Top 5 Beer Can Chicken Recipes
Introduction
Beer can chicken is something that you may have seen someone grilling in the park, or perhaps a neighbor has talked about trying it. It might seem like an interesting concept but you're just not quite sure how it works or how long it takes for a whole chicken to cook with a can of beer stuck into its cavity.
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This tutorial will give you answers to all those things you've been wondering about concerning Beer Can Chicken. It offers you five different recipes to try, each with its own variety of spices.
Although there are a few small variations in the way some of the chickens are prepared, they all come down to a couple of basic procedures. The nice thing is that once you lower the lid on your grill if you are able to set up the fire in the right way, you won't need to bother with the chicken until it's almost ready to eat.
What you will need for these beer can chicken recipes
Most of these Beer Can Chicken recipes are simple. The basic equipment you will need to make any of them is listed below.
Equipment and Accessories
Here are a few tips I would like to share with you that apply to grilling any Beer Can Chicken.
- Before you even fire up the grill, make sure your chicken will fit then the lid is closed.
- Test the size of the beer can with the size of the cavity. Make sure the chicken will slide over the can relatively easy. This will be done over a heated grill.
- The chicken needs to be grilled over indirect heat. It's better if the hot coals are on two sides of the bird, or completely surround it. If, however, your coals are only off to one side, you will need to rotate the chicken every 30 minutes to allow it to cook evenly.
- It might be a good idea to place a piece of an onion at the top of the neck to keep all of the steam inside the cavity where it's needed to cook the chicken. However, this is up to you.
- When removing the can from the chicken, you can lay it down and use the tongs to pull it out.
Drunken Chicken
You Will Need:
- 1 whole chicken, a 4 lb fryer
- 1 ½ Tablespoons Cajun seasoning salt
- 16oz can of beer, room temperature (any brand)
- 1oz Zataran's crab boil
Prepare the grill :
- For the grill, fold a 12 inch-long piece of aluminum foil in half, put it on the grill. Fold the edges under the grill grate to keep it in place. Preheat your grill. Prepare the chicken.
- After removing any extra fat or hanging pieces of skin from the bird and removing the giblets and neck, pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Carefully loosen the skin on top of each breast. Generously add Cajun seasoning under the loosened skin, then on the inside and outer skin of the chicken.
- Pour out about one-third of the beer, (it won't be used) and add the liquid crab boil to the can. Carefully loosen the skin from the meat at the neck and pour some of the beer and seasoning mixture into the pockets you have made. Grill the chicken.
- Set the can on the grill where it will receive indirect heat and over the foil. Next, lower the chicken over the beer can. Close the lid and cook for 45-60 minutes. Using your thermometer, check for a temperature of 175F in the thigh.
- When it has reached this temperature, remove the chicken using the metal spatula under the can and the tongs. Set it on the cutting board and remove the can. Cover the bird with an aluminum foil tent. Let it rest 10 minutes before carving.
Beer Can Chicken Recipe
Beer Can Chicken is something that you may have seen someone grilling in the park, or perhaps a neighbor has talked about trying it. It might seem like an interesting concept but you're just not quite sure how it works or how long it takes for a whole chicken to cook with a can of beer stuck into its cavity.
Servings: 4
Calories: 395kcal
Equipment
A Grill
Large cutting board
Small bowl
A carving knife
Heat-resistant oven gloves
Metal spatula
Tongs
Meat thermometer
Aluminum foil
Ingredients
- 1 Whole chicken, a 4 lb fryer
- 1 ½
Tablespoons
Cajun seasoning salt - 16oz
Can of beer, room temperature (any brand) - 1oz
Zataran's crab boil
Instructions
- For the grill, fold a 12 inch-long piece of aluminum foil in half, put it on the grill.
- Fold the edges under the grill grate to keep it in place.
- Preheat your grill. Prepare the chicken.
- After removing any extra fat or hanging pieces of skin from the bird and removing the giblets and neck, pat the chicken dry with paper towels.
- Carefully loosen the skin on top of each breast.
- Generously add Cajun seasoning under the loosened skin, then on the inside and outer skin of the chicken.
- Pour out about one-third of the beer, (it won't be used) and add the liquid crab boil to the can.
- Carefully loosen the skin from the meat at the neck and pour some of the beer and seasoning mixture into the pockets you have made.
- Grill the chicken.
- Set the can on the grill where it will receive indirect heat and over the foil.
- Next, lower the chicken over the beer can.
- Close the lid and cook for 45-60 minutes.
- Using your thermometer, check for a temperature of 175F in the thigh.
- When it has reached this temperature, remove the chicken using the metal spatula under the can and the tongs.
- Set it on the cutting board and remove the can.
- Cover the bird with an aluminum foil tent.
- Let it rest 10 minutes before carving.
Nutrition
Serving: 100g | Calories: 395kcal
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Save this recipe in your Cave Tools BBQ app or download other recipes from the community recipes exchange!
Southwestern-Style Beer Can Chicken
You Will Need:
- 1 whole chicken, about 4 pounds
- 12oz can of beer, room temperature any brand
Southwestern-Style Beer Can Chicken Rub:
- 1 Tablespoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon allspice
Prepare the spices :
- In a small bowl, mix the chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, salt, granulated sugar, black pepper and allspice.
- Preheat your grill to medium heat. Prepare the chicken.
