Beer Can Chicken on Grill

This is a surprisingly simple way to make an amazing barbecue whole chicken on the grill. With this recipe, you don’t need any special equipment, just a beer can and it makes incredibly moist chicken you’ll remember for a long time. Supplies Needed: ingredients for beer can chicken

  • Whole roasting chicken
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • Your favourite chicken rub
  • 1 beer
Also, keep on hand a large bowl, small glass, meat thermometer, serving fork and barbecue spatula.

Step 1: Apply Rub

Prepare your rinsed and dried chicken by rubbing olive oil all over. Then proceed to apply rub all over as well.

apply olive oil and rub all over

Step 2: Heat the Barbecue

Preheat the barbecue to 350 – 400 degrees F. Preheat for about 15 minutes.

preheat the grill

Step 3: Prepare the Chicken for the Grill

Pour out about ¼ of the beer before placing it in the chicken.

1/4 can of beer

Open up the rear of the chicken to prepare it for beer can insertion.

open chicken

Place the beer can in your bowl and gently push the chicken over top.

place chicken over beer can

Place the chicken on the grill.

place chicken on the grill

Step 4: Insert Thermometer

Depending on the size of your chicken and the heat of your barbecue, cooking time will vary. You can expect to cook the chicken for about 1 ½ hours, but the best way to ensure you have a fully cooked chicken is by using a meat thermometer.

Insert the thermometer deeply into the breast, but take care not to touch any bone. Chicken should be cooked until it reaches 185 degress F internal temperature.

insert thermometer

thermometer

Step 5: Get Ready to Serve

When the internal temperature has been reached, remove the chicken from the grill. You can place a barbecue spatula underneath the can and a serving fork into the chicken to remove it.

remove cooked chicken from grill

Let stand for 10 minutes before carving.

Remove the beer can, but realize it is REALLY hot as are its contents. Keep the chicken upright until you’re ready to remove it. It’s best if you can have two people for this operation. One to hold the chicken steady and one to carefully remove the can. Make sure everyone involved protects their hands from the heat.

remove can from chicken

Carve and enjoy this incredibly moist chicken.

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