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    Home / Recipes / Ingredient / Chicken

    6 Sep 12, 2014 Chicken  |   Jump to Recipe

    Beer Can Chicken

    I’m not a big sports fan, but I sure do love game day/tailgating eats.

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Half Beer Can Chicken

    Like this Beer Can Chicken.  Kosher salt, brown sugar, paprika, cayenne and black pepper get rubbed on first.  Then, the chicken takes a seat on a can filled with light beer, onion, garlic, lemon zest and thyme.  Cooked upright on the grill, this brazen bird gets infused with flavor from the inside out.  I like to serve simply with  lemon wedges.  And beer of course 😉

    If you’d like to take this recipe on the go (to your next tailgating party), prep everything in advance for easy game day execution.  The bulk dry rub can be made a week in advance, and stored at room temperature.  Give your bird a rubdown at least one hour in advance, allowing the flavors to get into the meat.  The thyme, onion and garlic can be prepped and stored together; however, don’t zest the lemon in advance.  If not used immediately, the flavor of the lemon oils will diminish quickly after zesting.  Finally, when transporting chicken, make sure it’s well-wrapped in plastic and well-chilled on ice.  Continue reading for the recipe.

    Flavorings

    I’ve tested a number of recipes for Beer Can Chicken, and at first, I was getting a little frustrated with the whole beer can situation.  Aluminum beer cans are flimsy.  They can easily get crushed, dented and/or tipped over (speaking from personal experience).  Also, the mouth is too small.  It’s difficult to add aromatics, and restricts escaping steam.  To fix these issues, I replaced the beer can with a clean 14 oz. can (see photo above).  These cans are solid, sturdy, and have a wide mouth, making it easy to add liquids and aromatics.  The wide mouth also lets out more steam, infusing more flavor into the chicken.  This solution requires a little extra effort (cleaning the can), but the benefits are well worth it.

    Raw Chicken on Grill

    So sassy!

    Beer Can Chicken

    Half Beer Can Chicken

    Beer Can Chicken

    by Brandon Matzek
    4.84 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Servings 2 servings

    Ingredients
      

    For the dry rub:

    • 4 tablespoons kosher salt
    • 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
    • 1 1/2 tablespoons paprika
    • 1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
    • 1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper
    • 1/2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

    For the chicken:

    • 1 (4 – 5 pound) whole chicken, neck and giblets removed, rinsed, and well dried
    • 2 heaping tablespoons dry rub
    • 6 sprigs fresh thyme
    • 2 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
    • 1/4 yellow onion
    • 2 strips lemon zest
    • 1 can or bottle of room temperature light lager (or use whatever’s available)
    • Lemon wedges, for serving

    Special equipment: 1 14 oz. can (label removed and any glue cleaned off), charcoal or gas grill, 1 aluminum baking dish (if using charcoal grill)

      Instructions
       

      • Add kosher salt, brown sugar, paprika, smoked paprika, cayenne and black pepper to a jar. Cover and shake to combine. Measure out 2 tablespoons and save the rest for another chicken. Season the chicken all over with the dry rub (including in the cavity). Transfer to the refrigerator, and let sit for at least 1 hour.
      • Prepare your grill for indirect heat cooking. If using a charcoal grill, place an aluminum baking dish in the middle of the charcoal grate, then surround with hot coals. The pan will catch any dripping fat, minimizing flare-ups. If using a gas grill, fire up only half of the burners.
      • Place thyme, garlic, onion and lemon zest in a clean 14 oz. can. Pour in beer until the can is half full. Enjoy remaining beer immediately. Lower the chicken on to the can. The can should fit snugly in the chicken’s cavity. Transfer the chicken to the grill over the indirect heat zone. The chicken’s legs and can should form a tripod to keep it stable. Cover, and cook until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 160°F - 165°F (50 – 65 minutes). Transfer the chicken upright to a cutting board, and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.
      • Carefully remove the can from the cavity (the beer may still be hot), and cut chicken into halves or pieces. Serve with lemon wedges.
      Tried this recipe?Tag @brandiego on Instagram so I can check it out!

      Whole Chicken

      6
      Brandon and Federico
      Brandon

      I’m Brandon: food explorer, recipe curator, cocktail shaker, dessert lover. Kitchen Konfidence is how I document my time spent in my favorite space, the kitchen. Did you make a recipe? Tag @brandiego on Instagram so I can see the how it went!

