Beer Can Chicken

We'll Im new to this forum. Im still checking out all the sections. The other weekend I cooked up some Beer Can Chicken. It took a little getting use to cooking this. First time I cooked it I ran out of gas. The next couple I had flare ups. Well I got it pretty much down pat now. Last year we had the inlaws over and I cooked up 2 at once. I only use Yuengling for my beer can chicken and thats my main beer....I dont home brew as of yet. Only Mr. Beer is what I have done.

The grill i use is a Chargriller with a side firebox for smoking. But I have yet to smoke anything this year. I hope to learn some new tricks on here.

Your yardbird looks real nice!!

I used to do beer can chicken. Now a days I spatchcock the bird and it cooks more even. It has been proven that the beer can by itself does not really add all that much moisture or flavor because of the inner temp of the bird's cavity.

http://www.nakedwhiz.com/beercanchicken.htm

How to spatchcock
http://www.nakedwhiz.com/spatch.htm

Thanks for the compliment. With my beer can chicken I actually get a good amount of flavor in it. Ive seen on the internet when I first started that some people put something in the neck hole. Like a potato, onion, lemon, etc. I usually use a potato or onion.

Hmm. I may have to try that Spatchcock. It looks interesting to cook it like that.

Did a beer can chicken yesterday. I used water because I did not have any canned beer. I do not notice a flavor improvement with beer, personally. Plus I rub some seasonings on the bird, so that would cover any subtle flavor and aroma. My wife really doesn't prefer a beer can bird. I grilled a few breasts for her instead.

But she loved the yellow squash and zucchini I roasted with olive oil and parmesan. For me it was just ok. The idea was nice, but I'd change the recipe a bit to make it tastier for me. Maybe a bit of kosher salt is all I want.

Beer Can Chicken is a cool idea, but tends to yield less than promising results. There are far better methods to cook a chicken IMO. Enjoy your beer in your glass instead.

I love cooking a yardbird this way. I like to put a couple pieces of garlic and some seasonings in the beer can. The first half of the cooking time, I also like to make a little foil tent to go over the bird. I like to think it helps keep the moisture in.

Best way is to do it on the smoker. I do these pretty often. I'm more proficient at smoking food than I am brewing beer, and will occasionally do both at the same time!


Sew up the top with toothpicks to seal it up good. Keep the moisture in there. I'll do a maple rub on the bird, and use something like a brown ale or stout. I also wet rub the chicken the night before and use the same beer I put in the can.

250* in the smoker with maple/hickory/apple mixture and it's great.

Smoked beer can chixken....I will have to try that. Thanks for the tip.