Beer Can Chicken

How do you prepare a whole chicken? In the winter, there’s nothing better than the smell of a chicken roasting in the oven. In summer, I don’t want to have the oven on 400 for over an hour to roast a chicken. My kitchen is warm enough in the summer without turning on the oven. Our go to recipe for whole chicken in the summer is Beer Can Chicken. There are so many possibilities, different types of beer, spices or a rub can give the chicken it’s own flair. On this particular night, we used an IPA from a local brewery that we love, Lucky Bucket. We used the cajun rub our friends Rat and Julie from New Orleans sent us for Christmas last year. The flavors were delicious and the chicken was so moist. The secret to a moist chicken is to let it rest before carving!

Beer Can Chicken
1 (4-pound) whole chicken
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons of your favorite dry spice rub
1 can beer
Directions
Remove neck and giblets from chicken and discard. Rinse chicken inside and out, and pat dry with paper towels. Rub chicken lightly with oil then rub inside and out with salt, pepper and dry rub. Set aside.

Open beer can and take several gulps (make them big gulps so that the can is half full). Place beer can on a solid surface. Grabbing a chicken leg in each hand, plunk the bird cavity over the beer can. Transfer the bird-on-a-can to your grill and place in the center of the grate, balancing the bird on its 2 legs and the can like a tripod.

Cook the chicken over medium-high, indirect heat (i.e. no coals or burners on directly under the bird), with the grill cover on, for approximately 1 1/4 hours or until the internal temperature registers 165 degrees F in the breast area and 180 degrees F in the thigh, or until the thigh juice runs clear when stabbed with a sharp knife. Remove from grill and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

I am linking this to Tempt My Tummy Tuesday's, Tasty Tuesday's and Tuesday's at the Table.