How to Cook Beer Can Chicken

Whether it's 'Chicken on the Throne', 'Beer Can Grilled Chicken', or 'Beer Butt Chicken', the method used for cooking beer can chicken has become extremely popular. Indirect grilling, as this method is called, is a popular variation of the barbeque style of cooking. The basic procedure to cook a chicken with a beer can is to place a half full can of beer with the top cut off can inside the chicken. The beer inside the can boils and drives the flavor up through the chicken. The main purpose of the beer is to add a source of moisture to the chicken and prevent it from drying out. The yeast and malt present in the beer reacts with the chicken skin, making it thin and crispy outside and juicy inside. Though it can be cooked in an oven, smoker, or griller, finally what you get is a tender and juicy chicken.

How to Cook Beer Can Chicken in the Oven

Here is a simple way of cooking beer can chicken in an oven.

Things Required:

• Whole chicken
• 14 oz. can of beer (brand of your choice)
• 2 tbsp all-purpose barbecue rub or any of your favorite commercial rub
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• Shallow baking pan
• Aluminum foil
• Paper towels
• Meat thermometer

Procedure

• Preheat the oven to 350° F. Take out the packets of giblets and fat from the body cavity of the chicken especially from the neck cavities.
• Rinse the chicken well under cold running water, drain and pat dry inside and outside with paper towels.
• Sprinkle a tsp of the rub inside the body cavity of the chicken and ½ tsp inside the neck cavity. Drizzle the vegetable oil over the chicken and rub or brush it all over its skin.
• Spoon the remaining rub in to the beer through the hole in the top of the can and don't panic if it foams up as it is normal.
• Position the chicken upright with the opening of the body cavity at the bottom. Lower the body onto the can so that it fits into the cavity.
• Position the chicken's legs forward to form a sort of tripod so that it can support its weight on the can and stand upright.
• Now bake the chicken and stick the thermometer in the thickest part of the chicken thigh. The meat is said to be cooked when it reads 180°.
• If the skin starts turning extremely brown, slightly tent the chicken with aluminum foil. Once it is done, with the help of tongs, hold the chicken by the can and carefully place the chicken on a platter in an upright position.
• Before serving, allow the chicken to rest for 5 minutes and carefully lift it off its support. Take care that you don't spill the hot beer else you'll burn yourself. Cut the chicken and serve hot.

I am sure now you must be having a fair idea of how to cook beer can chicken. Another thing that may come to your mind is how long to cook beer can chicken in oven. Cook for nearly 2 hours or until the chicken turns golden-brown. You can also add different kinds of spices and extra beer to give more flavor to the chicken. Normally, garlic, cayenne, diced onion, or cumin are used to season the chicken.