Beer-can chicken is a way of life for me. That is to say, I use the beer-canning process not just with chicken but with all manner of poultry, from diminutive quail to oversize turkeys. The secret is the choice of beverage and the size of the can. A 6-ounce juice can is just small enough to accommodate a small bird like that quail, while a 32-ounce can of Australian Foster’s lager can handle a whole Thanksgiving turkey. Along the way in this chapter, you’ll find duck barbecued on a “tall boy” (an oversize 16-ounce beer can), some game hens that are fair game for beer canning; and a partridge cooked on my kind of pear tree—a can of pear nectar. Who said beer-can chicken is only good for chicken? It’s a whole new ball game out there, and here are some of the latest star players.
He wouldn’t. He couldn’t. Human decency simply wouldn’t allow a person to force such a small, delicate bird as a quail onto a beer can. True, but what about using a smaller can, say a 6-ounce can of pineapple juice? Pineapple juice is an indispensable barbecue ingredient in Hawaii, and it makes a knockout barbecue sauce for quail. These little soldiers lined up on their juice cans look cool, and when you serve them, everyone will admire your ingenuity.
8 cans (6 ounces each) pineapple juice
2 tablespoons Asian (dark) sesame oil or vegetable oil, plus vegetable oil for oiling the cans
8 quail (about 2 pounds total)
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
Pineapple Sauce (recipe follows)
YOU’LL ALSO NEED:
2 cups wood chips or chunks (optional; preferably apple or cherry), soaked for 1 hour in water to cover, then drained
Poultry shears (optional)
1. Pop the tab off each juice can. Pour half of the juice (6 tablespoons per can, 3 cups total) into a large heavy saucepan and set aside for the sauce. Using a church key-style can opener, make 1 additional hole in the top of each can. Generously rub the outside of the cans with vegetable oil (this facilitates removing the quail) and set aside.
2. Remove the wire frames from the quail, if necessary. Rinse the quail under cold running water and then drain and blot dry with paper towels. Generously season the inside of each quail with salt and pepper. Drizzle some of the sesame oil over the outside of each quail and rub or brush it all over the skin. Season the outsides of the quail with salt and pepper, rubbing them all over the skin.
3. Holding a quail upright, with the opening of the body cavity at the bottom, lower it onto the juice can so the can fits into the cavity. You’ll need to do some tugging and pulling. If the fit is really tight, using poultry shears, make cuts on either side of the backbone, starting at the tail and going about halfway up the back. Repeat with the remaining quail. Tuck the wing tips behind the back of each quail.
4. Set up the grill for indirect grilling (see page 9 for both charcoal and gas) and preheat to medium-high. If using a charcoal grill, place a large drip pan in the center. If using a gas grill, place all the wood chips or chunks, if using, in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch (see page 12) and preheat on high until you see smoke, then reduce the heat to medium-high.
5. When ready to cook, if using a charcoal grill, toss all of the wood chips or chunks, if using, on the coals. Arrange the quail in the center of the hot grate, over the drip pan and away from the heat. The quail legs won’t be long enough to reach the grate, so you’ll need to balance the cans so the quail stand upright. Cover the grill and cook the quail until the skins are a dark golden brown and very crisp and the meat is cooked through (the breast will feel firm to the touch when done), 20 to 30 minutes (see page 27 for other tests for doneness). If the quail start to brown too much, lay a sheet of aluminum foil over them.
6. Using tongs to take hold of the can, care fully transfer the quail one by one in an upright position on its juice can to a platter and present them to your guests. Let the quail rest for 5 minutes, then carefully lift them off the cans (you may need to twist them gently). Wear a kitchen mitt to protect your fingers. Take care not to spill the hot pineapple juice or otherwise burn yourself. Serve the quail whole, 2 per person, with Pineapple Sauce.
SERVES 4
Sweet, acidic, fruity, and distinctively perfumed, pineapple juice has the perfect flavor profile for a barbecue sauce. This sauce has an Asian accent and you can make it as fiery or mild as you desire, depending on how much chili sauce you add.
3 cups pineapple juice (reserved from Pineapple Juice Quail)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 to 3 teaspoons Srircha (Thai hot sauce) or your favorite hot sauce
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
2 tablespoons butter
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1. Put the pineapple juice, brown sugar, soy sauce, hot sauce, cilantro, and ginger in a large heavy saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick, richly flavored, and reduced to about 2 cups, 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
MAKES about 2 cups
What is it about prunes? They get so little respect in the United States. A very different attitude prevails in Europe, where Italians eat prune gelato; Yugoslavians sip prune brandy; and the French consume prunes in everything from duck to yogurt to Armagnac. The truth is that the prune is a superb fruit, and here I’ve given it the royal treatment. I think you’ll find prune juice, with its rich earthy flavors, makes a compelling barbecue sauce.
