There are a few things that are said to be “typically Australian”. Beer is one thing and BBQs are another. A man clutching a tinnie of beer wearing a “kiss the cook” or boobie apron turning steak over and over again until it’s thoroughly charred is a combination of these two things. I could go on about the list of typical Australianisms (rhyming slang or esoteric terminology like “Dinky Di” or “Ridgy Didge” are said to be typical) but I can’t say I’ve ever uttered these phrases except in jest. And unless you’ve been living under a rock this past week, you’ll have noticed the enormous amount of promotion for the new film “Australia” so let’s call this our little contribution to the cause.
Food and BBQs over the Summer take advantage of our wonderful warm weather. And it’s one of the few times a man will strap on an apron to cook which is never a bad thing. When I first saw this recipe in Matthew Evans’ The Weekend Cook I bookmarked it immediately and asked around as to whether friends had a BBQ with a lid – I would bring the chicken and the beer. Unfortunately everyone’s BBQs were lidless but when M mentioned buying a new BBQ with a lid, a date was quickly made. I think she thought I was crazy when I started going on about a chicken with a can of beer stuck up its backside but to her credit she didn’t call the police.
There were only three types of beer in tinnies at the bottle shop so we chose the one we felt typified Australian beer, or at least the working class glass, the VB (Victoria Bitter). I’m not a big beer drinker but VB seems to be the beer of choice for a friend’s husband and I’m pretty sure that if you look up “Aussie Bloke” in the dictionary, his picture would appear, next to his dog and ute.
Chicken seasoned with salt, pepper and native Australian bush spices
Instead of using salt and pepper we used a salt and pepper and native Australian bush spice blend heady with Australian Lemon Myrtle which is like a Lemon Verbena.
The pressure was on, after all the chicken was the main “meat” at the dinner party with M, Malcolm, Fay, Parwin and Manisha and baby Jay (we had another chicken in the fridge as “back up”). I didn’t want the night to be remembered as “Do you remember that time when that crazy girl stuck a can of beer up the chicken’s ass and tried to BBQ it?”. Rather I wanted it to be remembered as “Do you remember that time when that crazy girl stuck a can of beer up the chicken’s ass and BBQd it and it actually tasted nice?”.
Impaling the chicken onto the beer
The two slightly tricky parts was firstly impaling the chicken onto the can of beer (you’ll want someone to hold the can while you wiggle the chicken onto it). And do put it into the “bottom” of the chicken, unlike me who tried putting it in the top, such was my confusion. After the chicken is cooked and lovely and crispy brown, the can may be hard to get out from under the chicken, especially as it has very hot beer inside it so just be very careful – I would hate for you to get injured whilst attempting this!
Other dishes served: Mashed potato, mushrooms, leeks and blue cheese
Other dishes served: Steamed cassava
The resultant chicken is a gorgeously tender bird, steamed and so soft on the inside by the beer yet crisped and browned on the outside. So much so that M decided to make a trip to the store tomorrow to buy a tinnie of beer to BBQ her other remaining chicken.
A Dinky Di, Ridgy Didge Australian “Chook”
- A large chicken (about a size 16 will do)
- A tinnie of beer
- oil
- salt and pepper and a native spice blend if available
1. Preheat BBQ
Rubbing oil on chicken
2. Remove fat from chicken and wash thoroughly and pat very dry with paper towels (drying it thoroughly will help crisp the skin). Rub oil over the skin and season with salt, pepper and bush spices.
Seasoning the chicken with salt, pepper and native Australia spices
3. Open the tin of beer and drink half of it straight from the can (as part of the Aussie experience). Have someone hold the tin down and lower the opening of the chicken into it, wiggling about.
The chicken after 30 minutes on the BBQ
4. Place it on the grill of the BBQ, you may have to adjust the legs so that it sits upright. Cook for about 1 hour and 10 minutes if the chicken has been refrigerated, 1 hour if the chicken was at room temperature. With a knife, test the part where the drumstick meets the chicken so that the juices run clear.
The chicken after 60 minutes
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33 Comments | Add your own
I’ve actually seen a “holder” for the beer that makes the chicken stand up right but don’t remember where … it would probably make the whole thing a bit easier to disassemble.
I think Merrick & Rosso used to go on about this recipe a couple of years ago.
I thought bbq chicken and beer was a Texas thing! Good to know it’s universal.
That chicken looks like it’s gonna get up and start singin’ show-tunes! Or maybe beer-dri nking ditties?!
That looks slightly pornographic, both in a food-porn kind of way, but also in a porn-porn kind of way. Or maybe I’m just hungry.
This is awesome. I’ve always seen this recipe on some Geeky forums I frequent because it’s deemed as a ‘manly’ way of cooking. Good to see that it actually works and definitely something to try during the next summer bbq.
Just wondering, any beer after taste in the chicken ?
Woo…looks amazing..Can we do that in the oven? cuz I don’t have BBQ with lid and really wanna try
I’ve always wanted to try this! Maybe If I get my Weber Baby Q for Xmas I’ll give it a go!
Good work! Is there much beer flavour in the meat afterwards?
blythe is confused. does the beer steam up the chicken? actually, would this work well with coke? miam, sweet chicken.
also, what does the beer taste like afterwards?
As I understand it, beer in the rear chicken is a big thing in the American south, although it’s rumored to be catching on all over.
The last photo of your chicken got me though—the shot from behind. That poor little guy (or gal) sitting on the can (pardon the pun)…I do believe that image will continue to haunt me whenever I pass a poultry counter.
Hehe I done this before after seeing Huey do it on TV. VB as well of course! Everybody stood around and laughed at it. But jokes aside it tasted fabulous!
haha I love the last photo!!
