Barbecue Beer Can Chicken

Place chicken on at least half full beer cans. If they are large chickens then I would recommend beer can chicken stands that will hold both the chicken and the beer in place.

Then spray the oil on the skin of the chicken. The oil will do two things. First, it will hold the rub in place but even more important it will allow the skin to crisp and brown for no one wants rubbery chicken skin. Now it is time to add the rub and I use Plowboy Yardbird rub and I make sure the bird is fully covered. I then bring the smoker or grill up to 350F as I finish the rub.

Insert the remote thermometer probe in the thickest part of the thigh without touch the bone. If you are cooking two chickens then you need a probe in each one for they will not cook the same and you will need to pull one chicken before the other.

Here is where the remote thermometer makes a huge difference. Because you do not need to open the lid you can keep a constant 350F around the chickens. When one reaches 165F to 170F then it is time to take them off the grill. I leave them on the can or rack for about 5 to 10 minutes before I serve them. The keys to success are oil on the skin so it crisps and browns, the remote thermometer so you do not have to open the lid and the thermometer will let you cook to temperature and not guess using time.

Now there are some very good websites (Amazing Ribs) that actually say the beer can cause more harm than good for it slows down the cooking on the inside due to the fact that it takes the liquid longer to get warm and the outside can overcook. Also that it does not really add much moister to the chicken. That might be true for it does take longer to cook the chicken at 350F than if I just cooked the chicken without the beer can. But I have a smoker that actually works like a convection oven. I also always cook large chickens (more than 6 pounds). So the reason I have such good luck with beer can chicken is that the heat is evenly distributed and also I believe that the breast (next to the beer can) cooks a little slower than the legs and thighs that are further away from the can. I also pull the chicken the moment it is 165F to 170F in the thickest part of the thigh. I like doing beer can chicken for it is always consistent and I like the idea of giving someone a half of a whole chicken to eat than a bunch of chicken parts.