Killer Barbecue

This is a surprisingly simple way to make an amazing whole chicken on the barbecue grill. With this recipe, you don’t need any special equipment, just a beer can and a grill big enough to do a whole chicken.  It makes incredibly moist chicken you’ll remember for a long time.

This Beer Can Chicken recipe uses a gas grill. If you are cooking Beer Can Chicken on a charcoal grill just pay attention to the charcoal, as usual.

“Beer Can Chicken” may not be quite as interesting as the Redneck Chicken BBQ, but still pretty darn good.

Supplies Needed:

• Whole roasting chicken
• 2 tbsp olive oil (not shown)
• Your favorite chicken rub
• 1 can of beer, your favorite brand

Also, keep on hand a large bowl for rubbing the chicken, a small glass for some beer, a meat thermometer, a serving fork, and a barbecue spatula.

Step 1: Apply Rub

Rinse and dry the chicken, the run the olive oil all over it.  Then proceed to apply the rub all over, and maybe inside the chicken, as well.

 

Step 2: Heat the Barbecue

Preheat the barbecue to 350 – 400 degrees F. Preheat for about 15 minutes.

 

Step 3: Prepare the Chicken for the Grill

Pour out about ¼ of the beer before placing the beer can in the chicken. Drinking the extra beer is optional.

Open up the rear of the chicken to prepare it for beer can insertion.

Place the beer can in your bowl and gently push the chicken over top.

Place the chicken on the grill.

Step 4: Insert Thermometer

Depending on the size of your chicken and the heat of your barbecue, cooking time will vary. You can expect to cook the chicken for about 1 ½ hours, but this will vary with the size of the chicken and the particular grill that you’re using. The best way to ensure you have a fully cooked chicken is by using a meat thermometer.

Insert the thermometer deeply into the breast of the chicken, but take care not to touch any bone. Chicken should be cooked until it reaches 185 degrees F internal temperature.

Step 5: Get Ready to Serve

When the internal temperature has been reached, remove the chicken from the grill. You can place a barbecue spatula underneath the beer can and a serving fork into the chicken to remove it.

Let the chicken stand for 10 minutes before carving.

Remove the beer can, but realize it is REALLY hot, as are its contents. Keep the chicken upright until you’re ready to remove the beer can. It’s best if you can have two people for this operation – one to hold the chicken steady and one to carefully remove the beer can. Remember that the can is full of very hot beer.

Make sure everyone involved protects their hands from the heat.

Carve and enjoy this incredibly moist chicken.