Beer-Can Chicken

father's day fourth of july grill barbecue memorial day summer beer chicken dinner

Alison Roman

4 Servings

Source

Ingredients

1 can light lager

1 3½–4-pound chicken

2 tablespoons 4-3-2-1 Spice Rub

A foil baking pan (for drip pan)

Method

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 ½ inch.

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°, 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.

Use a can opener to remove the entire top of the beer can (pour out half). It'll maximize the boozy vapors that make it to the chicken.