FOR THE RUB:
1 tablespoon coarse salt (kosher or sea)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1½ teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
8 cans (6 ounces each) prune juice
8 quail (about 2 pounds total)
2 tablespoons walnut oil or olive oil
Vegetable oil for oiling the cans
Cinnamon-Prune Sauce (recipe follows)
YOU’LL ALSO NEED:
2 cups wood chips or chunks (optional; preferably hickory or oak), soaked for 1 hour in water or beer to cover, then drained
Poultry shears (optional)
1. Make the rub: Put the salt, brown sugar, pepper, coriander, and cinnamon in a small bowl and stir to mix.
2. Pop the tab off each juice can. Pour half of the juice (6 tablespoons per can, 3 cups total) into a large heavy saucepan and set aside for the sauce. Using a church key-style opener, make 1 additional hole in the top of each can. Generously oil the outside of the cans (this facilitates removing the quail) and set aside.
3. Remove the wire frames from the quail, if necessary. Rinse the quail under cold running water and then drain and blot dry with paper towels. Season the inside of each quail with some of the rub. Drizzle some of the walnut oil over the outside of each quail and rub or brush it all over the skin. Sprinkle the outside of the quail with the remaining rub and rub it all over the skin.
4. Holding a quail upright, with the opening of the body cavity at the bottom, lower it onto the juice can so the can fits into the cavity. You’ll need to do some tugging and pulling. If the fit is really tight, using poultry shears, make cuts on either side of the backbone, starting at the tail and going about halfway up the back. Repeat with the remaining quail. Tuck the wing tips behind the back of each quail.
5. Set up the grill for indirect grilling (see page 9 for both charcoal and gas) and preheat to medium-high. If using a charcoal grill, place a large drip pan in the center. If using a gas grill, place all the wood chips or chunks, if using, in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch (see page 12) and preheat on high until you see smoke, then reduce the heat to medium-high.
6. When ready to cook, if using a charcoal grill, toss all of the wood chips or chunks, if using, on the coals. Arrange the quail in the center of the hot grate, over the drip pan and away from the heat. Their legs won’t be long enough to reach the grate, so you’ll need to balance the cans so the quail stand upright. Cover the grill and cook the quail until the skins are a dark golden brown and very crisp and the meat is cooked through (the breast will feel firm to the touch when done) 20 to 30 minutes (see page 27 for other tests for doneness). If the quail start to brown too much, lay a sheet of aluminum foil over them.
7. Using tongs to take hold of the can, care fully transfer the quail one by one in an upright position on its juice can to a platter and present them to your guests. Let the quail rest for 5 minutes, then carefully lift them off the cans ( you may need to twist them gently). Take care not to spill the hot prune juice or otherwise burn yourself. Serve the quail whole, 2 per person, with Cinnamon-Prune Sauce.
SERVES 4
Prune juice may seem like a strange ingredient for a barbecue sauce—until you pause to consider that prune juice possesses sweetness, acidity, and all sorts of interesting plummy and fruity flavors. In short, it has just the sort of flavor profile you’d look for in any barbecue sauce.
3 cups prune juice (reserved from Quail on a Throne)
2 cinnamon sticks (3 inches each)
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons ketchup
½ teaspoon liquid smoke
2 tablespoons butter
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
1. Put the prune juice, cinnamon sticks, hoisin sauce, honey, brown sugar, lemon juice, ketchup, and liquid smoke in a large heavy saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until thick, richly flavored, and reduced to about 2 cups, about 10 minutes, whisking from time to time.
2. Remove the pan from the heat and discard the cinnamon sticks. Whisk in the butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If the sauce is too thick or concentrated, add a little water. The sauce can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 2 weeks. Let return to room temperature before serving.
MAKES about 2 cups
The dark, rich meat of a partridge is, like most game, quite lean, so the challenge in cooking it is to keep the meat moist. What better way to accomplish this than by roasting it upright over an open can of fruit juice? Game has a natural affinity for autumn fruit, which gave me the idea to pair the partridge with a pear barbecue sauce. I think you’ll find the combination quite irresistible.
