Beer Can Chicken
September 21, 2008
I have been talking about making beer can chicken for so long. Finally, finally we did! And what they say is true, this is some of the juciest meat you’ll ever get from a whole chicken. This cooking technique perches the whole chicken vertically on top of an open can of beer. The steam (and herbs) from the beer penetrate the chicken, generating incredibly tender and juicy results. The upright position allows the chicken to cook evenly with the fat running off, creating a crisp golden skin, according to my source for this fabulous recipe, Better Homes and Gardens “Grill it” cookbook.
My recipe did not indicate what type of beer to use, so I did some research to find out what was the best pick. Needless to say there are lots of possibilities. Click here to learn more, and make your own decision. Now of course we did not eat the whole chicken in one sitting, so with my leftovers, I shredded the rest of this yummy beer can chicken and made “Roasted chicken and Corn Summer Chowder“. Please enjoy!
For more beer can recipes click here.
- 2 tsp. packed brown sugar
- 2 tsp. paprika
- 2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. dry mustard
- ½ tsp. ground black pepper
- ½ tsp. dried thyme, crushed
- ¼ tsp. garlic powder
- 1 12-ounce can beer
- 1 3 ½ to 4 pound whole broiler-fryer chicken
- 1 lemon wedge
In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, paprika, salt, dry mustard, pepper, thyme and garlic powder. Drink or pour half of the beer from the can. Add 1 tsp. of the spice mixture to the half-empty can (beer will foam up).
Remove neck and giblets from chicken. Sprinkle 1 tsp. of the spice rub inside the body cavity. Rub the outside of the chicken with butter and sprinkle on the remaining spice rub.
Hold the chicken upright with the opening of the body cavity at the bottom and lower it into the beer can so that can fits into the cavity. Pull the chicken legs forward so the bird rests on it’s legs and the can. Twists wing tips behind back. Stuff the lemon wedge in the neck cavity.
For a charcoal grill, arrange medium hot coals around a drip pan. Test for medium heat above pan. Stand chicken upright on grill rack over drip pan. Grill covered for 1 ½ to 1 ¾ hours or until chicken is no longer pink (180 degrees in thigh muscle). If necessary, place a tent of foil over chicken to prevent overbrowning. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Adjust for indirect cooking. If necessary, remove upper grill racks so chicken will stand upright. Grill as above.) Remove chicken from grill, holding by the can. Cover with foil; let stand for 10 minutes. Use a hot pad to grasp can and heavy tongs to carefully remove the chicken.
Serves: 4 to 6
Prep time: 30 minutes, Grill: 1 ¼ hour
Related posts:
