Chicken: Whole or Parts?

Speaking of chicken, has anyone heard of "beer can chicken"? I've never tried it but you take a whole chicken, open a can of beer, stick it up the chicken's butt and set it upright on the grille. Don't know any details about cooking time, etc. but I hear it's great. Has anyone tried this? Think it's a Florida redneck thing.
 
JOHNNIE36 said:
Think it's a Florida redneck thing.
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Ahem. I'm not from Florida, but I've done beer can chicken. It works well as long as you season the chicken well as the beer doesn't add much flavor. It does do a very nice job of adding moisture so you end up with a very tender bird.
 
I stopped eating livers when someone convinced me they were bad for you. True?
 
sander06 said:
The majority of the chickens sold in the supermarket are termed "frankenchickens" because the are a hybrid that matures in approximately eight weeks and must be butchered at that time because by that age they begin having heart attacks and their legs break due to their rapid excessive weight gains. Sounds gross to me!!!!!!! But nothing a little ketchup won't fix!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ha.
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These hybrids are Cornish crosses. These are the chickens you buy at the store since they grow to ~10 lbs in 6-8 weeks!

We got 25 chicks for $0.85 ea. ~4 weeks ago. 3 died, most can't walk well, the legs grow slower than their bodies, and they have to be butchered before 12 weeks or they will die of heart attacks! Still cheaper to go to Costco etc to buy whole chicken since 50lb bags of feed is more expensive than buying truck loads like the large chick houses do. We thought we would give it a try. Next year we will try another breed that does not grow so fast and we will try to free range them. The Cornish Crosses do not forage well (too lazy to walk?).

The Cornish Cross: What is wrong with this picture?!
 
TromboneAl said:
I stopped eating livers when someone convinced me they were bad for you. True?
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the russians and others from the poorer european countries say otherwise. but who knows, over there they eat the non-muscle parts because it's cheaper.
 
The amount of dietary cholesterol has a pretty small impact on serum cholesterol levels. Liver enzymes have more of an effect of cholesterol profile.

That being said, I haven't found chicken livers to be restricted to poor people of any nation. On the contrary, its usually considered to be a delicacy.

While fresh chicken livers are - and should be - available in specialty markets, they are also available frozen in almost all regular supermarkets.
 
I'm not sure that someone who has enjoyed liver pate or other delicacies would necessarily call it crap. Other "crap" could include escargots, mortadella, morcilla, raw oysters, chicken feet, bone marrow, fish sauce, kimchee, pigs feet or any number of great food that plain jane palates don't necessarily like.
 
JOHNNIE36 said:
Khan, thanks for that post. Now I know what items are out there to help me experiment with "beer can chicken". Any preferences on the beer? I think the chickens are pretty generic.
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I've read that you may want to use a stainless steel container for the beer or water instead of a beer can. It appears that the can coating material gives off toxins when exposed to grill heat.
 
JOHNNIE36 said:
Khan, thanks for that post. Now I know what items are out there to help me experiment with "beer can chicken". Any preferences on the beer? I think the chickens are pretty generic.
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For this use, I would suggest: cheapest available.
 
randyman65 said:
I'm not sure that someone who has enjoyed liver pate or other delicacies would necessarily call it crap. Other "crap" could include escargots, mortadella, morcilla, raw oysters, chicken feet, bone marrow, fish sauce, kimchee, pigs feet or any number of great food that plain jane palates don't necessarily like.
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Wow - you've named some of my favorite foods. Thanks!:greetings10:

Now, regarding fresh chicken livers, any mexican supermarket will have a good supply. They also have calf brains for those so inclined.

This thread is making me hungry.
 
randyman65 said:
I'm not sure that someone who has enjoyed liver pate or other delicacies would necessarily call it crap. Other "crap" could include escargots, mortadella, morcilla, raw oysters, chicken feet, bone marrow, fish sauce, kimchee, pigs feet or any number of great food that plain jane palates don't necessarily like.
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Use those, haven't done the others.
 
I really like liver, especially with applesauce. I used to eat it as a snack while preparing a chicken for roasting.

The logic that one hears is: The liver filters out toxins and bad things, so it must be full of toxins and bad things. But a little Internet searching shows that it's not so clearcut:

http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/2002-04/1017695180.An.r.html

WikiAnswers - Is organ meat such as kidney and liver good for you

The Straight Dope: Is liver good for you? Isn't it full of pesticides?
 
TromboneAl said:
I really like liver, especially with applesauce. I used to eat it as a snack while preparing a chicken for roasting.

The logic that one hears is: The liver filters out toxins and bad things, so it must be full of toxins and bad things. But a little Internet searching shows that it's not so clearcut:

Re: Liver.Is it really good for me?

WikiAnswers - Is organ meat such as kidney and liver good for you

The Straight Dope: Is liver good for you? Isn't it full of pesticides?
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I would venture that you shouldn't eat huge amounts of liver, but in general it's not bad. Personally, I just don't like like it; but the cat does.
 
Look what the cat dragged in... :rolleyes:

I used to get a pint of livers at Colonel Chicken, back when cholesterol was a baby...
 
randyman65 said:
I'm not sure that someone who has enjoyed liver pate or other delicacies would necessarily call it crap. Other "crap" could include escargots, mortadella, morcilla, raw oysters, chicken feet, bone marrow, fish sauce, kimchee, pigs feet or any number of great food that plain jane palates don't necessarily like.
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you left out the nastiest of them all, beef tongue. close second is flavored frozen chicken fat

there is a famous british chef who cooks bone marrow, forgot the name. I think he was on Bittman's show last year. i've seen chicken feet served at a dim sum place i've been to, i didn't have any. along with most of the things on the menu.

tried kimchee in korea. would have had more if it wasn't for the peer pressure. and there is like 100 kinds of it there, they make kimchee out of anything.
 
al_bundy said:
you left out the nastiest of them all, beef tongue. close second is flavored frozen chicken fat

there is a famous british chef who cooks bone marrow, forgot the name. I think he was on Bittman's show last year. i've seen chicken feet served at a dim sum place i've been to, i didn't have any. along with most of the things on the menu.

tried kimchee in korea. would have had more if it wasn't for the peer pressure. and there is like 100 kinds of it there, they make kimchee out of anything.
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Tongue and heart are great; I pester the local farmers for them.
 
All true chefs in the world, including American ones, like to cook with offal. It is tastier and allows more varieties. In fact, they sneer on steak houses, calling them "heat and serve" restaurants. Now, think about it and you would have to agree. What else to do to a steak but to heat it?
 
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