4 partridges (about 14 ounces each)
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground pepper
4 bay leaves
6 tablespoons (¾ stick) salted butter, melted
4 cans (5½ ounces each) pear nectar
Vegetable oil for oiling the cans
Pear Sauce (recipe follows)
YOU’LL ALSO NEED:
2 cups wood chips or chunks (preferably apple or cherry), soaked for 1 hour in water to cover, then drained
Poultry shears (optional)
1. Rinse the partridges, inside and out, under cold running water, then drain and blot dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Season the body and neck cavities of the birds with salt and pepper. Place a bay leaf in the body cavity of each bird. Brush the outside of each bird with some of the melted butter and season generously with salt and pepper.
2. Pop the tabs off the pear nectar cans. Pour half of the pear nectar from each can (about 1½ cups in all) into a large heavy saucepan and set aside for the sauce. Using a church key-style can opener, make 1 additional hole in the top of each can. Oil the outsides of the nectar cans.
3. Holding a partridge upright, with the opening of the body cavity at the bottom, lower it onto the nectar can so the can fits into the cavity. It may take a little twisting to get the can to fit. If the fit is really tight, using poultry shears, make cuts on either side of the backbone, starting at the tail and going about halfway up the back. Repeat with remaining partridge.
4. Set up the grill for indirect grilling (see page 9 for both charcoal and gas) and preheat to medium-high. If using a charcoal grill, place a large drip pan in the center. If using a gas grill, place all the wood chips or chunks in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch (see page 12) and preheat on high until you see smoke, then reduce the heat to medium-high.
5. When ready to cook, if using a charcoal grill, toss all of the wood chips or chunks on the coals. Stand the partridges in the center of the hot grate, over the drip pan and away from the heat. Cover the grill and cook the partridges until the skins are a dark golden brown and very crisp and the meat is cooked through (about 160°F on an instant-read meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh, but not touching the bone), 30 minutes (see page 27 for other tests for doneness). Baste the partridges with melted butter after 10 minutes of cooking, taking care not to knock the birds over, and again when the partridges are cooked. If the birds start to brown too much, loosely tent them with aluminum foil.
6. Using tongs, hold a partridge by the can and carefully transfer it in an upright position to a platter. Repeat with the remaining partridge. Let the partridges rest for 5 minutes, then carefully lift them off the cans. Take care not to spill the hot nectar or otherwise burn yourself. Serve the partridges with the Pear Sauce.
SERVES 4
The wonderful earthy fruitiness of this sauce comes from pear nectar, while the butter will bathe the partridge meat, ensuring that it’s moist. You can substitute white rum for eau-de-vie de poire Williams, but if you can find the pear spirit (try a premium wine and spirits shop), it adds an extra dose of pear flavor.
1½ cups pear nectar (reserved from Partridge on a Pear Can)
1 stick salted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
½ cup beer
⅓ cup ketchup
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons eau-de-vie de poire Williams or white rum
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
A few drops fresh lemon juice (optional)
1. Put the pear nectar in a large heavy saucepan. Bring it to a boil over high heat and let boil until reduced to ⅔ cup, 6 to 10 minutes.
2. Reduce the heat to medium and whisk in the butter, beer, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and eau-de-vie. Let the sauce simmer over medium heat until richly flavored and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper and a few drops of lemon juice, if desired, to taste. The sauce can be served warm or at room temperature. It will keep refrigerated, covered, for several weeks. Let return to room temperature or reheat over medium heat before serving.
MAKES about 2 cups
Pity the game hen—it’s one of the most underappreciated barbecue foods in the United States. Leaner than a full-grown chicken, its diminutive size gives it a high ratio of crackling crisp skin to meat. One bird makes a nice single serving, and it looks mighty impressive on a plate. One more advantage: Game hens cook faster than chickens, always handy if you’re short on time.
1 tablespoon coarse salt (kosher or sea)
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 cans (8 or 12 ounces each) beer
4 game hens (about 1 pound each), thawed in the refrigerator if frozen
2 tablespoons olive oil
Cola Barbecue Sauce (page 95), Black Cherry Barbecue Sauce (page 110), or your favorite commercial barbecue sauce, for serving
YOU’LL ALSO NEED:
2 cups wood chips or chunks (preferably oak or hickory), soaked for 1 hour in water and/or beer to cover, then drained
1. Make the rub: Put the salt, brown sugar, paprika, black pepper, mustard, cumin, garlic powder, and cayenne in a small bowl and stir to mix. Set aside.
2. Pop the tabs off the beer cans. Pour half of the beer from each can over the soaking wood chips or chunks or reserve for another use. Using a church key-style can opener, make 2 additional holes in the top of each of the cans. Set the cans of beer aside.
