Brewmeister's Chicken: Beer Can Chicken
- Reviews 3
Ready In: 1 hr 20 mins
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 1 (3 1/2lb) chicken
- vegetable oil, to coat chicken before applying dry rub
FOR THE MARINADE
- 1 (12 ounce) can dark beer
- 1⁄3 cup Dijon mustard
- 1⁄3 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 medium onion, chopped fine
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
FOR THE DRY RUB
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard
- 2 teaspoons coarse salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1⁄2 teaspoon celery seed
- 1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
FOR THE BARBECUE
- 2 cups wood chips, preferably chunks,soaked 1 hour in
- water or beer, then drained
Directions
- Make the marinade by combining all marinade ingredients: whisk well to mix.
- Remove and discard any giblets and fat just inside the body and neck cavities.
- Rinse the chicken inside and out under cold running water, then drain and blot dry inside and out with a paper towel.
- Place chicken with the marinade inside a large resealable plastic freezer bag and marinate in the refrigerator at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, turning the bird several times to marinate evenly.
- Make the rub by combining all rub ingredients; set aside.
- Open the beer can and pour half the beer over the soaking wood chips.
- Remove the chicken from the bag with the marinade.
- DISCARD marinade.
- Sprinkle 1 teaspoons of the dry rub inside the neck cavity of the bird.
- Drizzle oil over the outside of the bird and rub or brush dry rub all over the skin.
- Spoon the remaining dry rub into the half-filled can of beer (beer may foam, which is normal).
- Using a church key can opener, make 2 additional holes in the top of the can.
- Hold the bird upright, with the opening of the body cavity at the bottom, and lower it onto the beer can so the can fits into the body cavity.
- Pull the legs forward to form a tripod, so the bird stands upright (the rear leg of the tripod is the beer can).
- Tuck the tips of the wings behind the chickens back.
- Light the gas barbecue and, using an oven thermometer inside the closed grill, heat to 350°F When warmed, turn off one of the burners and stand the chicken upright on the can over the NON-LIT burner.
- Place oven thermometer beside the chicken, not above the direct heat.
- Wrap the soaked wood chips loosely in foil, punching a few holes in the foil to allow smoke to escape, and place foil pouch directly over the LIT burner.
- Reduce heat, if necessary, to maintain interior temperature at 350°F Close lid.
- Cook until chicken skin is dark golden brown and the meat is cooked through, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
- Use an instant reading meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh, not touching bone; chicken is done when the meat thermometer is 180°F If chicken skin starts to brown too much, loosely tent the bird with aluminum foil.
- When done, remove bird and let rest, standing on a platter at room temperature, about 5 minutes.
- Lift chicken off the can, taking care not to spill hot beer.
- To serve, cut chicken in half or quarters.
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