What's Beer Can Chicken?

Simply put, it is one of the greatest ways to barbecue the world's favorite fowl! Also known as Beer butt chicken, and less indelicately as beer can chicken and chicken on a throne, it is fast becoming an American legend.

He then observed, from his throne under the cabana, this simple method to the most succulent chicken ever. "Boys", he said, "that's the way I want my chicken from now on".

He now asks us to make "drunken chicken". So be it!

Why Beer Can Chicken?

1. ...because it steams the bird from the inside, infusing moisture and wonderful flavors, and then...it roasts the outside to a crispy, spice-enhanced delight; all of this and a lot less fat!

2. ...because it requires very little effort at the grill! No turning and basting and turning and basting...

The only other method that will give you a result close to beer can chicken on the grill, is smoking chicken in a meat smoker. This is covered in our "Smoking Chicken" page. But let's put that grill to use starting with...

The 6 Secrets to Beer Can Chicken Fame

1. Great Meat
2. Great Spices
3. Great Tools (grill, tongs, thermometers, etc...)
4. Heat Control
5. Timing
6. Smoke

You can review the "Cookin' Cousin's" secrets at our "6 Secrets to Smoking Meat".

Patience Low and slow is the real secret to great beer can chicken. We're talking temperatures of 230/250°F (110/121°C) for a couple of hours. This is not the fastest method, but the "bestest"!

One 12oz. can-o'-beer Any beer will do, but why not buy your favorite? You need only half a can of brew for the bird!

Beer can chicken holder This is not mandatory, but it certainly makes balancing the chicken (and can) on the grill a whole lot easier! You can get these great contraptions at almost any store that sells any barbecue accessories.

Charcoal/gas grill All grills should be the covered type - we use the indirect cooking method, i.e., place the charcoal to one side of the grill and the beer can chicken opposite the charcoal.

For the gas grill, at least two burners are needed for indirect cooking (you will use only one).

Meat Try to buy fresh! A plump, 4-5 pound bird is best. See "6 Secrets to Smoking Meat" for more on this.

Spices We use rubs on our birds, and enjoy putting together our own with these basic fresh ingredients:

• Salt, coarse (Kosher or sea salt)
• Sugar (turbinado or brown)
• Paprika (Hungarian much preferred for best flavor)
• Pepper, black (fresh coarse ground!)
• Chili powder
• Garlic, granulate or powder
• Onion powder

Go to Secret #2 for more on this.

Hardwood chunks/chips Use only hardwood for any barbecue like pecan, oak, mesquite, cherry, apple, etc. or a combination, to your taste. When it comes to beer can chicken, we found hickory a little strong, but great!

Shallow baking pan Not mandatory, but much easier clean up and flare-up prevention. The pan can be placed on the grill, under the chicken, filled a 1/4, or so, of water.

Smoker box, or pouch Some gas grills come with a smoker box for the wood chips. If yours does not have one, just make a pouch from heavy-duty aluminum foil and put a big handful of pre-soaked (in water for about an hour) and drained chips on the foil; fold into a flat pouch shape and poke a lot of holes in the top to release the smoke.

Oven/Grill thermometer This tool is the only way you will really know what's going on inside the grill!

Instant Read probe-type thermometer This is chicken! Be safe and ensure the meat has reached the ideal temperature of 180°F (82°C).

Tongs/barbecue glove You need a darn good pair of tongs, and we advise buying one of those barbecue glove/mitts.

Chimney Starter For the charcoal grill folks this is the best way to start, and maintain, the coals. If you've never used one of these ingenious tools, you're will love the experience!

The chicken is first "rubbed", with a simple, dry, spice accented rub, and then smoked slow, with low indirect heat. All for that unforgettable tender, perfectly seasoned, eating experience!

...let's start with a classic rub recipe that will impart all of the flavors your drooling chops are hankerin' for. Do not let the simplicity of this basic rub fool you. It works great, and you can adjust the recipe (as the "pros" do) to make it "yours". Look at our "Dry Rub Recipes"page for other great recipes and ideas.

Basic Rub Recipe For Beer Can Chicken

Mix together thoroughly the following:

• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar (packed). We prefer "turbinado sugar" for ease of use, but either one works fine.
• 1/4 cup Paprika, sweet (Hungarian, if you can get it)
• 3 tblsp Salt, coarse (Kosher or sea)
• 1 tblsp Pepper, coarse ground (fresh peppercorns are magic!)
• 1 tblsp Garlic powder or 2 tblsp granulated (not garlic salt)
• 1 tblsp Onion powder
• 1 tblsp Chile powder (no, it will not be "hot")
• 1 tblsp Cayenne powder

NOTE: Chicken should be always kept in the refrigerator (below 40°F/4.4°C) before preparation.