3. Remove the packets of giblets (if any) from the body cavities of the hens and set aside for another use. Remove and discard the fat just inside the body and neck cavities. Rinse the hens, inside and out, under cold running water and then drain and blot dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Sprinkle ¾ teaspoon of the rub inside the body cavity and ¼ teaspoon inside the neck cavity of each hen. Drizzle 1½ teaspoons of olive oil over the outside of each hen and rub or brush it all over the skin. Sprinkle the outside of each bird with 1½ teaspoons of rub and rub it all over the skin. Spoon the remaining rub through the holes in the tops of the beer cans, dividing it evenly among them. Don’t worry if the beer foams up: This is normal.
4. Holding a game hen upright, with the opening of the body cavity at the bottom, lower it onto a beer can so the can fits into the cavity. It will be a tight fit—tighter than with a chicken—but with a little twisting and jiggling, you should be able to work the can into the cavity. Repeat with the remaining hens, then tuck the wing tips behind the hens’ backs.
5. Set up the grill for indirect grilling (see page 9 for both charcoal and gas) and preheat to medium. If using a charcoal grill, place a large drip pan in the center. If using a gas grill, place all the wood chips or chunks in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch (see page 12) and preheat on high until you see smoke, then reduce the heat to medium.
6. When ready to cook, if using a charcoal grill, toss all of the wood chips or chunks on the coals. Line up the hens in the center of the hot grate, over the drip pan and away from the heat. Take special care to balance the hens securely—the legs may not reach the grate, so you’ll have to balance the hens solely on the cans. Cover the grill and cook the hens until the skins are a dark golden brown and very crisp and the meat is cooked through (about 170°F on an instant-read meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh, but not touching the bone), 40 minutes to 1 hour (see page 27 for other tests for doneness). If the hens start to brown too much, loosely tent them with aluminum foil.
7. Using tongs, hold a hen by the beer can and carefully transfer it in an upright position to a platter. Repeat with the remaining hens, then present them to your guests. Let the hens rest for 5 minutes, then carefully lift them off the beer cans. Take care not to spill the hot beer or otherwise burn yourself. Serve with barbecue sauce on the side.
SERVES 4
All-American root beer, like beer-can chicken, is a phenomenon unique to the United States. It was sold as a tonic by pharmacies as early as the eighteenth century. One early recipe (published by a Dr. Chase in 1869) called for hops, burdock, sarsaparilla, dandelion, spruce, sassafras, sugar, and molasses. Even today, there’s something sweet and spicy about root beer that makes it a perfect beverage for barbecue.
ADVANCE PREPARATION: 3 hours for marinating the game hens
4 cans (12 ounces each) root beer
4 game hens (about 1 pound each), thawed in the refrigerator if frozen
2 cinnamon sticks (3 inches each), or ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
4 slices (each ¼ inch thick) peeled fresh ginger, crushed with the side of a cleaver
2 cloves garlic, peeled and flattened with the side of a cleaver
1 scallion, both white and green parts, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 tablespoons All-Purpose Barbecue Rub (page 37), or your favorite commercial brand
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Root Beer Barbecue Sauce (optional; recipe follows)
2 cups wood chips or chunks (preferably hickory or pecan), soaked for 1 hour in water to cover, then drained
1. Pop the tabs off the root beer cans. Pour half of the root beer from each can into a large deep bowl. Using a church key-style can opener, make 2 additional holes in the top of each of the cans. Set the cans of root beer aside.
2. Remove the packets of giblets (if any) from the body cavities of the hens and set aside for another use. Remove and discard the fat just inside the body and neck cavities. Rinse the hens, inside and out, under cold running water and then drain and blot dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Place the hens in the bowl with the root beer and add the cinnamon sticks, coriander seeds, ginger, garlic, and scallion. Let the hens marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for 3 hours, turning the hens several times so they marinate evenly. Transfer the hens to a colander to drain. Discard the marinade.
3. Sprinkle ¾ teaspoon of rub inside the body cavity and ¼ teaspoon inside the neck cavity of each hen. Drizzle 1½ teaspoons oil over the outside of each hen and rub or brush it all over the skin. Sprinkle the outside of each hen with 2 teaspoons of rub and rub it all over the skin.
4. Holding a game hen upright, with the opening of the body cavity at the bottom, lower it onto a root beer can so the can fits into the cavity. It will be a tight fit—tighter than with a chicken—but with a little twisting and jiggling, you should be able to work the can into the cavity. Repeat with the remaining hens, then tuck the wing tips behind the hens’ backs.
5. Set up the grill for indirect grilling (see page 9 for both charcoal and gas) and preheat to medium. If using a charcoal grill, place a large drip pan in the center. If using a gas grill, place all the wood chips or chunks in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch (see page 12) and preheat on high until you see smoke, then reduce the heat to medium.