- Remove the giblets and neck. Trim any fat or extra skin. Pat the chicken with paper towels, both inside and out to remove any dampness. Set aside half of the seasonings; rub the other half inside the cavity and on the outer skin. Empty half the contents of the beer can.
- Make two extra holes in the top of the can, then pour in the rest of the rub mixture. Place the can on the grill and set the chicken on top of the can and gently slide it down, making sure it's balanced. Begin to grill.
- Carefully set the bird on the grill. Shut the lid and let it cook for about 2 hours. When the temperature of the thigh reaches 180F, the chicken will be fully cooked. Using your metal spatula and tongs, remove the chicken from the grill. Let it rest on the carving board for 10 minutes. Remove and discard the beer can. Carve the chicken and enjoy a fantastic meal.
Download This Recipe
Save this recipe in your Cave Tools BBQ app or download other recipes from the community recipes exchange!
Greek-Style Beer Can Chicken
You Will Need:
- 1 whole chicken,
- 4-5 pounds12oz can of beer, room temperature (any brand)
For the Seasoning-Paste:
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice (the juice of one lemon)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Prepare the spices:
- In a small bowl, combine the fresh oregano, thyme and rosemary with the olive oil, garlic, salt and lemon juice to make a paste.
- Preheat the grill to medium heat. Prepare the chicken.
- Remove the giblets and neck from the chicken and any excess fat you see on the bird. Using paper towels, pat any moisture on the inside and outside of the chicken. Set the chicken on the cutting board.
- Carefully loosen the skin from the breast meat; apply half the paste to the inside of the cavity, into the pockets over the breasts and the outer skin of the chicken. Discard half the beer; make two holes in the top of the can. Insert the second rest of the seasoning-paste into the can and mix. Begin to grill.
- Put the beer can on the grill over indirect heat, then slide chicken over the beer can, making sure it is stable. Set the chicken on the grill, over indirect heat. Close the lid and grill for approximately 2 hours.
- When your meat thermometer registers the internal temperature of the thigh at 180F, your chicken will be fully cooked. Remove the chicken with the metal spatula and tongs. Set it on the cutting board and let it rest 10 minutes before removing and discarding the can. Carve the chicken and enjoy a delicious chicken dinner.
Download This Recipe
Save this recipe in your Cave Tools BBQ app or download other recipes from the community recipes exchange!
Memphis Style Beer Can Chicken
You Will Need:
- 1 whole chicken,
- 4 pounds12oz can of beer, room temperature (any brand)
Memphis Style Beer Can Chicken Rub:
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
Prepare the spices :
- Combine the ingredients for the rub together in a small bowl. Preheat the grill to a medium heat. Prepare the chicken
- Remove the giblets and neck from the cavity of the chicken. Use paper towels to absorb any dampness on the skin and inside the bird. Rub half the mixture into the outer skin, between the skin and breast meat. Discard half of the beer and make two holes on top of the beer can. Begin to grill
- Place the beer can over indirect heat on the grill grate and slide the chicken onto the can making sure it's balanced. It should be grilled for around one and a half hours. Check the temperature in the thigh with your meat thermometer. The chicken is done when the internal temperature registers 180F.
- Using the tongs, spatula and gloves, remove the chicken to rest for 10 minutes on the cutting board. Carefully separate the can from the chicken and discard the can. Carve the chicken and serve/
Download This Recipe
Save this recipe in your Cave Tools BBQ app or download other recipes from the community recipes exchange!
Beer Can Chicken
You Will Need:
- 1 whole chicken, about 4 pounds
- 1 12oz can of beer, at room temperature (any brand)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 sprigs rosemary
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, crushed
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice, from 1 lemon
Beer Can Chicken Rub:
- 1 Tablespoon paprika
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
- 2 teaspoons thyme
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Preheat your grill to medium heat. Prepare the spices.
- In a small bowl, mix the paprika, salt, chopped rosemary, 2 teaspoons thyme, black pepper and 1 teaspoon lemon zest. Prepare the chicken.
- Place the chicken on a large cutting board; remove giblets, the neck, excess fat or skin. Use paper towels to remove any dampness on the skin and in the cavity. Using your fingers to separate the skin and the breast meat, create a space. Cover the inside and outside of the bird with the rub.
- Also, rub some of the spices between the skin and breast meat. Remove half of the beer and make two holes in the top of the can. Add the minced cloves, rosemary sprigs, olive oil, 1 teaspoon thyme, crushed red pepper flakes and the juice of 1 lemon (2 Tablespoons). Lower the chicken over the beer can. Begin to grill.
- Set the beer can on the grill grate over indirect heat. Slide the chicken over the can and cook for 1 ½ to 2 hours. When the internal temperature in the thigh reaches 180F, the chicken is fully cooked.
- With the spatula under the can and using the tongs, remove the chicken to a large cutting board. Let it rest for 10 minutes. Separate the can and discard. Carve your chicken and serve it with your favorite side dishes.
Download This Recipe
Save this recipe in your Cave Tools BBQ app or download other recipes from the community recipes exchange!
I hope you've enjoyed this grilling tutorial and that these 5 recipes will be the beginning of your Beer Can Chicken grilling experience. It's always good to see the directions when trying a new technique. Even though the process isn't hard to master, it's best to do a little research beforehand. Please feel free to comment or ask any questions in the comment section. If you've found this information helpful, please share this page with your friends.
