Barbecued Beer Can Chicken (Cook's Country)

Submitted by 2Bleu

"From Cook's Country magazine Aug/Sept 2005"

 

• Ready In: 1hr 50mins
• Ingredients: 14
• Yields: 2 whole chickens
• Serves: 6-8

ingredients

• 4 cups wood chips

• rub

• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

• Glaze

• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons beer
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce

• Beer and chicken

• 2 (12 ounce) cans beer
• 4 bay leaves, crumbled
• 2 (3 -3 1/2 lb) roasting chickens, patted dry

directions

1. Soak wood chips in water while prepping grill and chicken.
2. RUB: Mix all ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
3. GLAZE: Mix all glaze ingredients (reserve the empty beer cans, do not rinse) and just 1 tablespoons of the spice rub; set aside.
4. FOR THE REST: Pour out about 1/2 cup or so from each can of beer. Using a church key can opener, punch holes in the top of the can to completely "open" the top; this will allow maximum steam to escape. Add 2 crumbled bay leaves to each can.
5. Loosen the skin on the chicken breasts and thighs of the chicken by sliding your fingers between the skin and the meat. Massage the spice mixture on the skin, under the skin, and inside the cavity.
6. Using a skewer, poke the skin all over to render as much fat as possible while cooking.
7. Place chickens on cans; place on cool part of grill, using drumsticks to stabilize them. Cover and grill until skin is very well browned and very crisp, 40 to 60 minutes.
8. Brush with ketchup glaze and grill, covered, until thigh meat registers 170 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 20 minutes longer.
9. Transfer chickens to cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.

Reviews

[breezermom]

I've done beer can chicken before, but never with this type of rub or glaze. I loved the taste of the glaze, so I knew I'd love it. I used a 4 1/2 lb chicken, so increased the cooking time a bit. I just used my thermometer to determine when it was done. I planned on making this Saturday, and when we started getting a rain storm (we really, really needed the rain!), I just pulled my grill under the covered area of my deck and cooked away. I had soaked my hickory chips overnight, and enjoyed a leisurely rainy afternoon smoking a wonderfully moist chicken with a delicious crispy skin. I do think I'll make more glaze next time, and keep some separate to just dunk the chicken in while I eat it. Made for Photo Tag. Thanks for sharing!

 

[DaleInCO]

EXCELLENT!!! I only used 1 chicken with half of the rub ingredients but the full amount for the glaze. I used mesquite wood chips to smoke the chicken with. Thanks 2Bleu for posting this recipe from Cook's Country magazine!

 

[ForeverMama]

Yummolicious! Really good chicken and a Keeper! Thank you 2Bleu for sharing:)