• Remove the thawed (in the refer) chicken from the refrigerator. Clean and trim the excess fat n' skin. Rinse thoroughly, inside and out - pat dry.

• Apply the rub generously over/inside the chicken.

We leave the skin on our birds for the best flavor, and to keep it moist throughout the cooking period. If you must have skinless chicken, remove the skin after it is cooked.

Drain half of the beer, using your favorite beer disposal method. Try a can opener to take the lid off. Failing that, pour the remainder (hopefully still half of a can) in a temporary container, cut the lid off and replace the beer. Or use an old "church key" to make a few more holes.

Now, our beer can chicken recipe is a very forgiving roasting method, so you can have some fun experimenting with putting complimentary spices/herbs in the beer.

Like what?

How about a couple/three minced cloves of garlic and some cumin. Throw in some cayenne for a spicy effect and maybe some diced onion! Some folks even put a tablespoon of vinegar in the beer.

If you do nothing to the beer, the chicken will still turn out fantastic!

• On a gas grill, fire-up all burners and get the temperature to 230/250°F (110/121°C), then shut down all but one for cooking. We found it imperative to use a good oven thermometer, placed on the meat side of the grill, as the only way to ensure that the cooking temperature is true. Note that the lid thermometer will indicate a higher temperature, and that indication should be used only as a reference.

• Place the chips (pre-soaked in water for about an hour) in the smoker-can, or place the prepared smoker pouch over the cooking burner.

• Close the grill and let the smoke get started. This will be the last time you will have anything to do with the smoke. Too much smoke, when barbecuing beer can chicken, makes the meat bitter tasting.

• On a charcoal grill, fire-up the charcoal...we like the chimney charcoal starter because it's the quickest and easiest way to start the coals. When cooking beer can chicken on the grill, you'll need to replenish the coals occasionally to maintain the ideal temperature of around 230/250°F (110/121°C).

NOTE: Please, if you use charcoal lighter fluid, allow the coals to burn to a gray ash coating. There are several better "fire-starters" on the market that will not taint the meat, or impart potentially dangerous chemicals to the food.

• Start with about 40 briquettes. Let them get a to white/gray color and they will be ready for the grill. You will need to add more unlit coals (about 6 or so) right after you have the coals placed in the cooker, and several times during the cooking cycle, to maintain the temperature. Watch the temp. and anticipate this with about a 15-minute lead.

• Control the temperature with the bottom/side vents on your grill. Open a vent for more oxygen (heat). Adjust the top vent to half open and leave it alone.

• Put a couple of handfuls of chips/chunks of hardwood (pre-soaked in water for about an hour) on the coals. Now, close the grill and let the smoke get started. This will be the last time, during the cooking cycle, you will have anything to do with the smoke. Too much smoke makes the meat bitter tasting.

NOTE: Always use tongs! Never use the forked, sharp, pokey thing that seems to come with all backyard barbecue tool sets. It will pierce the meat and allow the juices to run out.

With the temperature holding 230/250°F (110/121°C)...

• Place the baking pan on the side opposite to the fire; fill about 1/4 of pan with water.

• Place assembled beer can chicken and throne on the pan, close the lid and let 'er go! If you choose not to use the pan technique, place the assembled bird and can on the grill, opposite side of the fire, and never let the meat overlap the fire. You cannot undo burnt chicken! Close the lid and...

• Resist peeking! You are loosing precious heat and smoke. You can check it every 30-40 minutes to ensure it has not left the grill or throne.

You have time! If you have judiciously maintained the cooking temperature, you can leave your station several times before the bird(s) are done. When cooking beer can chicken on the grill, think 2-3 hours 'til end-of-shift.

At the 2 hour mark, grab that instant-read meat thermometer and...

- Check the chicken at the meatiest part of the breast, looking for 180°F (82°C) to be the magic number.

Barbecuing beer can chicken on the grill produces a wonderful, natural, smoke enhanced flavor. We do not cook beer can chicken with barbecue sauce as this interferes with the smoke absorption, and there goes your fame!

Serve Em!...

Carefully take your beautiful roasted beer butt chicken from the grill and let stand for 5-10 minutes. Very carefully remove the hot can of beer.

Now, you are the chef, so pull a piece off of that beauty and try it! Yep! It just falls off of the bone.

So, now you have done it. Whether your friends or family call it beer butt chicken, beer can chicken, or chicken on a throne, your backyard fame is secure! Let's eat!

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