6. When ready to cook, if using a charcoal grill, toss all of the wood chips or chunks on the coals. Line up the hens in the center of the hot grate, over the drip pan and away from the heat. Take special care to balance the hens securely—the legs may not reach the grate, so you’ll have to balance the hens solely on the cans. Cover the grill and cook the hens until the skins are a dark golden brown and very crisp and the meat is cooked through (about 170°F on an instant-read meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh, but not touching the bone), 40 minutes to 1 hour (see page 27 for other tests for doneness). If the hens start to brown too much, loosely tent them with aluminum foil.
7. Using tongs, hold a hen by the root beer can and carefully transfer it in an upright position to a platter. Repeat with the remaining hens, then present them to your guests. Let the hens rest for 5 minutes, then carefully lift them off the cans. Take care not to spill the hot root beer or otherwise burn yourself. Serve with Root Beer Barbecue Sauce, if desired. The appropriate beverage? Root beer, of course!
SERVES 4
VARIATION: This recipe calls for game hens, but you could certainly make root beer chicken the same way. You’d use one 3½- to 4-pound chicken and one 12-ounce can of root beer.
Using root beer isn’t quite as strange as it sounds. Barbecue sauces flavored with soft drinks are a long-standing tradition in the American South. After all, root beer is sweet and aromatic—the same qualities you expect in a barbecue sauce. Root beer owes its pungency to the presence of mint or wintergreen. The spice flavor comes from nutmeg, cloves, and anise.
1 cup root beer
1 cup ketchup
½ teaspoon grated lemon zest
¼ cup fresh lemon juice, or more to taste
¼ cup fresh orange juice
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1½ tablespoons brown sugar, or more to taste
1 tablespoon molasses
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
½ teaspoon powdered ginger
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1. Put the root beer, ketchup, lemon zest and juice, orange juice, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, molasses, liquid smoke, ginger, garlic and onion powders, and pepper in a heavy nonreactive saucepan and gradually bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat slightly and gently simmer the sauce until thick and richly flavored, 10 to 15 minutes. Taste for seasoning, adding lemon juice, brown sugar, or other ingredients as necessary.
2. Transfer the sauce to a bowl or clean glass jars and let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate, covered, until ready to serve. The sauce can be served chilled or at room temperature. It will keep refrigerated, covered, for several months.
MAKES about 2 cups
When I was in cooking school in Paris in the 1970s, duckling à l’orange was the highest test of a chef’s mettle. The duck had to be roasted just so—skin crackling crisp, meat tender and juicy—and the orange sauce had to strike a perfect balance between the sweetness of the caramelized sugar, the acidity of the fresh orange juice, and the bitterness of the orange peel and marmalade. The garnish involved all sorts of surgical legerdemain, from decoratively fluting orange rinds to placing candles in the hollowed fruit like a jack-o’-lantern. It’s a lot easier, and just as tasty, to cook duck on the grill—especially upright on an open beer can. So, here’s an orange duck that a bubba can relate to (after all, it’s made with orange soda) but that would do a French man proud.
ADVANCE PREPARATION: 12 hours for drying the duck (optional)
1 duck (about 5 pounds), thawed in the refrigerator if frozen
1 can (16 ounces) beer (see Note)
1 can (12 ounces) orange soda
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
2 strips orange zest (½ by 1½ inches each, removed with a vegetable peeler)
1 orange, cut in half
1 tablespoon olive oil
Apricot-Orange Sauce (recipe follows)
YOU’LL ALSO NEED:
Vertical chicken roaster (optional)
1. Remove the packet of giblets from the body cavity of the duck and set aside for another use. Remove and discard the fat just inside the body and neck cavities. Rinse the duck, inside and out, under cold running water and then drain and blot dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Prick the duck skin all over with a sharp fork, like a carving fork, taking care not to pierce the meat. Place the duck on a wire rack on a tray in the refrigerator and let dry out, uncovered, overnight (this is optional, but it will help give you crisper skin).
2. Pop the tab off the beer can, pour out three quarters of the beer (1½ cups), and reserve for another use. If cooking the duck on the can, using a church key-style opener, make 2 additional holes in the top of the beer can. Using a funnel, add ½ cup orange soda to the beer can. Don’t worry if the beer foams up a bit: This is normal. Reserve the remaining orange soda for the sauce.
3. Season the body and neck cavities of the duck very generously with salt and pepper. Place a strip of orange zest in the body cavity and in the neck cavity. Rub the outside of the duck all over with the cut orange. Drizzle 1½ teaspoons of olive oil over the duck and rub it all over the skin. Very generously season the outside of the duck with salt and pepper.
