - POUR:  1/3-1/2 beer into a glass, set aside until #7.  puncture a
couple of holes near the top of the cans.  somehow.  spray 9x13 white
baking dish with pam. 
 
5 - RUB:  unwrap chickens.  remove giblets from cavity and put in pot of
water.  rinse chickens inside & out.  slide fingers between skin & flesh
to loosen the skin.  you can do this.  i have faith in you.  have bria
or someone else hold the salt container (the big blue one, not the salt
shaker) and pour salt into your hand, about 1 tsp at a time.  salt the
cavity of both birdies.  have your salt helper pour the spice rub in
your hand and add about the same amount of salt.  rub spices under the
skin on the breasts and thighs.  yes, it's icky.  you CAN do this.
place lemons between flesh & skin on breasts and thighs.
 
6 - place the open chicken cavity over each beer can.  carefully move to
oven - don't worry about preheating it; might be easier if you don't
have to worry about burning yourself!  bake at 325 X 3 hours.  check
every hour or so.  if the skin gets too brown or crispy, cover the
birdies with foil.  if they start to fall apart, they are done early!!
but i will be home by then!
 
7 - WASH:  your hands, elbows, counter, untensils, etc.  drink your
beer.  :)
 
8 -spread the frozen green beans (4-5 handfuls) into the dish under the chickens about 90 minutes into the cooking time.  sprinkle with minced garlic and pepper.

the chicken was falling off the bone, literally halved itself off the beer can!! juicy, tender flesh, slightly sweet and nicely herbed with places of crisped skin.  the can kept the roasting chickens moist and the herbs and lemon UNDER the skin produces a much more flavorful meat.  it is disgusting, but WORTH the effort.  enjoy. :)