BBQ Beer-Can Chicken on a Charcoal Grill
By America's Test KitchenPublished on July 28, 2011
Yield
Serves 4 to 6 (Makes 2 chickens)
Ingredients
Spice Rub
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar 2 tablespoons paprika 1 tablespoon table salt 1 tablespoon ground black pepper 1 teaspoon cayenne pepperGlaze
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar 2 tablespoons ketchup 2 tablespoons white vinegar 2 tablespoons beer 1 teaspoon hot sauceBeer and Chicken
24 ounces beer (2 12-ounce cans)4 crumbled bay leaves 2 whole chickens (3 to 3 ½ pounds each), patted dry4 cups wood chipsBefore You Begin
Look for chickens that weigh between 3 and 3 1/2 pounds; if they are significantly larger, you may have trouble fitting the lid on the grill.
Instructions
- For the spice rub: Mix brown sugar, paprika, salt, black pepper, and cayenne in bowl.
- For the glaze: Stir brown sugar, ketchup, vinegar, beer, and hot sauce together in medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon spice rub.
- For the rest: Measure out 1 cup beer from each can; take 2 tablespoons from measured beer and add to ketchup glaze. Prepare beer cans as shown in photo 1, and add 2 crumbled bay leaves to each can.
- Prepare chickens as shown in photos 2 through 4 below.
- Soak wood chips in bowl of water to cover for 15 minutes. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (about 90 coals) and burn until charcoal is covered with fine gray ash. Place 13 by 9-inch disposable aluminum roasting pan in center of grill. Pour half of coals into pile on each side of grill, leaving pan in center. Scatter wood chips evenly over coals, set cooking grate in place, cover, and let grill heat up 5 minutes.
- Place chickens (on cans) on center of grate, using drumsticks to stabilize them. Cover and grill until skin is 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. Wearing oven mitts or using wad of paper towels, transfer chickens (still on cans) from grill to cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Hold base of can with oven mitt or wad of paper towels, insert tongs into neck cavity of chicken, and pull chicken off can. Carve and serve.
Yield
Serves 4 to 6 (Makes 2 chickens)Ingredients
Spice Rub
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon table salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Glaze
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons beer
1 teaspoon hot sauce
Beer and Chicken
24 ounces beer (2 12-ounce cans)
4 crumbled bay leaves
2 whole chickens (3 to 3 ½ pounds each), patted dry
4 cups wood chips
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Spice Rub
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon table salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Glaze
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons beer
1 teaspoon hot sauce
Beer and Chicken
24 ounces beer (2 12-ounce cans)
4 crumbled bay leaves
2 whole chickens (3 to 3 ½ pounds each), patted dry
4 cups wood chips
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Spice Rub
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon table salt
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Glaze
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons beer
1 teaspoon hot sauce
Beer and Chicken
24 ounces beer (2 12-ounce cans)
4 crumbled bay leaves
2 whole chickens (3 to 3 ½ pounds each), patted dry
4 cups wood chips
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
A classic of the barbecue circuit, BBQ Beer-Can Chicken involves resting a whole chicken upright on a can of beer and grill-roasting it. We lanced the chicken’s skin with a skewer to make holes from which rendering fat could escape, then rubbed the chicken liberally with a spice rub on top of and underneath the skin. We opened the top of the beer can wide open with a church key to allow the greatest amount of steam to escape—the normal pop-top hole is far too small. We banked the coals in the grill on either side of a disposable aluminum pan. The coals cooked the chicken evenly and the pan caught dripping fat from the chicken. Finally, we coated the chicken with a sweet-tart glaze toward the end of cooking to improve the chicken’s flavor and color.
Before You Begin
Look for chickens that weigh between 3 and 3 1/2 pounds; if they are significantly larger, you may have trouble fitting the lid on the grill.
Instructions
- For the spice rub: Mix brown sugar, paprika, salt, black pepper, and cayenne in bowl.
- For the glaze: Stir brown sugar, ketchup, vinegar, beer, and hot sauce together in medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon spice rub.
- For the rest: Measure out 1 cup beer from each can; take 2 tablespoons from measured beer and add to ketchup glaze. Prepare beer cans as shown in photo 1, and add 2 crumbled bay leaves to each can.
- Prepare chickens as shown in photos 2 through 4 below.
- Soak wood chips in bowl of water to cover for 15 minutes. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal briquettes (about 90 coals) and burn until charcoal is covered with fine gray ash. Place 13 by 9-inch disposable aluminum roasting pan in center of grill. Pour half of coals into pile on each side of grill, leaving pan in center. Scatter wood chips evenly over coals, set cooking grate in place, cover, and let grill heat up 5 minutes.
- Place chickens (on cans) on center of grate, using drumsticks to stabilize them. Cover and grill until skin is 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. Wearing oven mitts or using wad of paper towels, transfer chickens (still on cans) from grill to cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Hold base of can with oven mitt or wad of paper towels, insert tongs into neck cavity of chicken, and pull chicken off can. Carve and serve.
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