4. If cooking on a can: Hold the duck upright, with the opening of the body cavity at the bottom, and lower it onto the beer can so the can fits into the cavity. You’ll need to do some twisting. Pull the duck legs forward to form a sort of tripod so the bird stands upright. The rear leg of the tripod is the can.
If cooking on a roaster: Fill it with ½ cup beer and ½ cup orange soda and position the duck on top, following the manufacturer’s instructions.
5. Tuck the tips of the wings behind the duck’s back.
6. Set up the grill for indirect grilling (see page 9 for both charcoal and gas) and preheat to medium. If using a charcoal grill, place a large drip pan in the center.
7. When ready to cook, carefully stand the duck up in the center of the hot grate, over the drip pan and away from the heat. Cover the grill and cook the duck until the skin is a dark golden brown and very crisp and the meat is cooked through (about 180°F on an instant-read meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh, but not touching the bone), 1½ to 2 hours (see page 27 for other tests for doneness). After 1 hour, prick the duck skin again with a sharp fork, taking care not to pierce the meat. This helps release the fat. Baste the duck with the remaining 1½ teaspoons of olive oil, taking care not to knock the bird over. If using a charcoal grill, you’ll need to add 12 fresh coals per side after 1 hour. If the duck skin starts to brown too much, loosely tent the bird with aluminum foil.
8. If cooking on a can: Using tongs, hold the duck by the can and carefully transfer it in an upright position to a platter.
If cooking on a roaster: Use oven mitts or pot holders to remove the duck from the grill while it’s still on the vertical roaster.
9. Present the duck to your guests. Let the duck rest for 5 minutes, then carefully lift it off the support. Take care not to spill the hot beer or otherwise burn yourself. Carve the duck or cut it in half or quarters and serve with Apricot-Orange Sauce.
SERVES 2
NOTE: Because of the duck’s elongated shape, you’ll need a “tall boy”—a 16-ounce can of beer.
Five stars here, orange soda, orange zest, orange juice, orange marmalade, and orange liqueur, are joined by apricots to deepen the flavor, while lemon juice adds a piquant touch. Try to use a homemade chicken broth or at very least a low-sodium canned broth.
¾ cup orange soda (reserved from Duckling “à l’Orange”)
½ cup homemade chicken stock (page 52) or low-sodium canned chicken broth
2 strips orange zest (½ by 1 ½ inches each, removed with a vegetable peeler)
½ cup fresh orange juice
1 cinnamon stick (3 inches), or ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ cup pitted dried apricots (about 2½ ounces)
3 tablespoons orange marmalade
3 tablespoons brown sugar, or more to taste
2 tablespoons cider vinegar, or more to taste
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
½ teaspoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon Cointreau or other orange liqueur
1 tablespoon butter
Coarse salt (kosher or sea) and freshly ground black pepper
1. Put the orange soda, chicken stock, orange zest and juice, and cinnamon stick in a heavy saucepan over high heat, bring to a boil, and let boil for 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the apricots. Let soak for 30 minutes. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick.
2. Transfer the apricots and their soaking liquid to a blender. Add the marmalade, brown sugar, vinegar, and lemon juice and purée until smooth. Pour the mixture through a strainer into a saucepan, forcing the fruit pulp through the strainer with a spatula (don’t forget to scrape the strained pulp off the bottom of the strainer).
3. Return the sauce to the saucepan and let simmer for 3 minutes over medium-high heat. Dissolve the cornstarch in the orange liqueur and stir this into the sauce. Let simmer for 2 minutes longer; the sauce will thicken slightly. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the butter. Add salt, pepper, and additional brown sugar or vinegar to taste. The sauce can be served warm or at room temperature. It can be refrigerated, covered, for up to 5 days. Let return to room temperature or reheat over medium heat.
MAKES about 1¼ cups
No, it’s not a bird with a bent for voyeurism. But this Peking duck cooked on a beer can will certainly attract lustful stares. One of the attractions of Peking duck is its rich tender meat and crackling crisp skin. Indirect grilling a duck in a vertical position on a beer can is about the best way I’ve found (short of the traditional drying and frying) to crisp the skin and keep the duck meat moist. To get the full effect, serve the duck as the Chinese do, with scallion brushes, mandarin pancakes, and Peking duck sauce. If this seems like too much work, the bird is also highly tasty served off the beer can just as is. Note: I omit wood chips in this recipe. The duck has so much flavor you don’t need the smoke.
