How to Cook Beer Can Chicken

Beer can chicken, which is also called beer butt chicken, is a mouthwatering dish which involves putting a can of liquid inside the chicken cavity and then roasting the bird on the beer can. The liquid in the can flavors the surrounding meat as it boils and keeps it moist.

Chicken dries out easily and even a few minutes of extra cooking time can do this to the bird so using liquid is a bonus, keeping the meat succulent as well as adding a wonderful flavor. You can experiment with different liquids in this beer can chicken recipe, if you want to. A mixture of apple juice and pineapple juice works well if you do not want to use beer.

Beer Can Chicken Grill Tips

You can use a charcoal grill or a gas grill for this beer can chicken recipe or you can make beer can chicken in the oven. Have a spray bottle to hand when making this beer can chicken recipe on a charcoal grill, in case of flare-ups. If you want to use a Cornish hen, you can use a smaller can, like a tomato paste can.

How Do You Make Beer Can Chicken

Ingredients -

1 chicken, 3 ½ - 4 lbs
2 tablespoons all purpose BBQ rub or your favorite seasoning rub
1 can beer, 12 oz
2 teaspoons vegetable oi

Preparation:

If you are using a frozen chicken, you will need to let it thaw slowly for several days in the refrigerator before making this beer can chicken recipe.

Pour half the beef over cherry or hickory wood chips and leave them to soak for an hour. Make two more holes in the top of the beer can and set it aside. Take the packet of giblets out of the chicken and put them aside or discard them. Remove the fat inside the chicken body and neck and throw it away.

Rinse the chicken under running water, and then dry it with paper towels inside and out. Sprinkle some of the BBQ rub inside the body cavity and inside the neck cavity of the bird. Apply some more of the rub to the outside of the chicken and put the rest in the beer can with the remaining beer.

Hold the chicken upright with the cavity underneath and lower it on to the beer can so the can goes into the cavity. Pull the legs forward so you get a tripod with the two legs and the beer can. Tuck the wings behind the back and prepare the grill for indirect grilling over a medium heat.

If you are using a gas grill for this beer can chicken recipe, put all the wood chips in the smoker pouch or smoker box until you see smoke, and then turn the heat down to medium. If you are using a charcoal grill, put a drip pan in the center and toss the wood chips on the coals when it is hot enough.

Stand the chicken in the center of the hot grate over the drip pan, away from the direct heat. Cover the grill and cook the bird until the meat is cooked through and the skin is golden brown all over. This will take about an hour and a half, depending on the size of the chicken and the heat of your grill.

If you are using a charcoal grill, you should add another 12 fresh coals on each side after an hour. If the chicken is going too brown, you can make a loose tent for the bird with aluminum foil. Use an instant read thermometer to check the chicken is 180 degrees F in the thickest part of the thigh. If so, it is cooked through. If not, give it some extra time on the grill.

Remove the beer can from the chicken using tongs and serve the delicious chicken with your favorite grilled vegetables. It is best to let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

(Serves 4)

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How to use Cook's Choice Sittin' Chicken Steamer

A Sittin' Chicken Steamer is another way to make beer can chicken. This ceramic glazed cooking cone holds the chicken upright on the grill and stops it from falling over. You can use a marinade, juice, or beer inside the Sittin' Chicken Steamer, to add flavor and moisture to the bird.

Butter, onions, garlic, oil and beer are used in this beer can chicken recipe for a perfect flavor and the seasoning rub is applied inside the chicken's skin so the flavor can penetrate right through the meat. After a few hours in the smoker, the beer can chicken is so tender it literally falls apart - totally delicious!

How to Cook Beer Can Chicken

Once you have tried beer can chicken you will definitely want to make it again and again! There are variations with the beer can chicken recipe and you can use fruit juice, a mixture of beer and fruit juice or even butter, oil and garlic in the beer can. You can either use a Sittin' Chicken Steamer or a beer can to make this dish.

You can also try different seasoning rubs in your beer can chicken recipe, to see which you like the most. Use plenty of seasoning when making beer can chicken recipes, to enhance the flavor of the bird.

Making Beer Can Chicken in the Oven

If you want to make beer can chicken in the oven, you will need to preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and put the rack at the bottom. Prepare the chicken with the rub, adding some to the beer can and pierce the two extra holes in the beer can. Put the can in a dish. This will allow the chicken to cook indirectly and it will catch the juices from the bird so you can use them for gravy.

Put the chicken on the beer can, using the legs and beer can to make a tripod, keeping the chicken balanced upright. Make a loose aluminum foil tent to protect the skin from going too brown and cook for half an hour.

Turn the heat down to 350 degrees F and cook for another half an hour. Remove the aluminum foil tent and rotate the bird around so it cooks evenly. Check the beer can chicken every half an hour. It is done when a meat thermometer reads 180 degrees F when inserted into the thickest part of the thigh and when the outside is brown and crispy.

Use tongs and an oven mitt to remove the beer can, let the chicken stand for ten minutes and pour the remaining beer into the dish with the drippings to make a sauce or gravy. This is how easy it is to cook a chicken with a beer can!

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Photo Description:

Nothing beats the unmistakable flavor of grilled chicken, except grilled beer can chicken. A barbecue rub or your favorite seasoning rub is applied to the chicken and then it cooks to perfection over the grill.

Grill some chopped vegetables to complete this tasty beer can chicken dish. Grilled zucchini, potatoes and yams all go beautifully with this beer can chicken recipe and you can cook them on the grill at the same time until they are soft. This is one of the best ever-chicken recipes!

Cook's Choice All Purpose Seasoning and Cook's Choice Chicken Seasoning Dry Rub

Get everything you'll need for seasoning your bird just like in the video recipe to your right at the links below.

Cook's Choice Sittin' Chicken Steamer and Cook's Choice Sittin Turkey Steamer

Get Cook's Choice Sittin' Chicken Steamer that you'll need for cooking your bird just like in the video recipe to your right at the links below.

The Best Beer Can Chicken Recipe Ideas

If you love the taste of grilled chicken, you are guaranteed to love beer can chicken. There are various ways to make this recipe and you can use any ingredients you like in the beer can or Sittin' Chicken Steamer. Whether you are making beer can chicken in the oven or having a beer can chicken grill, the flavorings you use are up to you.

It is a good idea to apply plenty of rub to the chicken before sitting it on the beer can because the rub really flavors the outside of the chicken and the delicious aromas permeate into the flesh of the bird. With the rub flavoring the outside of the bird and the beer can ingredients flavoring the inside, you are going to end up with a juicy, succulent chicken which is bursting with flavor all over.

Using a Sittin' Chicken Steamer is a great idea because this handy little piece of grilling equipment keeps the chicken upright is fired ceramic and therefore heatproof and it is also easily washable. If you use a little oil on the steamer, you will be able to wash it clean in seconds.

You can only use a beer can once but you can use the steamer hundreds of times to make plenty of wonderful beer can chicken recipes for the whole family to enjoy.

Delicious Beer Can Chicken Recipes

Traditional beer can chicken is made with beer but you can use fruit juice, bouillon or even herb butter in the beer can or the beer can chicken cooker. You might like to try a barbeque beer can chicken recipe or use fruit or vegetables in the steamer or beer can for more flavor. Onion and garlic give an especially good taste to chicken without being overpowering.

Many different sauces and even red or white wine is great to use and the resulting steam flavors every inch of the chicken from the inside out. Why not experiment with some different flavors to see what beer can chicken recipes you can come up with yourself?