I normally like to spatchcock a chicken when I smoke it. However, there is something about the taste and texture of a beer butt chicken. So, I decided to experiment and made Oriental Ginger Butt chicken on my Louisiana Grills Smoker.
You can also do this chicken in an oven or using the indirect method on a gas barbeque (turn one burner off and the other on, cook over the side that is turned off).
I mixed the sesame oil and canola oil and rubbed all surfaces of the chicken, inside and out.
Then I mixed the rub spices together and rubbed it into all surfaces of the chicken, inside and out.
I put an extra hole in the top of an empty pop can and added the steaming ingredients to it. I put the can into my chicken rack and put the bird on it.
If you don’t have a rack, you can put the can in the large cavity and use the drumsticks as a tripod to balance the bird.
I put the bird in my smoker preheated to 375 F. That temperature gives a nice slightly crisp golden chicken. If you like a darker really crisp skin, preheat to 425 F.
I cooked the bird for 1 hour and 20 minutes. I made sure the breast and thigh meat had an internal temperature of over 170 F.
I took the chicken in and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Normally, I would just use kitchen shears and my knife to cut the chicken into pieces and serve. However, I was informed this was incorrect and the meat should be carved off the carcass. It was a good thing She Who Must Be Obeyed was there to keep me from making a mistake.
We served it with Copper Penny Carrots, Deli Coleslaw and Spicy Orzo.
An aside, if you carve the bird and don’t use the carcass to make chicken stock, you are throwing away delicious food!
The Verdict
The skin has a great spicy taste and nice texture. The meat is very moist with hints of the spices. This was a success and I will make it again.
The Old Fat Guy
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg (3 pound) chicken
- 10 ml (2 teaspoons) sesame oil
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) canola oil
- Rub:
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) sugar
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) paprika
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) oriental 5 spice powder
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) salt
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) ground ginger
- Steaming Liquid:
- 125 ml (1/2 cup) ginger ale
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) oriental 5 spice powder
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) ginger
- 1 clove garlic, smashed with the side of a knife
- 25 ml (2 tablespoons) soy sauce
- 15 ml (1 tablespoon) sherry (I use cooking sherry)
Instructions
- Mix the sesame and canola oil together. Rub all surfaces of the bird with the oil, inside and out.
- Mix together all the rub ingredients.
- Spread the rub over all surfaces of the chicken, inside and out.
- Put an extra hole in the top of an empty pop or beer can.
- Put the steaming liquid ingredients in the can.
- If you have a rack for cooking beer butt chicken, put the can in the rack and the large cavity of the bird over the rack.
- If you don't have a rack, put the large cavity directly over the can and use the drumsticks to make a tripod that holds the chicken upright and steady.
- For a smoker: Put the bird in a preheated 375 F smoker. You can go to 425 F if you want a really dark skin.
- For a gas barbecue: Turn on only one burner of the barbecue. Put the chicken over the turned off burner (indirect method).
- Cook the bird for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
- Make sure the internal temperature of the breast and thigh is over 170 F.
- Take the bird inside and let rest for 10 minutes.
- Either carve the meat off the bird or cut it into pieces.
6 Responses
Mmmn, this sounds delicious! We love BBQ too. I love the little rack you have for making this. Looks like a great tool to keep an eye out for. Happy cooking!
Thanks for the kind words. I got my rack on a clearance sale at the local hardware store. It pays to rummage around sometimes.
I love all the flavors you have in your recipe, and would love to sample this chicken!
Thanks so much! It was tasty!
Nice pictures – I can almost taste it.
Come over, I’ll make some so you can really taste it!