Busy summer nights call for an awesome beer can chicken recipe.
With all that has been going on in my life I was really in need of a “set-it-and-forget-it” dinner tonight. I had a whole chicken (the chicken was almost bigger than Leila!), a pre-made BBQ rub….and a lone Budweiser. Time for and awesome beer can chicken!
Awesome Beer Can Chicken
My brother gave me a beer can chicken contraption a few years back and we use it all the time. It truly makes the juiciest, most delicious chicken ever! I’m sure you could probably make it without the actual contraption but I’ve never done it.
I started by rubbing my chicken with olive oil, salt, pepper and my pre-made, store bought, BBQ rub. Next is the best part, you have to drink half the beer so it doesn’t boil over onto the grill. I cut the top off my beer can to allow the liquid to fully steam into the chicken while cooking
Pop that baby upright onto the contraption and put it on the grill.
Place over indirect heat and let it cook for about and hour to an hour an a half until its cooked to the proper temperature (generally 165 degrees in the breast or 185 degrees in the thigh. Definitely use a meat thermometer)
Mmmm mmmm! It turned out great! (as always) I cannot stress how easy this is. I served mine up with some fresh green beans from Henry’s.
Time to get back to work. I am under some serious deadline pressures this week. I have not looked forward to a weekend like this in SO LONG! Cheers to one more day chained to my desk then a gorgeous warm weekend!
Try these other great chicken on the grill recipes
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Maggie says
Ok THIS is your stress free dinner?! We had Mac n cheese out of the box…. The kind where u just squeeze out the cheese. I’ve got ALOT to learn 🙂
Susan says
What is your own made bbq sauce?
betsy says
Here’s the link http://betsylife.com/homemade-bbq-sauce/
Jan says
Do you put the heat on low?
betsy says
I use indirect heat. So, hot around the edges and low right under where the chicken is positioned
Jim says
Hi Folks,
Iam sorry to say that this does not really work. I have tried it many times. Here is how I figured it out, buy ultimately the Web site, Cooking For Engineers put the nail in the coffin.
But too don’t have to be an engineer to figure it out for yourself.
1- Just measure the amount of liquid that you are going to use before and after. And you will see floor yourself that hardly any is gone.Well to moisten that old bird much of it should already be turned to moisture and saturated the meat, imparting flavor and tenderness. Guess what? No amount of liquid is gone.
2- Then ask yourself, wouldn’t the liquid have to be bolling too turn to a vapor? What tempera ture does watter boil at? Are you cooking at that temperature?
So ín the end someone recommended Spatchcocking a chicken or turkey instead.,for a really delightful flavor, and in lessence time also.
Try it. Ýou will always do it that way in the future.
One Summer’s night I walked over to my neighbor’s house can ask him what he was going to barbecue. He said a turkey I asked Had he brined it yet? He had no clue. I said you should always brine pork and foul. You said here take it home and do it yourself which I did. Except I spatchcocked it. Yummy.
betsy says
Hi Jim! I appreciate you taking the time to try this and give your feedback. Very thoughtful! While I’m no scientist, I can attest to the tastiness of this chicken.
Julie J says
It’s one of my favorites, my BFF gave me one of the “contraption ” stands a couple of years ago but before that I just used the can, I’m not an engineer but if done correctly it’s is the moistest, yes, I know that’s not a word,you have ever had. Did it in the oven once, that was a giant mess so whether sunny, rain or snow only the grill now
CannedHeat says
Couple secrets….I’ve been doing these as far back as I can remember in my 48 years. 1) Brine if you have time. 2) Let bird(s) warm up a bit before putting on grill. 3) Get your cooking beer close to boiling before putting bird on….starts the beer-steam process much sooner. 4) Add crushed garlic clove and some thyme springs and rosemary to your beer right before placing bird on top. 5) Keep squirt bottle or squirt gun with water on standby.
CannedHeat says
thyme sprigs…sorry.
betsy says
Thanks for the tips!
Joyce says
Great recipe! Oh wait, there ISN’T a recipe?!? What temp do you set the grill?? Seems like that is a key step. I just wasted 5 minutes reading this over and over again to see if I missed it. Nope!
betsy says
I mention indirect heat which means half the grill is on high and the other half is off. Here’s some more info on that https://www.charbroil.com/learn/what-is-indirect-and-direct-grilling/
Thanks for the feedback, I’ll update the post to be more specific