Barbecue Beer Can Chicken Recipes

Steps:

• Soak wood chips in water for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for indirect medium heat, about 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Mix together dark brown sugar, kosher salt, paprika, ground black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Place two half full cans of beer on a baking sheet. Spoon 1 teaspoon seasoning mix into each can. Be careful, this will make the beer foam up and out of the can.
• Rinse chicken under cold running water. Discard giblets and neck from chicken; drain and pat dry. Rub each chicken with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Rub the remaining seasoning mix over the entire chicken, inside and out. Fit each chicken over a can of beer with the legs on the bottom; keep upright.
• Drain the wood chips and place them with the coals or in an aluminum pan on or under the grill grate as directed by the grill's manual. Place the two chickens, standing on their cans directly on the grill. Close the lid and barbeque the chicken until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 1 hour 30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). Remove the chickens from the grill and discard the beer cans. Cover the chicken with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area for 10 minutes before slicing.

Steps:

• Heat gas or charcoal grill for indirect cooking. Remove and discard neck and giblets from chicken cavity. Pat chicken dry with paper towels.
• In small bowl, mix paprika, salt, chili powder, coriander, cumin and pepper. Rub mixture on inside and over outside of chicken, using all of mixture. Carefully loosen skin at top of breast. Place butter evenly under skin of breast, without removing skin.
• Open beer can; with can opener, make several other openings in top. Measure out 2/3 cup beer; discard or reserve for another use. Place half-full can of beer in ungreased shallow 8x8- or 13x9-inch aluminum grill pan. Carefully place chicken cavity over can, pushing until chicken balances in pan.
• Place on grill over medium heat, making sure chicken is balanced. Cover grill; cook 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until legs move easily when twisted or lifted and thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads at least 165°F. Brush chicken all over with 1/4 cup of the barbecue sauce. Cook 8 to 12 minutes longer or until skin of chicken is crisp, but not burned.
• With tongs and flat metal spatula, carefully remove chicken and can from pan on grill; place on clean cutting board or serving platter. Carefully remove pan and drippings; let cool, then discard. Let chicken stand 5 to 10 minutes. Twist can to remove from chicken; discard can. Serve carved chicken with remaining 1/4 cup barbecue sauce.
• To bake chicken, place oven rack in lowest position, and heat oven to 375°F. Place prepared chicken on can in lightly sprayed 8-inch square (2-quart) baking dish. Bake 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until legs move easily when lifted or twisted and thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads at least 165°F. Brush chicken all over with 1/4 cup of the barbecue sauce. Bake 8 to 12 minutes longer or until skin of chicken is crisp, but not burned. Let chicken stand 5 to 10 minutes. Twist can to remove from chicken; discard can. Serve carved chicken with remaining 1/4 cup barbecue sauce.

Steps:

• Pop the tab off the beer can. Using a church key style can opener, make a few more holes in the top of the can. Pour out half the beer into the soaking water of the wood chips. Set the can of beer aside.
• Set up the grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium. If using a charcoal grill, place a large drip pan in the center. If using a gas grill, place all the wood chips in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch and preheat the grill to high until you see smoke, then reduce the heat to medium.
• Remove the packet of giblets from the body cavity of the chicken and set aside for another use. Remove and discard the fat just inside the body and neck cavities. Rinse the chicken, inside and out, under cold running water, drain, and blot dry inside and out with paper towels. Sprinkle 2 teaspoons of the rub inside the body and neck cavities of the chicken. Rub the bird all over on the outside with 2 teaspoons of the rub. If you have the patience, you can put some of the rub under the skin being careful not to tear it.
• Spoon the remaining 2 teaspoons of rub through the holes into the beer in the can. Don't worry if it foams up, this is normal. Insert the beer can into the body cavity of the chicken and spread out the legs to form a sort of tripod. Tuck the wing tips behind the chicken's back.
• When ready to cook, if using a charcoal grill, toss all the wood chips on the coals. Stand the chicken up in the center of the hot grate, over the drip pan and away from the heat. Cover the grill and cook the chicken until the skin is a dark golden brown and very crisp and the meat is cooked to an internal temperature of 180 degrees, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. If using a charcoal grill, you'll need to add 12 fresh coals per side after 1 hour.
• Using tongs, carefully transfer the chicken in its upright position on the beer can to a platter and present it to your guests. Let rest 5 minutes, and then carefully remove the chicken from the beer can. Take care not to spill the hot beer or otherwise burn yourself. Quarter or carve the chicken and serve with the Cola Barbecue Sauce.
• Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir to blend together. Store the rub in an airtight jar away from heat or light. It will keep for at least 6 months.
• Combine all the ingredients in a heavy non-reactive saucepan and gradually bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat slightly to obtain a gentle simmer. Simmer the sauce until reduced by 1/4, about 6 to 8 minutes. Use right away or transfer to a large jar, cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate. The sauce will keep for several months.

