BEER CAN CHICKEN


If there is one favorite way of cookin' here in the Ozarks it's got to be grillin'. I don't know what it is about cookin' over an open fire and it doesn't matter if you use a store bought charcoal or gas grill, or two car wheels put together (this is an original, you'd just have to see it), or just a hole dug in the ground for a pig roast (I'm sure I've been told that it's the law that if you have a pig roast you have to have a kegger). Any way you decide to git 'er done is appropriate. Actually I think the more bizarre idea that they come up with seems to make your man the proudest. They love to stand around, beer in hand, and brag to their beer buddies about how they came up with the idea to use two car wheels to make a smoker, and how much easier it will be for the little woman.

Me, I just like to use the good ol' gas grill and "git 'er done."

One of my all time favorites is Beer Can Chicken. I've never met a man yet who doesn't love any thing you cook that has the word beer in it's name. You can just see their eyes come a-lite and they seem to stand up a little taller and suddenly they are paying full attention to something you've said. 'Did you say something to me dear?' Try it, you'll see what I mean.

Now this recipe is for the grill but you can do it in the oven. It just tastes better on the grill, doesn't everything?

You'ns will need:

1 (3-5 pound) whole roasting chicken, skinned
I've found the best way to skin a chicken is to use kitchen shears (scissors). It's so
easy to cut around the legs and pull and snip as you go. There is no need to skin
the wings, there's not much skin there and besides it's really hard to have much left
after you've skinned the poor little digits.

For the dry rub you will need:

4 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons paprika, I use sweet Spanish but any type will be okay
4 teaspoons seasoned salt
4 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
pinch of cumin
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, you may want to use a little more if you want it hot
but the amount listed makes it spicy

Also you will need:

1 (12 ounce) can of beer, room temperature, and as you will see in the picture I
used a cheap beer but it doesn't matter what type you use.

Skin your whole chicken. Rinse and pat dry with paper towels, inside and out.

In small bowl, combine all the dry ingredients of the rub. Mix well. Rub the dry mixture on the inside and over the outside of chicken, using all of the rub. I find it easier to do this if I lay the chicken in a large bowl or pan.

Wash the beer can with dish soap and rinse and dry well.

Now you will need to cut several holes in the top of the beer cans using a church key.

This is what a church key looks like

Some people just call them can openers but it will need to be this type of can opener to poke the holes in the beer can. My picture shows two cans because I prepared two chickens the day I took these photos.

After poking the holes in the can, you will need to pour out 2/3 cup of the beer and drink that part (just kidding). It is important to pour out the 2/3 cup so that the beer left in the can will heat up and steam. I forgot one time and it just didn't taste the same. Now carefully rub butter all over the beer can. Get it good so the chicken won't stick to the can.

Sit you beef can on a plate or down in a bowl big enough for the chicken to fit in.

Now you will sit your chicken end down over the beer can and push it all the way down on the can and make sure it is balanced and will sit up on it's own, it should look like this

Grill over indirect heat on the gas grill with lid closed. I have a temp gauge on my grill and I keep it about 350-400 degrees. Grill for about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.

I use tongs and a spatula to get it picked up off the grill and I sit it back in the pan or bowl I first brought it out in. Be sure you wash your container before putting the cooked chicken back in it.

Aren't these ladies beautiful. Yummy too

Let me know how you liked my Beer Can Chicken

R.