I love this, and I make it all the time in the summer. We always call it “Beer Butt Chicken,” and I think it’s best made with Alexander Keith’s India Pale Ale (great IPA brewed in Nova Scotia.)
the chicken placement on the BBQ is brilliant and striking at the same time … must be my wicked sense of humour ><
We did this once, I couldn’t look at it without giggling. Another time we tried a pre-mix scotch or bourbon (can’t remember which) and coke instead of the beer, it was also very good.
GIANT beer can enema 0_o poor chicken… but must be sooo tasty mmmmm.
And VB is horrible imo, there are so many better Australians beers!
I think I am going to have to show my dear husband this one – he is going to love it!
Hi Chinalilly-I don’t think you need a holder for this, the can and the chicken’s legs will do the trick. The can itself sticks to the cooking chicken so I don’t know that it would make the disassembling easier.
I’m sure people have been doing this recipe for years!
Hi Blond Duck-And here I was thinking it was Australian-it’s universal!
Hi kyle-I totally agree, we couldn’t stop giggling at it. Fay took out her mobile and started taking pics too. Too funny
Hi SydneyGal-I agree, it feels a bit errm porn-ey. In fact if you have a look at the first bit, the text bar was originally at the top but the bottom (Parsons Nose) stuck out a bit too much so I had to cover it
Hi Howard-LOL at manly cooking of chicken!
There isn’t a great deal of beer taste in the chicken afterwards. There was some as I split the beer while removing the can from the chicken but not a really strong taste at all.
Hi Bean Sprout-I think you definitely could! If you just position the oven racks so that the chicken could sit up then I don’t see why not
I’d love to know how it turns out if you make it!
Hi Reemski-Haha I think it should be christened with something like this. You’d never forget your first BBQ meal that way…
Hi Miss Honey-Not a great deal I’m afraid which is either a good or bad thing depending on how you feel about beer!
Hi Blythe-I think you could definitely try it with Coke but I don’t know what sort of taste it would leave as there wasn’t a great deal of beer taste. I didn’t drink the beer afterwards!
Hi Sandie-I thought it was an Aussie thing but apparently not! Haha haunt you in a good way or bad?
Hi Karen-Hehe yeah I suppose you can’t get more Aussie bloke than VB. We were the same, if there’s one way to lighten up a BBQ, it’s with this!
Hi Alexandra-Hehe he died for a good cause!
Hi KatyBelle-We only had 3 beers in the bottleshop, I don’t think that I would be able to get that. but do you get much taste from the beer? We didn’t get a lot.
Hi D-Haha that’s a good thing, twisted minds are the best I’ve found
Hi Lisa-A premix would be interesting! It’s very comical, I almost didn’t want to cut it up (except it smelt so good)
Hi FFichiban-We didn’t choose VB for the taste! It was for the Australian-ness!
Hi NayC-Cool! I don’t know any man that wouldn’t
the sight of the chicken sitting on the beer can just cracks me up! but it looks oh so good. i was wondering where did u get yr bush spices from?
I was surprised when I saw that a BBQ chicken could show its butt to me like that. Seem women should stop asking “Is my butt look bigger in this?”
That chicken got bigger butt than any woman I ever seen >.<
I don’t know on how I stumbled upon this cooking blog., All I know is that I’d better check out the archives for a good read. Ha-ha! Just droppin’ to say hi!
Oh. You might want to check this out: http://www.technocooks.com for uhm…a different “menu.”
Quite funny to see this recipe here – this is an old Russian (read Soviet) way to cook chicken
today is a good day–i learned some real australian lingo.
looks like a very australian chicken makes for a very fun time.
I must try this for the baraai evening..a very well presented post.
Love it Lorraine!
I’ve heard about this recipe before but never known anyone to try it! I love the photo’s..and (wince) re: beer up the clacker part..
Another great idea for Christmas. Especially if you want to keep your oven free for other things.
Your spices seemed to stick to the chicken well.
That photo of the raw bird sitting on its bum, as if to look (headlessly) at the camera is hilarious too!
Thanks for sharing this recipe, I would have loved a piece or two!
The chicken looks like it’s about to drunkenly burst into song!
I’ve seen chicken & a tinnie talked about loads, but never actually seen photographic evidence that it works and isn’t just a colossal joke
i just love the sadistic chicken photos, they make me happy!
LOL – I remember this from The Farmer Wants a Wife (I didn’t watch it, but everyone talked about it). And hey, it obviously works – a bloody good chook!
Hi cyn-hehe thanks! I kept laughing whenever I’d see it too
My friend M actually had them in her cupboard ready which was certainly serendipitous!
Hi Lilia- Aww I think you might have hurt the chicken’s feelings!
Hi Bob-Hello and welcome! Interesting site you’ve got there
Hi maz-I think every country probably has their own version, using their own beer!
Hi grace-haha cool! And I should tell you that whilst I’d love a koala for a pet, I don’t have one
Hi anamika-Thanks, it provides comic relief as well as hunger relief
Hi Maria-LOL at clacker! That’s very true, it would free up the oven for Christmas, good tip! I think the spices stuck because of the oil which was good. You’re welcome!
Hi Angela-it does, it’s amazing how human they can look! I was worried it was a joke but it really worked
Hi amanda-Haha ok!
Hi cakelaw-I always thought that it was a bit country an idea! I’m sure it would appeal to country blokes
I saw this post this morning and being Mother’s day managed to talk dh and dd into having a go. Not only was it the easiest thing to do but it tasted divine. Plus there’s the added bonus of laughing at the chook and at dd who found the chook sitting that way a bit creepy. It appears that we have been nominated for hosting Christmas this year – guess what is going to be on the menu.
Hi Judy-Ah wonderful! Hehe there is so much inherent comical value in chickens
I hope you had a wonderful Mother’s Day! 
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