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      Categories: Chicken Tags: beer, black pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic, kosher salt, lemon, light brown sugar, onion, paprika, smoked paprika, thyme

      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Dixya @ Food, Pleasure, and Health says

        September 12, 2014 at 10:48 am

        this looks so appropriate for the football season. i wonder if i can do this in the oven…

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          September 12, 2014 at 10:57 am

          Thanks Dixya! You can make Beer Can Chicken in the oven. Roast the chicken upright at 400 for about 1 hour and 20 minutes (20 minutes per pound is a good measure). Enjoy!

          Reply
      2. J.S. @ Sun Diego Eats says

        September 12, 2014 at 11:05 am

        Well-executed chicken is a thing of beauty, too often its overcooked or underseasoned and thats how it gets a more bland reputation. I’ve always wondered about beer can chicken and I think I like that this uses a sturdy plain aluminum can instead of a real beer can which is flimsy and kind of painted on the outside?

        Do you think this would turn out nicely in the oven too?

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          September 17, 2014 at 3:54 pm

          I loooooove a well cooked chicken. Juicy, fatty, crispy (skin) and salty. I’m sure this would work in the oven as well. I gave some timing/temp suggestions in the previous comment.

          Reply
      3. Millie l Add A Little says

        September 12, 2014 at 11:43 pm

        How easy and delicious!

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          September 17, 2014 at 3:54 pm

          Yes!! Thanks Millie 🙂

          Reply
      4. Graham @ Glazed & Confused says

        September 13, 2014 at 10:06 am

        Okay, so I may have a really debilitating fear of raw chicken that leads me to never ever cook it myself,
        buuuutttt… this looks so delicious! Can’t even imagine how amazing and flavorful this must be!

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          September 17, 2014 at 3:57 pm

          You know… a coworker of mine just mentioned something similar. He said, “I don’t like cooking chicken because I’m afraid I’m going to get my whole family sick.” I guess it’s a thing! I’ve never had an issue, and I’ve been cooking whole chickens for yeeeears. Go for it ;)! Thanks Graham.

          Reply
      5. Liz @ Floating Kitchen says

        September 13, 2014 at 6:07 pm

        What a great idea to replace the beer can with a regular aluminum can. Thanks for the tip!

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          September 17, 2014 at 3:57 pm

          Thanks Liz!

          Reply
      6. Meggan | Culinary Hill says

        September 15, 2014 at 1:32 pm

        Beer Can Chicken is one of those things I’ve heard of or read about but have no personal experience with… sort of like unicorns. But it looks so tasty and juicy and delicious (unlike unicorn which is tough and stringy) that it might be time to try it out! The rub in particular will have all sorts of useful applications too. Yum!

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          September 17, 2014 at 3:58 pm

          Haha! Thanks Meggan. This is much tastier than unicorn 😉 I just started cooking beer can chickens last year. It’s a fun way to switch things up!

          Reply
      7. Sippitysup says

        September 15, 2014 at 5:02 pm

        That little chicken looks a little indignant. Sitting on the grill fists on her hips and beer can up her butt! Tell her it’s worth it. She’ll be the star of the show. GREG

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          September 17, 2014 at 4:00 pm

          HA!! Yeah, I’m envisioning her all sassy, going “MMMM HMMM.”

          Reply
      8. Liren says

        September 17, 2014 at 11:46 am

        I’m not much of a game day person, either, but I’ll totally hang out for the food! Love beer can chicken – yours is so perfectly bronzed and irresistible, Brandon!

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          September 17, 2014 at 4:01 pm

          Thanks Liren! Yeah, I love all the chips, dips, wings, stews, chilis, etc. But you’ll rarely find me watching a game. Instead I’m hanging out and gabbing away by the appetizer table 😛

          Reply
      9. Monet says

        September 17, 2014 at 9:04 pm

        5 stars
        Oh my goodness! Can I come to your house for game day? This chicken looks so good (and so much better than what my in-laws make!)

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          November 2, 2014 at 8:22 am

          Of course 😉 Thanks Monet!

