Uzbek Beer Can Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken
• 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 1 piece fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 2 teaspoons coarse salt, kosher or sea
• 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 can club soda or beer, optional
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

1. Trim away and discard any fat tucked just inside the chicken’s neck and body cavities. Take out the giblet packet and save it for something else. Rinse the chicken inside and outside under cold running water, then drain it well and pat the inside and outside dry with paper towels. If you want the bird skinless, remove the skin now; most will come away with your fingers, and a paring knife will help around the wings and the ends of the drumsticks. Cut 2 deep slashes down to the bone on both sides of the breast, and in each leg and thigh, so the seasoning and heat can get right into the meat. Put the garlic, ginger, salt, paprika, turmeric, coriander, cumin, and pepper in a mortar and crush them with a pestle until you have a smooth paste, then blend in the oil. If you’re skipping the mortar and pestle, use a food processor instead. A mini processor is best for this amount, though a full-size one works if you stop often and scrape the side of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Process until the garlic and ginger are finely minced, then pour in the oil little by little and puree until smooth.
2. Add about 1 tablespoon of the tandoori paste to the neck and body cavities, using the spatula to smear it around. Set the chicken in a baking dish or aluminum foil pan that fits it snugly. Rub the rest of the spice paste all over the outside of the chicken. You can also marinate the chicken in a large, heavy-duty, resealable plastic bag instead. Cover and refrigerate the chicken for 6 hours, or up to 24; more time means deeper flavor.
3. Prepare the grill for indirect grilling, set a drip pan in the middle, and heat the grill to medium.
4. If you’re using a can, remove the tab and drink or pour out half of the club soda or beer. Make 2 additional openings in the top with a church key-style can opener. If you’re using a beer-can chicken roaster, pour half of the club soda or beer into the roaster. Take the chicken out of the marinade, saving any marinade left behind. Stand the chicken upright with the body cavity facing down, then lower it onto the can or roaster so it sits firmly in the cavity. If you’re using a can, bring the legs forward so they help balance the bird like a tripod, with the can acting as the back support. If you’re using a chicken roaster, you can skip that balancing act. Fold the wing tips behind the chicken’s back. Or, if you prefer, secure the bird with butcher’s string or a bamboo skewer.
5. To cook, set the chicken, on the can or roaster if you’re using one, in the center of the grill grate above the drip pan and away from the heat. Spoon any reserved marinade over the bird, then close the grill. Grill until the chicken is deeply browned and cooked through, about 1 hour for a skinless chicken or about 1 1/4 hours with the skin on. Check it with an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part of a thigh, making sure the probe does not hit bone. The temperature should register about 170 degrees F. If the top is getting too dark before the chicken is done, tent it loosely with a small piece of aluminum foil.
6. Move the chicken to a cutting board and let it stand for about 5 minutes. If it was cooked on a can or roaster, lift it off carefully. Carve the chicken into pieces and serve with lemon wedges.