Beer Can Chicken: Sounds Strange, Tastes Great

June 15, 2009 6:51 pm

Beer Can Chicken: Sounds Strange, Tastes Great

I know when June is here because my husband pulls out the charcoal. It is grilling season again! Not only that, but the air finally warms up, it is still too chilly for mosquitoes and everyone in New England begins to smile more. All this makes for the perfect excuse for some classic New England grilling with old friends. Tired of corn, not ready for lobster, and, if you can believe it, trying to avoid red meat, we decided to try Beer Can Chicken. It was awesome! The meat was tender and juicy, the skin was crispy and the hickory infused chips we included with the charcoal made for an excellent aroma. Not to mention that the preparation process kept several grown men entertained for hours.

The Charcoal
Medium indirect heat is needed to prepare a four pound chicken on a charcoal grill. You can include two large chimney's worth of charcoal cooked over medium indirect heat. We like to mix the charcoal with soaked hickory wood chips for an added rich flavor. The coals need 20 minutes to reach the desired temperature.

The Chicken
You'll want to get one four pound chicken to serve four people. To prepare the chicken first remove any giblets from inside. Then wash the chicken with cold water and dry pat. Following this, chopped up several cloves of garlic into large chunks and placed it under the skin of the chicken along with fresh oregano leaves (not dried). You also need to coat the skin of the chicken with olive oil, salt and pepper and if you prefer, some red pepper flakes for some spice.

The Beer
Next, open a beer and pour out half the beer (err, or drink half of it!). You want to carefully cut three triangular hole in the top of the beer can. This will enable the moisture from the beer to release into the meat. If you aren't using flavored wood chips mixed in with your charcoal, then you can add ingredients such as garlic cloves or nutmeg to the beer to create extra aroma and taste in your bird. Next, you need to place the beer can on a flat surface. Take the bird and slide it on top of the beer can. You then need to pull out the drum sticks (legs) to support the chicken.

The Grill
You then carefully take the chicken, with beer can inside, and place it standing up on the grill. It should be able to balance on the can and with the drum sticks. Grilling takes approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes for a four pound bird. Your chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 175 degrees F. You'll then need to let it cool for 10-15 minutes before carving.

We served the chicken with hearty, home-made lasagna and a salad of greens and tomatoes from the local farmers market. The entertaining prep and grilling process and definitely kicked the summer into high gear!

—Nancy W. Gleason