          Reply
      10. Bri | Bites of Bri says

        September 20, 2014 at 5:49 am

        I love a good beer can recipe (especially with the new concept of using a true can). Nice work!

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          November 2, 2014 at 8:21 am

          Thanks Bri!!

          Reply
      11. Brian @ A Thought For Food says

        September 22, 2014 at 5:49 am

        So, I know Eric’s been dying to try this… and we just got a Big Green Egg as a housewarming present. I think this will be one of the first things we try on there.

        And I don’t care about sports… but I love the eating and drinking part. 🙂

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          November 2, 2014 at 8:21 am

          Awesome!! Jealous of your Big Green Egg. And yes, can’t forget about the drinking part 😉

          Reply
      12. ATasteOfMadness says

        September 24, 2014 at 7:26 pm

        Wow, this sounds like the best chicken! No joke!

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          November 2, 2014 at 8:20 am

          Thanks :)!!

          Reply
      13. Nate says

        September 25, 2014 at 1:48 pm

        Any recipe that requires you to drink half a beer is a winner. In regards to the 14oz can, I know some cans have a white liner inside them now. I’m guessing that might not be the best thing to heat over a grill. I know not all of them have this liner, but I can’t remember which do/don’t. Any thoughts on which are safe bets so I don’t have to open 5 cans to find one?

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          November 2, 2014 at 8:20 am

          Hi Nate, the can that I used was originally for S&W Tomato Sauce.

          Reply
      14. Adri says

        September 26, 2014 at 6:01 pm

        Confession: I am not much os a sports fan either, but I do love the food. I particularly love beer can chicken. We make it all the time, and I have to try your version. It sounds great!

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          November 2, 2014 at 8:19 am

          Thanks Adri! What’s your favorite way to make beer can chicken?

          Reply
      15. Maris (In Good Taste) says

        September 7, 2015 at 9:03 pm

        Great game day recipe!

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          September 9, 2015 at 4:10 pm

          Thanks Maris!

          Reply
      16. Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

        September 8, 2015 at 12:53 pm

        I’ve thought so many times about using this method but never have. Your chicken looks perrrrrfect, yummy!

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          September 9, 2015 at 4:11 pm

          Give it a try! It’s a fun way to switch up the chicken dinner 😉

          Reply
      17. The Food Hunter says

        September 9, 2015 at 8:01 am

        One of my long time favorite ways to cook chicken

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          September 9, 2015 at 4:11 pm

          It’s a newer favorite for me 🙂

          Reply
      18. Matt @ Plating Pixels says

        September 12, 2015 at 10:21 am

        I’m the same way Brandon. If I go to a game its just for beer and tailgating with friends. Super Bowl on TV: the commercials and potluck. Love beer can chicken though!

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          September 14, 2015 at 10:23 am

          Haha glad I’m not the only one 🙂

          Reply
      19. Cynthia/What A Girl Eats says

        September 12, 2015 at 12:16 pm

        I’ve made beer can chicken in the oven, but never on the grill. I love how moist and flavorful the meat always turns out! Perfect for cool weather!

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          September 14, 2015 at 10:24 am

          So moist!! Thanks Cynthia.

          Reply
      20. Anita says

        September 13, 2015 at 10:46 pm

        Gorgeous looking chicken! And I love your tips about how using a real can will work better than a beer can – it’s all about the little things!

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          September 14, 2015 at 10:25 am

          Yeah that simple trick really helps out in the end. Thanks Anita!

          Reply
      21. fabiola@notjustbaked says

        September 14, 2015 at 10:01 am

        Beautiful chicken! I don’t make this often enough.

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          September 14, 2015 at 10:27 am

          We make chicken all the time, so I’m always looking for new ways to switch things up. (Just like Ina!)

          Reply
      22. Edward Gaulrapp says

        September 15, 2015 at 6:28 am

        5 stars
        I made your Beer Can Chicken… it was divine! So moist and delicious… and the rub is so good, that I now use it for pork too. Thanks for sharing!

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          September 15, 2015 at 4:47 pm

          Excellent!!! So glad it worked out for you Edward.

          Reply

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      I'm Brandon: food explorer, recipe curator, cocktail shaker, dessert lover. Kitchen Konfidence is how I document my time spent in my favorite space, the kitchen. Read More…


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