As St. Patrick’s Day nears, the mind turns to Guinness, or at least it does for many Irish and Irish wannabes. The question for me was how to use Guinness in a recipe to serve on that hallowed day. There were the classic choices, such as Guinness beef stew or Guinness bread, both of which are classics for a reason, but are recipes I’ve done many times on St. Patrick’s Day or when I’m missing the Emerald Isle. I was looking for something different for this year and the thought of preparing beer can chicken utilizing Guinness somehow came to me in a dream after a dram or two to ward off the winter chill. Let’s call it Guinness Coq au Can if you will. If you won’t, have a few pints of Guinness with a few Irish and you’ll find the experience magically removes any stick which may have been uncomfortably wedged between your buttocks.
My go-to roast chicken recipe is based on Marcella Hazan’s Lemon Chicken, which I modified by rubbing the little darlin’ with salt before leaving it to dry uncovered in the refrigerator overnight. This dry brining method helps accomplish two things I’m looking for in a roast chicken: moist meat and a crisp skin. Marcella’s method of piercing a lemon several times with a fork and putting it into the cavity of the bird has the effect of steaming its interior and providing a subtle tang of lemon. Altogether it’s a no-fail technique and superior to drowning the poor pullet in a brine bath, which often results in the skin becoming as flaccid as wet cardboard and the meat so unnaturally moist it’s as spongy as a peat bog in spring.
Guinness Coq au Can is essentially the same technique, this time using a partially filled can of Guinness as the little biddy’s interior flavor moisturizer. It’s been said Coq au Can originated in Louisiana, another region famous for its own exuberant celebration. In the warmer climes of Louisiana, Coq au Can is usually done over a grill, but as I write this a week before St. Patrick’s Day in the Berkshires, I’m looking at about four inches of new snow on the frozen tundra of my back yard, so let’s do what we can to make it a bit less adventurous and definitely warmer, and prepare it in a nice warm kitchen.
Not ever being able to leave anything well enough alone, I thought a spoonful of orange marmalade, a few slices of ginger and a couple of cloves of garlic might be fine additions to the Guinness as it steams inside our precious poulet. I couldn’t rub the bird with any old salt either. I made Guinness salt using Maldon salt, my favorite natural sea salt. Maldon salt is what I always have on hand, but any good natural sea salt or kosher salt would serve the purpose. The Guinness salt can serve double duty and makes a fine seasoning for your steamed spuds, carrots, and cabbage or your vegetables of choice. I had some pickled red onions I’d made by marinating the slices in seasoned rice vinegar hanging around in the fridge, so I ever so artistically draped them over the cabbage wedges to add a bit of class.
Guinness Coq au Can
Serves two
The recipe calls for one large can of Guinness, but it never hurts to have a can or two more at your disposal to provide inspiration as you cook. When using the can of Guinness for this recipe, you’ll hear a little widget which contains nitrogen to provide carbonation tumbling around in the can. Unless you’re not concerned about a mini nitrogen bomb exploding in your oven, use a clean beverage can for the Guinness you’re using for your Coq au Can.
You could probably fit at least four chickens in your oven over a sheet pan for a larger group which would require more Guinness for the recipe and for your crowd. Just a friendly reminder that St. Patrick’s Day is a lovely day for a Guinness. Sláinte!
Ingredients
1 large 14.9 oz can Guinness, divided
2 or 3 slices fresh ginger
2 whole peeled garlic cloves
1 Tbl orange marmalade
¼ cup of your favorite natural sea salt
1 3½-lb chicken
Method
Pour the can of Guinness into a saucepan with the ginger, garlic, and orange marmalade and bring to a boil. Let simmer for about 10 minutes and strain the infused Guinness into a 2-cup measure.
Pour about half of the infused Guinness back into the saucepan and reduce over medium heat until it becomes syrupy. Add the salt to the saucepan and combine thoroughly. Pour the Guinness salt onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and allow it to dry.
Transfer the salt to a food processor with the blade attachment and pulse the salt until it’s thoroughly blended.
Remove any giblets from the cavity of the chicken and thoroughly coat the chicken inside and out with the Guinness salt. Put the chicken into the refrigerator uncovered to dry overnight. Pour the other half of the infused Guinness into a clean beverage can and cover.
The next day, heat the oven to 350 degrees F making sure the racks are positioned to allow for the vertically standing chicken.
Put the can with the infused Guinness onto a pan for roasting of some sort. With the legs facing down, put the chicken over the can so that the can fills the cavity and the legs touch the bottom of the pan, so you’re able to create a tripod with the legs and can for stability. Carefully move the Coq au Can into the oven.
After 1 hour, check the internal temperature of the chicken by inserting an instant-read thermometer into the thickest part of the breast. If the temperature is about 140 degrees F, the chicken should roast for about 15 minutes more until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F.
Carefully move the chicken from the pan to the sink and remove the can from the cavity. Put the chicken onto a cutting board and cover with foil, allowing it to rest and redistribute its juices into the meat.
Carve and serve with your favorite vegetables.
