Wine Food Pairing with "Drunken" Chicken!

Wine food pairing should be a lot of fun.. We are coming up to a long holiday and what better way to get the laughter going at your next picnic than to grill a drunken chicken or three! Many times this is called "beer" can chicken, but let's face it, if I sat in a hot grill for 1 1/2 - 2 hours with a beer can up my "hiney", I would hope to be a bit drunk!

Enough! This is an absolutely terrific way to do a whole chicken roaster. It comes out moist and delicious and really not much effort on your part. You can buy the roaster stand and the "drunken" chicken heads at amazon ... link is on the left side of page ..... one of the best buys you will ever make!
Get out your favorite chicken dry rub. I use Emeril's Southwest Flavor and pour some in a bowl so you don't contaminate it with "fowl" germs. Rinse and pat dry the bird, then place it on a plate for a quick rub down, inside and out. Next, get a can of beer out of the fridge and drink half of it .... now place the half full can into your roaster stand and slide your bird over the can in the roaster ( I don't need to be more specific, do I?).

I heat up my grill to 350, place a disposable aluminum roasting pan filled with about a cup of water on the grate and place the chicken roasting stand inside. The roasting pan catches any grease that drops and the water adds even more moisture to the bird. I always use indirect heat when I do this, so slide the pan over the unlit burner.

Roast until your fowl has an internal temp of 165, about 1 1/2-2 hours at 350. Check on it periodically, but I don't baste because I happen to like the crispy skin. Trust me, the inside will be moist and juicy!

Prepare all your side dishes, or have the gang all bring their favorites and there is less for your to do.

I like to pair this roasted chicken with a fruity Louis Jardot Beaujoleas. It is refreshing and simple and the tastes seem to please me. If it is really hot out, I will chill it a bit ... after all it is 90 degrees outside temperature down in Florida.

Wine food pairing should include a lot of laughter with good friends. CHEERS!