7-Up Can Lemon Roasted Chicken - 52 Chicken Recipes

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It's the stuff legends are made of...

Known by many as Beer Can Chicken, known by many more as Beer Butt Chicken.  But as they say, a Rose by any other name...

There are two reasons to cook a chicken with a can of liquid in it's cavity.  First, the steam from the liquid makes for the most moist, most tender chicken you can imagine.  Lately several grilling specialty blogs have done side by side taste tests using different liquids.  From water to Guinness Stout and about anything in between, the consensus appears to be that the liquid does not matter.  Blind taste tests, it's all pretty much the same.

It's just fun (in a 7th grade way) to say Beer Butt Chicken.  Not nearly enough fun to say 7-Up Butt Chicken, but that's what I used.

Which brings up the other reason this cooking method makes the best chicken...  Presentation!

But, I'm gonna show you how to take that presentation up a notch.  And even justify the semi-lewd look...

It's easy to get the look...

Just slice a lemon in half.  Actually for authenticity, slice at a little angle so the ends of the lemon are pointed straight and look... Perky (sorry).

Then slip the lemon between the skin and the meat of the breast....

And you get that special look.

BUT, this is more than just cosmetic.

As the chicken cooks, the lemon OOZES hot lemon juice into the breast meat.  Infusing that citrus taste deep into the meat.

And it works!

Really rich deep lemony taste.  Unlike anything you have ever tried.  As good as it gets.

And, just in case you are serving this to actual 7th graders and prefer not to have them giggle throughout dinner...

If you slice off thick slices of the lemon (no tips), this method works just as well.

But not as much fun.

Two bloggers have submitted different versions of Grilled Can Chicken...

Click the copy of Bobbi's Header to see her version of
"Beer in the Rear" Chicken

Bobbi of Bobbi's Kozy Kitchen has already been featured on this blog.  Bobby is my favorite success story, having lost 150 pounds and KEPT IT OFF!

Way back in August, I posted my take on her Beer Battered Asparagus with garlic Aioli!  While I fondly remember the asparagus, I have added her Aioli recipe to my goto recipe file.  I know I have made it at least twice since I discovered the recipe; so fast to make, so easy and especially so tasty!

Bobbi's take on her "Beer in the Rear" Chicken is spot on.  She tells a story of her husband and her discussing the other name for the chicken in the grocery store that made me smile (I am 40 years or 2 days from being a 7th grader myself).  But, she also explains the simple method of cooking using just the can.  While I own the handy dandy wire forms to easily make my chicken, Bobbi just uses the can and the chicken legs to form a tripod.  Click HERE (or her Header Logo) to see what I am talking about.

Click Carolyn's header logo to see her version of
"Beer Can Chicken"

Carolyn of the Cookin' For my Captain Blog has also been featured here.  Way back in August again, she showed us how to make bacon wrapped Steak Pinwheels !  A Wonderful recipe and a great way to stretch the value (?) of the ever increasing price of steak.  I always feel honored to read Carolyn's blog.  As the title and photo suggests, she is married to a US Army Captain.  Never in our 235 year's as a country have we asked so much for such an extended period of time from our Armed Services.  10 years at "police action".

Well, Carolyn, her captain and her adorable red headed children have become the faces of that police action.  Never forget that there are real families, real faces attached to those stories we read all too often about the sacrifices made on our behalf.

And if you are wanting to try this for the first time, it never hurts to read over as many suggestions as you can before trying this.  Carolyn also made a lemon chicken.  But she uses a lemon shoved in the to, blocking the steam.  The hot lemon juices would then infuse from the inside out.  Click HERE (or her Header Logo) to see what I am talking about.

SO many options, but the basics for a Can Chicken are pretty much the same...

Here's what I did...

You don't need much...

1 whole chicken (I made two.  I have been waiting for a sale and found them at 69 cents a POUND!!! I have a 5 pound bird for less than $3.50 cents!!!

You also need a dry rub of spices.  Commercial rub is fine.

For mine, you need a lemon and since I was making a lemon chicken, I decided to use a can of 7-Up for my liquid.  Again, not as important what you use.  Beer is fine and more fun to say, but soda, juice can... I have even used a Tomato Juice can and it is all good!

The technique is very simple...

Remove about 1/2 of the soda.  This step may be the only real advantage to using beer... But I digress.

Cut the top off the can and add a big TBS of the rub to the remaining soda.

Take about 3 TBS of the rub and rub the bird generously.  Be sure to rub this between the skin and the meat.  Now is when you insert the lemons.

If you have a handy form (available at most hardware stores, any grilling specialty store or on-line), slip the can in the form.  Or, carefully lower the chicken over the can and use the legs to hold the bird.

I like to line the bottom with tin foil, making a little valley.  There will be lots of juices dripping.  This way it helps deflect the heat, and steams the chicken in the juices.

And cook...  I make mine on my grill (indirect heat, for about an hour and a half).  Of course you can move this inside and cook in an oven.  I would set it at 350 degrees, be sure to put it in a pie plate to collect the juices.

You can tell when the bird is done when the skin on the legs starts to pull away from the bone.  But better, use a meat thermometer and make sure it is 160 degrees.  measure at the thickest part of the bird and measure in several places.

Let it rest on the can for about 20 minutes before you try to cut the meat.  This is VERY important as it allows the juices to stay in the meat and not drip out as you cook.

Parts of the meat just pull from the bone and are great to eat as is... Like the leg/thigh quarter shown here.

Or, pull the breast meat off whole, slice and serve with potatoes au gratin and a cheesy creamed spinach!

So, if I have tweeked your interest in Carolyn and the Cookin' For My CaptainBlog, head on over and say HI for me!

And for a quick look at what she blogs, click on the logo link image to the right.  You will see all the eRecipeCards that Carolyn has submitted to eRecipeCards.com.  You can add her recipes to your eRecipeBox (once you have a free account).

See how useful the site is and how easy it is to find new favorite bloggers!

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So, if I have tweeked your interest in Bobbi and her BOBBI's KOZY KITCHEN Blog , head on over and say HI for me!

And for a quick look at what she blogs, click on the logo link image to the right.  You will see all the eRecipeCards that Barbara has submitted to eRecipeCards.com.  You can add her recipes to your eRecipeBox (once you have a free account).

See how useful the site is and how easy it is to find new favorite bloggers!

These posts continue to highlight bloggers and recipes that I have found on  "eRecipeCards.com"..