ADVANCE PREPARATION: 12 hours for drying the duck (optional); 3 hours for making the scallion brushes (optional)
1 duck (about 5 pounds), thawed in the refrigerator if frozen
8 scallions, for scallion brushes (optional)
1 tablespoon coarse salt (kosher or sea)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1 tablespoon Asian (dark) sesame oil
1 can (16 ounces) beer (see Note)
8 (6-inch) mandarin pancakes or small flour tortillas
Peking Duck Sauce (recipe follows)
YOU’LL ALSO NEED:
Vertical chicken roaster (optional)
1. Remove the packet of giblets from the body cavity of the duck and set aside for another use. Remove and discard the fat just inside the body and neck cavities. Rinse the duck, inside and out, under cold running water and then drain and blot dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Prick the duck skin all over with a sharp fork, like a carving fork, taking care not to pierce the meat. Place the duck on a wire rack on a tray in the refrigerator and let dry out, uncovered, overnight (this is optional, but it will help give you crisper skin).
2. Make the scallion brushes, if using: Trim the scallions, cutting off the root ends and the dark green tops (reserve the latter for the Peking Duck Sauce). You should be left with pieces of scallion, white and light green, about 3 inches long. Make a series of ¾-inch lengthwise cuts in both ends of each scallion, gradually rotating it to form the “bristles” of the brush. Soak the scallions in a bowl of ice water for 3 hours to swell the ends of the brushes.
3. Make the rub: Put the salt, sugar, pepper, and five-spice powder in a small bowl and stir to mix. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the rub inside the body cavity and ½ teaspoon inside the neck cavity of the duck. Drizzle a little sesame oil over the outside of the duck and rub or brush it all over the skin. Sprinkle the outside of the duck with 1 tablespoon rub and rub it all over the skin.
4. Pop the tab off the beer can, pour out half of the beer (1 cup), and reserve for another use. If cooking the duck on the can, using a church key-style opener, make 2 additional holes in the top of the beer can. Spoon the remaining rub into the beer through the hole in the top of the can. Don’t worry if the beer foams up: This is normal.
5. If cooking on a can: Hold the duck upright, with the opening of the body cavity at the bottom, and lower it onto the beer can so the can fits into the cavity. You’ll need to do some twisting. Pull the duck legs forward to form a sort of tripod so the bird stands upright. The rear leg of the tripod is the can.
If cooking on a roaster: Fill it with the beer mixture and position the duck on top, following the manufacturer’s instructions.
6. Tuck the tips of the wings behind the duck’s back.
7. Set up the grill for indirect grilling (see page 9 for both charcoal and gas) and preheat to medium. If using a charcoal grill, place a large drip pan in the center.
8. When ready to cook, carefully stand the duck up in the center of the hot grate, over the drip pan and away from the heat. Cover the grill and cook the duck until the skin is a dark golden brown and very crisp and the meat is cooked through (about 180°F on an instant-read meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh, but not touching the bone), 1½ to 2 hours (see page 27 for other tests for doneness). After 1 hour, prick the duck skin again with a sharp fork, taking care not to pierce the meat. This helps release the fat. Baste the duck with the remaining sesame oil, taking care not to knock the bird over. If using a charcoal grill, you’ll need to add 12 fresh coals per side after 1 hour. If the duck skin starts to brown too much, loosely tent the bird with aluminum foil.
9. If cooking on a can: Using tongs, hold the duck by the can and carefully transfer it in an upright position to a platter.
If cooking on a roaster: Use oven mitts or pot holders to remove the duck from the grill while it’s still on the vertical roaster.
10. Present the duck to your guests, then let the duck rest for 5 minutes.
11. Meanwhile, warm the mandarin pancakes on the grill, placing them directly over the flames. This will take 10 to 15 seconds per side: The pancakes should be warm and pliable but not browned. Place the pancakes on a plate or in a basket and cover with a cloth napkin to keep warm.
12. Carefully lift the duck off the support. Take care not to spill the hot beer or otherwise burn yourself. The traditional way to serve Peking duck is to slice the crisp skin off the bird, then cut off and sliver the meat. To eat it, you brush a pancake with Peking Duck Sauce, using a scallion brush. Place the scallion brush, duck meat, and duck skin on the pancake, roll it up, and pop it into your mouth. Or you could serve the duck halved or quartered, serving the pancakes, sauce, and scallion brushes on the side.
SERVES 4 as an appetizer, 2 as a main course
NOTE: Because of the duck’s elongated shape, you’ll need a “tall boy”—a 16-ounce can of beer.
While this barbecue sauce may speak with a Chinese accent, its message will be understood by all brethren of the grill. Hoisin sauce and honey make it sweet; rice vinegar makes it sour; and ginger, garlic, and scallion give it pungency aplenty. After the duck is gone, you might just find yourself serving it with pork chops or even ribs.
