How To Grill Beer Can Chicken

Grilling beer can chicken is a delicious and fun way to cook a whole chicken on the barbecue. The combination of the beer and the grill gives the chicken a unique flavor and juicy texture that is sure to impress your friends and family. If you're looking to master the art of grilling beer can chicken, you've come to the right place. In this guide, we'll walk you through the process step by step, so you can grill up a mouthwatering beer can chicken every time.

Preparing the Chicken

Before you start grilling, you’ll need to prepare the chicken. Here’s what you’ll need to do:

Ingredients:

• Whole chicken
• Beer can
• Olive oil
• Your favorite chicken rub or seasoning
• Salt and pepper

Steps:

1. Start by removing the giblets from the chicken, if they are included.
2. Rinse the chicken inside and out with cold water and pat it dry with paper towels.
3. Rub the chicken with olive oil and season it generously with your favorite chicken rub, salt, and pepper.

Setting Up the Grill

Now that the chicken is prepped and ready to go, it’s time to fire up the grill. Follow these steps to get your grill ready for the beer can chicken:

Ingredients:

• Charcoal or gas grill
• Charcoal or wood chips (if using a charcoal grill)

Steps:

1. If you're using a charcoal grill, light the charcoal and let it burn until it's covered with white ash. If you're using a gas grill, preheat it to medium-high heat.
2. If you're using a charcoal grill, you can add some soaked wood chips to the coals to give the chicken a smoky flavor.
3. Once the grill is hot, it's time to get the beer can ready.

Grilling the Chicken

Now comes the fun part – grilling the beer can chicken! Follow these steps to cook the chicken to perfection:

Ingredients:

• Prepped chicken
• Beer can with half of the beer removed
• Grill tongs

Steps:

1. Open the beer can and pour out about half of the beer. You can save it to drink or discard it.
2. Carefully lower the chicken onto the beer can so that the can is inside the cavity of the chicken and the chicken is standing upright.
3. Place the chicken and beer can on the grill, making sure it's stable and won't tip over.
4. Close the lid of the grill and let the chicken cook for 1 to 1.5 hours, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F (75°C).
5. Use grill tongs to carefully remove the beer can from the chicken. Be careful, as the can and the liquid inside will be very hot.
6. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving.

And there you have it – a perfectly grilled beer can chicken that's sure to be a hit at your next barbecue. With these simple steps, you can master the art of grilling beer can chicken and impress your friends and family with your barbecue skills. So fire up the grill, crack open a cold beer, and get ready to enjoy some delicious beer can chicken!