Man, I wish I was anywhere near you guys....But since I am not, I will give up some appropriate "beerbq" recipes and ideas of mine.
Fubar chicken and 'shrooms.
Needed:
1 - 3-3/12 lbs chicken (preferably dead, featherless and cleaned. If it isn't, make it that way.)
1 - 6 pack of beer in cans not chilled (since we probably are not canning you will have to buy it, resist all urges to drink it, this will all be explained and used! I suggest any Miller/Coors product that is not a "light" beer.)
1 - large package of baby button white mushrooms whole
1 - lbs of bacon
1 - package of bamboo skewers (Or if you are Mr. Fancy and have metal ones use those but I suggest having 1 skewer per person as this reduces fighting.)
1 - clove of garlic
3 - tbl spn of butter
1 - bottle of liquid smoke
1 - bottle of Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce (anything else simply will not do and is NOT bbq sauce.)
-some salt and pepper
5 gallons or equivalent of home brew (or have 4-5 guests come over and each bring a 12 pack. Let's face it is is easy to drink more than 12 beers in a normal cook out time frame AND I suggest a "swap" of 1 bottle each.)
some nice chilled mugs (1 per person to USE).
PREP: Before you light the grill you are going to need to do some prep.
Step 1:
If using the bamboo skewers they will need to soak in water for at least an hour.
Step 2:
Grab a HB beer for you.
Step 3:
Get out a cooking pot that all the Shrooms will fit in and be able to float off the bottom. Add in 2 full cans of the "6 pack" (they need to float.) the butter and chopped garlic clove. boil it until the 'shrooms are a nice brown/grey color (cooked).( Note: This is boiling beer, we have all seen it, watch for the "boil over" and reduce heat as needed or face the wrath of SWMBO!) Turn off the stove and remove them from the pot to cool. (Use a spoon not your fingers!) A plate works well for the cooling. Use a paper towel to at least wipe off the stove to keep SWMBO from yelling at you for making a mess.
NOTE: Feel free to sample a 'shroom at this point this is how I like them with my steak but you invited guests and are not serving steak are you?
Step 4:
Get 2nd HB beer and drink it half down (you do not need to slam it.), wash your hands (with soap and water), grab a cutting board, a sharp knife, the skewers, a new plate and the bacon. Cut the package of bacon in half and pull out all the bacon pieces. (This is easier to do if the bacon package is unopened.) Do NOT place the knife in the sink, SWMBO may cut herself! set it next to the sink! Now carefully wrap each 'shroom with 1/2 a strip of bacon and skewer it. The bacon is slippery and the 'shrooms are kinda slimy so be careful! once you have all the 'shrooms on the skewers you may need to adjust them so they are split up fairly even.
Step 5:
Wash your hands again (soap and water....) and while you are at the sink may as well wash the dirty pot, plate, cutting board and knife. A happy SWMBO is key to these events! Finish your 2nd HB beer you are doing well!
Step 6:
Prep the chicken! Get a plate (the one you just washed will do just fine.)remove chicken from package, rince it off and make sure there is not a gibblet pack, neck or blood paper stuck to it. Set it on the plate. Wash your hands (yes, I know it gets old but just do it...geez.) grab HB beer 3 for you and the 3rd "6pack" can. take a nice drink off the HB, open up the can and pour 1/3 of it down the drain, while saying something like,"This is for my hommies that couldn't be here today." (It makes you look incredibly cool to SWMBO or early guests or it makes you laugh a bit, whatever you need to do to not cry about it!) add in liquid smoke to the can to replace the beer you dumped. (It does not need to be filled to the top of the can! discretion use some.) Now make the tab on the can vertical, carefuly insert can into the "backside of the chicken" (it's the bigger of the 2 openings), tab first, without spilling the contents of the can. You better be doing this over the sink...... No carefully skewer the chicken through its ribs (under the wings) so that as it is passing through the chicken you get the can tab. The idea is that this skewer will help hold the can in the chicken.) Set chicken on plate. Wash hands and finish you 3rd HB. sprinkle some liquid smoke on the outside of the chicken and add on some salt and pepper. Clean up any mess, you are ready for guests and grilling!
Step 7:
Light the grill as guests are arriving, since this is a "guy thing" HB should most defiantly be involved in some sort of symbolic toast.(turn heat to medium or let coals get to the correct "readiness" and move them to the edge of the grill making a "ring".
Step 8:
Place chicken on center of the grill with the can bottom facing down. Cover and let cook, it will take about an hour to fully cook.(This is a great time to discuss,plan and drink HB w/ your guests.) At about the 1/2 way point slather that Sweet Baby Rays all over the outside of the bird. With about 15 min or so left on the bird grab those 'shrooms and COVER them in Sweet Baby Rays BBQ sauce. NOTE: As the bacon cooks it is going to cause fires, just do the best you can to not fully incinerate the bird or the 'shrooms. A water bottle may help. If the BBQ sauce gets a little "blackened" that is ok, it will still taste good.
Side note: You may want to grill up some corn-on-the-cob as this meal has 0 veggies in it, If this is the case I would grill the corn up while then chicken is cooking in the 1st 30 min. the stick it in aluminum foil or a turkey pot to keep warm.
Step 8:
Remove the skewer from bird, then carefully remove the bird, (leaving the can on the grill) and 'shrooms, turn off grill if possible. Divide food make a toast, and thank the God of beers for the great food and new friends to share it with! enjoy
After diner fun:
Mystery beer. Zomg why o why would you do this? "I say why is it always why, when how is so much more fun." Since, you have a gathering of local home brewers in 1 place why not make a batch while you drink some. But it is unfair to ask the host to supply everything. So host, ask each guest to also bring 1 or 2 ingredients and make a mystery beer! Be brave and adventurous! It also gives a great reason to have another gathering. If no one ever alters anything we will never discover anything.
Good luck!
