Return to Main Recipes Page/Return to Home Page
For the Rub:
For Chicken:
Preheat grill. In a small bowl, combine the rub ingredients.
Remove and discard neck, giblets and any excess fat from chicken. Rinse chicken, inside and out, under cold water; pat dry with paper towels. Lightly spray or brush all over with vegetable oil and season, inside and out, with the rub.
Open the beer can; pour off half the beer. Set half-full can on a flat surface and slide chicken over the top so the can fits inside the cavity. Transfer bird to the grill, keeping the can upright. Carefully balance the bird on its two legs and the can. Grill over Indirect/medium heat until juices run clear and internal temperature reaches 170°F in breast and 180°F in thickest part of thigh, 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours.
Wearing barbecue mitts, carefully remove chicken and beer can from grill, being careful not to spill beer - it will be hot! Let chicken rest about 10 minutes before lifting it from the can. Discard beer. Cut chicken into serving pieces. Serve warm.
Poster's Notes:
Steven Raichlen wrote a cookbook called "Beer Can Chicken" which includes many variations on using this technique for barbecuing. The chicken(s) stand up like a chorus line of dancers on the barbecue - they look like they are doing the can-can!!! (ha, ha)
Just remember to pour off half the liquid before putting the chicken onto the can (or drink it)! You can even use this technique using canned coca cola. The steam keeps the chicken moist, while the outside gets nice and brown.
You can also cook the chicken in the oven at 325°F to 350°F using Maxine's suggestions below of cooking it on the lowest rack and removing the upper racks.
Maxine wrote: Place in oven, and cook for about an hour to 90 minutes. It's done when the legs move freely and the juices run clear.
Posted by Norene Gilletz
Nutritional Info Per Serving: N/A
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. granulated onion
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. granulated garlic
1/2 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 4-to-5-lbs. whole chicken
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 16-oz. can beer
The idea of cooking chicken upright on a vertical roaster has been around for quite a while. I refer to this method as "Up-the-Tuches Chicken!!" (Hope this passes the censors!)