2/3 cup hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons rice wine or dry sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon Asian (dark) sesame oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced scallion greens
Combine all of the ingredients with 2 tablespoons of water in a small nonreactive saucepan and let simmer gently over medium heat until thick and richly flavored, 6 to 8 minutes. Let the sauce cool to room temperature before serving. The sauce will keep in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 5 days.
MAKES about 1½ cups sauce
Don’t blame me. It’s the fault of the folks who brew Foster’s lager in Australia. The moment I saw this oversize can of beer (a whopping 32 ounces), I knew it had a calling. And that calling was to take the revered centerpiece of the American Thanksgiving and turn it on its rear end. I’m talking about beer-can turkey, of course, and once you get over the shock of seeing a turkey in such an undignified (or, should I say, risqué) position, you’ll be amazed how crisp-skinned and juicy, how tender and moist, a beer-can turkey can be. Here’s the perfect antidote to a bird that’s too often dry, and it’s guaranteed to turn heads at your next holiday dinner. The Cranberry Salsa on page 120 makes a great accompaniment.
4 teaspoons coarse salt (kosher or sea)
4 teaspoons sweet paprika
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons ground sage
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 can (32 ounces) Foster’s lager
1 turkey (10 to 12 pounds), thawed in the refrigerator if frozen
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted
YOU’LL ALSO NEED:
4 cups wood chips or chunks (preferably oak or apple), soaked for 1 hour in water and/or beer to cover, then drained
1. Make the rub: Put the salt, paprika, pepper, sage, oregano, and thyme in a small bowl and stir to mix.
2. Pop the tab off the beer can. Pour half of the beer over the soaking wood chips or chunks or reserve for another use. Using a church key-style opener, make 2 additional holes in the top of the beer can. Set the can of beer aside.
3. Remove and discard the trussing clamp if one is holding the turkey legs together. Remove the packet of giblets from the body cavity of the turkey and set aside for another use. Remove and discard the fat just inside the body and neck cavities. Rinse the turkey, inside and out, under cold running water and then drain and blot dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of the rub inside the body cavity and 1 teaspoon of the rub inside the neck cavity of the turkey. Brush the outside of the turkey with 1 tablespoon of melted butter. Sprinkle the outside of the turkey with 1 tablespoon of the rub and rub it all over the skin. Stir 2 tablespoons of the rub into the remaining melted butter and set aside.
4. Spoon the remaining rub into the beer through a hole in the top of the can. Don’t worry if the beer foams up: This is normal. Holding the turkey upright, with the opening of the body cavity at the bottom, lower it onto the beer can so the can fits into the cavity.
5. Pull the turkey legs forward to form a sort of tripod, so the bird stands upright. The rear leg of the tripod is the beer can. Tuck the wing tips behind the turkey’s back.
6. Set up the grill for indirect grilling (see page 9 for both charcoal and gas) and preheat to medium. If using a charcoal grill, place a large drip pan in the center. If using a gas grill, place all the wood chips or chunks in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch (see page 12) and preheat on high until you see smoke, then reduce the heat to medium.
7. When ready to cook, if using a charcoal grill, toss half of the wood chips or chunks on the coals. Stand the turkey up in the center of the hot grate, over the drip pan and away from the heat. Cover the grill and cook the turkey until the skin is a dark golden brown and very crisp and the meat is cooked through (about 180°F on an instant-read meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh, but not touching the bone), 2 to 2½ hours (see page 27 for other tests for doneness). If using a charcoal grill, you’ll need to add 12 fresh coals per side every hour and toss the remaining wood chips or chunks on the coals after the first hour of grilling. Baste the outside of the turkey with the butter-rub mixture every 30 minutes. If the turkey starts to brown too much (and it will have a tendency to do so at the neck end), loosely tent the bird with aluminum foil.
8. Using tongs, hold the turkey by the can and carefully transfer it in an upright position to a platter. Or use insulated rubber gloves to pick up the turkey on the beer can and remove it from the grill. Present the turkey to your guests. Let the turkey rest for 10 minutes, then carefully lift it off the beer can (see Note). Take care not to spill the hot beer or otherwise burn yourself. Carve the turkey and serve at once.
SERVES 8 to 10
NOTE: A bird this big requires some special treatment when removing it from the grill and the can. Wearing heavy-duty insulated gloves, grab the turkey on both sides and gently slide it, on the can, to a cool part of the grill. Have a buddy hold the beer can with the tongs while you lift the turkey off the can and transfer it to a platter or carving board.