My favorite beer can chicken recipes are on this site. The key is the rub, make sure you use some beneath the skin overlying the breast. I put a little in the beer also. The best part of beer can chicken is drinking half the beer before you cook!<G>
The cool thing is, yer cooking it both from the inside (by steaming with beer) as well as outside from grilling. And it does not dry out due to the steaming. For a fun variation, use root beer or lemonade in the can instead of beer.
bbq.about.com
This basic variation of the "beer in the butt" chicken recipe combines the flavors of a great spice rub with the flavors steamed out of the beer can.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hours, 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken (4-5 pounds)
1 12 ounce can beer (room temperature)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, crushed
Juice of 1 lemon
For Rub:
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, ground
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
Preparation:
Combine all rub ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.
Remove giblets and the neck from chicken. Sprinkle all over with rub, including cavity. Open can of beer and drink half of it. Place, minced garlic, rosemary, thyme, lemon juice, and pepper flakes in it. Make sure to pierce two more holes on the top of beer can. Place chicken on top of can.
Preheat grill. Place birds grill balanced by the beer cans. Grill over indirect medium heat for 1 1/2 hours until internal temperature of thigh is 180 degrees. Remove chicken when finished cooking and let sit (with beer can still intact), for 10 minutes before carving.
My favorite variation is the "Memphis rub" version. I make a quadruple batch of the rub and keep it around. It is absolutely amazing, and prep time is maybe 5 or 10 minutes.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 whole chicken, about 4 pounds
1 12 ounce can of beer, room temperature
For rub:
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Preparation:
Combine all rub ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Set aside. Remove giblets and the neck from chicken. Sprinkle all over with rub, including cavity. Open can of beer and discard half of it. Make sure to pierce two more holes on the top of beer can. Place chicken on top of can. Preheat grill. Place birds grill balanced by the beer cans. Grill over indirect medium heat for 1 1/2 hours or until internal temperature of thigh is 180 degrees. Remove chicken when finished cooking and let sit (with beer can still intact), for 10 minutes before carving. |