Steps:

• For the chicken rub: In a small bowl mix all the ingredients together and use for the grilled chicken. You can store extra rub mixture in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
• For the chicken: Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.
• Rub the chicken and its cavity down with the vegetable oil. Season the chicken with rub mixture, remembering to season the cavity. Pour out 1/4 of the beer and sit the chicken on top of the beer can. Place the chicken in the center of the hot grill and cover. Cook the chicken for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F. Once cooked, cover loosely with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Steps:

• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat, about 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Mix the brown sugar, chili powder, paprika, dry mustard, salt, and ground black pepper in a small bowl. Place the half-full can of beer in the center of a plate.
• Rinse chicken under cold running water. Discard giblets and neck from chicken; drain and pat dry. Fit whole chicken over the can of beer with the legs on the bottom; keep upright. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the seasoning mix into the top cavity of the chicken. The beer may foam up when the seasonings fall inside the can. Rub the remaining seasoning mix over the entire surface of the chicken.
• Place the chicken, standing on the can, directly on the preheated grill. Close the lid and barbeque the chicken until no longer pink at the bone and the juices run clear, about 1 hour 15 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh, near the bone should read 180 degrees F (82 degrees C). Remove the chicken from the grill and discard the beer can. Cover the chicken with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil, and allow to rest in a warm area for 10 minutes before slicing.

Steps:

• Turn all grill burners to high and close lid to preheat.
• For the spice rub: Mix 2 T. brown sugar, paprika, salt, black pepper and cayenne in a small bowl and set aside.
• For the glaze: Stir 2 T. brown sugar, ketchup, vinegar, beer (take from your beer cans) and hot sauce in a bowl; add 1 T. spice rub; set aside.
• Pour out about 1/2 cup or so from each can of beer. Using a church key can opener, punch holes in the top of the can to completely "open" the top; this will allow maximum steam to escape. Add 2 crumbled bay leaves to each can.
• Loosen the skin on the chicken breasts and thighs of the chicken by sliding your fingers between the skin and the meat. Massage the spice mixture on the skin, under the skin, and inside the cavity. Using a skewer, poke the skin all over to render as much fat as possible while cooking.
• Turn off all but primary grill burners, leaving main burner(s) on high (for my grill, I leave two burners on, but this will depend on how many burners your grill has -- mine has three. The temperature inside your grill should stay around 375). Place chickens on cans; place on cool part of grill, using drumsticks to stabilize them. Cover and grill until skin is very well browned and very crisp, 40 to 60 minutes. Brush with ketchup glaze and grill, covered, until thigh meat registers 170 degrees on instant-read thermometer, about 20 minutes longer.
• Transfer chickens to cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, add the brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, mustard powder, smoked paprika, pepper, tarragon, and salt and stir to combine. Use half of the spice rub to season the entire chicken. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
• Preheat the grill to 350°F (190°C).
• Remove the chicken from the fridge and season with the remaining spice rub. our out half the can of beer. Place the half-filled can in the chicken cavity and stand it upright.
• Grill the chicken over indirect heat for 30-40 minutes. Baste the chicken with barbecue sauce and cook for another 10-15 minutes, until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (75°C).
• Remove chicken from the grill and let rest for 15 minutes before carving.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• Pour out (or drink) half of beer.
• Prepare grill for high, indirect heat and fit with grill pan (for a charcoal grill, bank coals on 1 side of grill and put drip pan on empty side; for a gas grill, leave 1 burner turned off and place drip pan over unlit burner). Add water to pan to a depth of 1/2".
• Season chicken with 4-3-2-1 Spice Rub. Place cavity of chicken, legs pointing down, onto open can so that it supports chicken upright. Place can, with chicken, on grill over indirect heat (and above drip pan). Grill chicken, covered, until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thigh registers 165°F, 45-60 minutes. (If using charcoal, you may need to add more to maintain heat.) Let chicken rest 10 minutes before carving. Serve with pan drippings.

Steps:

• Light a lidded barbecue. Let the flames die down and the coals turn ashen, then mound the coal up on one side. If using a small barbecue, you will have to remove the grills and place a sturdy roasting tin on the floor of the barbecue, next to the coals - this will give you space to close the lid once the chicken is in. If you have a large barbecue, the chicken can sit directly on the grills (or on a tray on the grills, so that it doesn't topple over.)
• To make the rub, mix all the ingredients together with a good grinding of black pepper. Drizzle the chicken with the oil, sprinkle over the rub and massage it into the skin, making sure you get into all the nooks and crannies, even inside the cavity.
• Use a can opener to take off the top of the can of beer. Pour out half the beer (tip into a glass to drink!) and leave the rest in the can, as it will keep the chicken moist while it cooks. Pop the chicken onto the can, legs down, so that it looks like it is sitting upright with the can in its cavity. Stand the chicken and can upright on the barbecue, either in the roasting tin or directly on the grill, on the side with no coals. Close the lid and cook for 1 hr 20 mins until the chicken is browned, the meat tender and the juices run clear. If the juices aren't clear, cook for a further 10 mins, then check again. (To cook in the oven, heat to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Sit the chicken on a baking tray, place in the bottom of the oven, and follow the same cooking time.)
• Remove the chicken from the barbecue, cover lightly with foil and leave to rest for 20 mins before serving.

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients and store in airtight container.