Beer Can Chicken

Recipe courtesy Steven Raichlen

Show: Food Network ChallengeEpisode: BBQ Bootcamp

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (21)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(21)

Cook Time:
2 hr 0 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
4 to 6 servings

Times:

Prep: 30 min
Inactive Prep: --
Cook: 2 hr 0 min
Total:: 2 hr 30 min

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Ingredients

1 large whole chicken (4 to 5 pounds)
3 tablespoons Memphis Rub (or your favorite dry barbecue rub
1 can (12 ounces) beer

Directions

Remove and discard the fat just inside the body cavities of the chicken. Remove the package of giblets and set aside for another use. Rinse the chicken inside and out, under cold running water, then drain and blot dry inside and out, with paper towels. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the rub inside the body and neck cavities, then rub another 1 tablespoon all over the skin of the bird. If you wish, rub another 1/2 tablespoon of the mixture between the flesh and skin. Cover and refrigerate the chicken while you preheat the grill.

Set up the grill for indirect grilling, placing a drip pan in the center. If using a charcoal grill, preheat it to medium. If using a gas grill, place all the wood chips in the smoker box and preheat to high; then when smoke appears, lower the heat to medium.

Pop the tab on the beer can. Using a 'church key'-style can opener, make 6 or 7 holes in the top of the can. Pour out the top inch of beer, then spoon the remaining dry rub through the holes into the beer. Holding the chicken upright, with the opening of the body cavity down, insert the beer can into the cavity.

When ready to cook, if using charcoal, toss 1/2 the wood chips on the coals. Oil the grill grate. Stand the chicken up in the center of the hot grate, over the drip pan. Spread out the legs to form a sort of tripod, to support the bird.

Cover the grill and cook the chicken until fall-off-the-bone tender, 2 hours. If using charcoal, add 10 to 12 fresh coals per side and the remaining wood chips after 1 hour.

Using tongs, lift the bird to a cutting board or platter, holding a large metal spatula underneath the beer can for support. (Have the board or platter right next to the bird to make the move shorter. Be careful not to spill hot beer on yourself.) Let stand for 5 minutes before carving meat off the upright carcass. (Toss the beer can out along with the carcass.)

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Beer Can Chicken
Liz Kelso, WA 05-31-2009
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Everything Steven Raichlen makes is Awesome!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I have made this chicken many times out of "Grill" another one of this authors cookbooks. It is always Awesome. I... previously used good old budweiser but recently used Rolling Rock (pale ale). This was by far the best ever. Not as yeasty. The chicken just pored juice. Even left overs the next day were juicy! I use the basic barbeque rub out of this same cookbook (on everything) and the basic barbeque sauce at the very end... My side is very simple. Smoke roasted baked potatoes. Just wash the potatoes very well, poke really well so the smoke penetrates, and put a little melted butter on the potatoes. I put the potatoes around the chicken (if really large I microwave for a few minutes to give a head start) then indirect grill for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Perfect every time! Steven, thank you! Read more
recipe Beer Can Chicken
Anonymous 08-31-2008
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Good and Easy
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

The chicken was delicious. Two of us devoured a 4 pound chicken. The secret is definitely seasoning under the skin.
recipe Beer Can Chicken
Anonymous 07-30-2007
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Beer can chicken
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

Generally rub chicken with olive oil then with garlic powder and fresh ground pepper instead of Memphis rub, but it still... works great.Read more
recipe Beer Can Chicken
Angie Bunker Hill, WV 05-28-2007
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Gotta love it!!!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

Awesome chicken!!! A real crowd pleaser. One trick you may want to not skip is placing some rub under the chicken skin.
recipe Beer Can Chicken
ALLEN humble, TX 12-25-2006
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beer butt chicken
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

too juicy!
recipe Beer Can Chicken
Anonymous 12-01-2006
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yummy
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

It was really easy to follow, chicken was a little drier then I'd hoped buy I'll just ajust that next time.