When it’s time to entertain friends, pull out this laughter-inducing classic that involves shoving a beer can up the (ahem) “bottom end” of a chicken. The beer steams while the chicken roasts and absorbs aromatic smoke.
— Jamie Purviance
• ON-DEMAND: Listen to Faith and the gang talk to Jamie about his top grilling tips and hear how this recipe comes together. •
Excerpt from WEBER’S GREATEST HITS: 125 Beloved Recipes for Every Grill and Everyone by Jamie Purviance. Copyright © 2017 by Jamie Purviance. Photography © 2017 by Ray Kachatorian. Used by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 whole (4 to 5 pounds) chicken, neck, giblets, and any excess fat removed
For the rub
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- extra virgin olive oil
- 1 can (12 ounce) beer at room temperature
Servings: people
Instructions
- Sprinkle the salt over the meaty parts of the chicken and inside the cavity. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- In a bowl combine all the rub ingredients and mix well. Soak 4 large handfuls hickory or oak wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes.
- Prepare the grill for indirect cooking over medium heat (350° to 450°F). Keep the temperature around 400°F throughout the cooking time.
- Rinse the chicken with cold water, then pat dry with paper towels. Brush the chicken all over with oil and season all over, including inside the cavity, with the rub. Fold the wing tips behind the back.
- Open the beer and pour out about two-thirds of it. Using a church key–style can opener, make two more holes in the top of the can. Place the can on a solid surface and then lower the chicken over the can.
- Brush the cooking grates clean. Drain 2 handfuls wood chips, add to the charcoal or the smoker box of a gas grill, and close the lid. When smoke appears, transfer the chicken-on-a-can to the grill, placing it over indirect medium heat. Close the lid and cook the chicken until the juices run clear when a thigh is pierced in the thickest part, or an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (not touching the bone) registers 160° to 165°F, 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours. After the first 15 minutes, drain the remaining 2 handfuls wood chips and add to the charcoal or the smoker box. If using a charcoal grill, replenish the charcoal as needed to maintain the temperature, adding 6 to 10 unlit briquettes after 45 minutes. Leave the lid off the grill for 5 minutes to ignite the briquettes.
- Carefully remove the chicken-on-a-can from the grill (do not spill the contents of the beer can, which will be very hot) and stand it on a heatproof surface. Let the chicken rest for 10 to 15 minutes (the internal temperature will rise 5 to 10 degrees during this time) before lifting it from the beer can and carving it into serving pieces. Serve warm.
