Since the weather is heating up, it’s time to do some cooking outdoors! Beer Can Chicken is an easy way to cook a whole chicken on the grill while keeping it moist and flavorful.
Before getting started, make sure that your grill can accommodate the chicken — since the chicken will have to cook while it is upright and the lid will have to be closed. You can always use a smaller/larger bird, depending on your needs.
Ingredients
1 whole chicken (approx. 4 pounds)
1 can of beer (This can should fit inside the bird’s cavity and be used as a stand)
1.5 cups spice rub (I like to use a mixture of kosher salt, course ground pepper, cayenne pepper and lemon zest)
Instructions
Well, the first step is to drink half the beer! You only need half the liquid in the can for cooking. To better facilitate the transfer of moisture from the can to the bird, you can remove the top of the beer can with a can opener. Then pour in half your dry rub mixture.
Rinse and dry the chicken after removing all the giblets and other business. Then take the other half of the dry rub and rub it under the skin and inside the chicken. You can also use a little olive oil to rub it.
Arrange your charcoal or wood chips in the grill base leaving a spot in the middle empty, so that the flames will surround the chicken but not be directly under it. Once it is hot and ready to go, place the can in the middle.
Now place the bird atop the can and press down lightly to secure the can in the opening. You position the legs in front slightly for support. Place the lid on top and cook. Check to see it is cooking evenly, if not you may need to rotate the bird a few times. Cooking time will be about 2 hours, but will vary according to your grill. Use a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the meat to make sure it’s cooked to 170 degrees. Carefully remove chicken to cool and enjoy.
Photo by Ingorrr.
