7-Up Can Chicken

I never tried doing a 7-Up can chicken before.  (Conventionally, this is called "Beer Can Chicken" because a beer can is used, but we hardly ever have beer in the house, so I experimented using the soft drink instead.)  I'd always heard that a chicken roasted this way makes it succulent and super-moist, and I was pleasantly surprised to find all the rumors were true.  ;)  I've made it many times, and while the skin is deliciously crispy, the meat practically overflows with juiciness.  Even the breast meat.  I hope you try this and enjoy it as much as we do!  :)

Couple of things to note: It's a good idea to use gloves (vinyl, latex, nitrile, etc.) when rubbing the spices into the chicken, on both the interior & exterior. If you have nails like I do, it will save discoloration of your fingernails from the paprika.  Also, I alternate the sides for this, from roasted-alongside veggies, to Cripsy Smashed Potatoes & Carrots.  They're both excellent & simple-to-make sides with this chicken.  Yum!

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Just a sampling of some of the ingredients needed...

Ingredients:

Dry rub--

½ C brown sugar

2 Tbsp Kosher salt

2 Tbsp garlic powder

1 Tbsp paprika

2 tsp tarragon

1 tsp coarse ground black pepper

Can marinade-- 

½ can 7-Up

¼ C chicken stock

¼ C soy sauce

¼ rice wine vinegar

Directions:
Make chicken rub -- Using an an airtight container, mix all the sugar & spices by pouring into container, sealing, and then shaking. Makes enough rub for 2 whole chickens.  If only roasting one chicken, divide in half and store unused spices in an airtight container.

Preheat oven to 375°F and ensure that wire racks are placed as low as possible.  Empty ½ of the 7-Up so there is room for the other liquids in the can. Pour chicken stock, soy sauce, and rice wine vinegar directly into the can so they're all mixed together.  Generously sprinkle about ⅓ of the spices inside the chicken cavity, rubbing it in as much as possible. Place the now-full 7-Up can in the middle of a shallow pan. Carefully place chicken onto the can by the cavity. Using the remainder of the rub mixture, cover the entire exterior of the chicken (including under the wings!) and massage the spices into the skin, coating evenly.

If desired, baby potatoes and other vegetables can be spread around the base of the pan around the chicken for simultaneous roasting.  Place pan (uncovered) in pre-heated oven on the lowest rack possible.  Roast for 1h 30m.

Let rest for at least 10 minutes after removing from the oven and before serving.  Serve with roasted vegetables, or can also be served with Cripsy Smashed Potatoes & Carrots.  ;)

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GBAdams
09/20/2011

Basic (Chinese Sausage) Fried Rice

Here's a basic recipe for my favorite kind of homemade fried rice.  It's what I grew up on, and is a formula that I've seen countless times in restaurants. My parents used to make a sort of crepe/omelet with the eggs, remove them, dice them, and then return them to the pan, but that's always been so labor-intensive. And I could never get a flat, thin omelet to cut up.  However, in observing how Chinese restaurants cook their food, I started doing it this way.  MUCH more efficient.  ;)

The key for this dish is to ensure everything is ready ahead of time, so all you have to do is add & stir and keep the food moving.  Also, use as high/hot heat as you can stand.  (These kinds of foods especially make me yearn for a professional-type high BTU burner. Like 10,000 BTUs. Hee!)  As with any kind of stir fry, the key to the crispness & flavor is to get it cooked as fast as possible to sear it all in. Basically, you add ingredients, stir, add, stir, etc., until your dish is done. 

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I forgot to capture diced onions & garlic, but they are a part of this.

 Ingredients:
6-8 C cooked, plain sticky rice. (Day-old leftovers work best)
2 C Chinese sausage, diced
3 eggs, slightly beaten
3 C peas (frozen are OK)
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 small onion, diced
1/4 soy sauce (can use reduced-sodium)
3 Tbsp sesame or canola oil

This is Chinese sausage, diced.

Directions:
In a wok or high-sided skillet, heat pan on high and add oil. Add onion and saute for 2-3 minutes, then add garlic. 

When onion has just started to become translucent, add Chinese sausage and continue to stir quickly. Then add the eggs, making sure to vigorously stir so that scrambled eggs don't clump too much and are broken up into small pieces. Once eggs are no longer runny, add peas.

Stir for another 3-4 minutes, then add rice. Drizzle soy sauce over rice, distributing as evenly as possible.  Fold rice over and over to incorporate the rest of the ingredients and to ensure even coverage of soy sauce. If there are any big clumps of rice left, this is the time to break them up so they can get covered, too. Continue to stir for another 5-7 minutes, or until fried rice is well incorporated.

Fried rice can be served as a side or as a main course.

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GBAdams
10/29/2011