Beer Can Chicken

If you like chicken, you'll love this recipe.  It's cooked over grill and doesn't require constant watching.  The chicken comes out tender, juicy and spicy with a crispy skin and with little fat!  It's best done via the indirect cooking method over charcoal in a high domed grill or smoker, I use a Weber Kettle as my preferred method.

1 Whole chicken, 4-5 pounds (Yard Bird that is)

1 Can of your favorite Frosty Adult Beverage (beer that is)

1 Batch of Mike's Spicy Dry Rub

Set up the kettle with a drip pan (I use a cheap 9x12 metal baking pan) centered in the lower grill (where the charcoal resides).  Add charcoal to the lower grill on both sides of the drip pan, enough to come even with the top of the drip pan, I use about 20 pieces per side in my Weber. Go ahead and place the upper grill in the kettle, start the charcoal, go  in the house, grab that Frosty Adult Beverage and consume half of it - only half!

Grab that yard bird, remove giblets from chicken and save or use them for making stock, wash and dry the yard bird and set it aside.

Mix up a batch of Mike's Spicy Dry Rub

Place the chicken on a piece of plastic wrap and commence to coating the yard bird all over making sure to coat under the wings, around the thighs and in every nook and cranny, then set the bird on a plate for now. Do not throw away the excess dry rub!

Wash your hands!

Remove  the top of the half consumed adult beverage with the utensil of your choice.  Take the dry rub that remains on the plastic wrap and place it into the beverage can.

Pick up the bird from the plate where the bird is waiting and place the beverage can upright in the middle of the plate.  Slide the bird down on top of the can.  It  should stand upright.

Insert a meat thermometer in the thickest, meatiest portion of the chicken, usually the thigh or breast - do not touch any bones with the probe - it will definitely give erroneous readings.

Have someone open the door (or wash your hands again) and head for the grill!

Place the bird in  the middle of the upper grill, standing up, directly over the drip pan.  Ensure that no portion of the bird is directly over any charcoal.

Place the lid on the kettle and adjust the dampers until the oven thermometer (you do have one in your grill don't you?) reads ~350 degrees.

Check the grill occasionally for temperature and add charcoal, equally to each side, as needed.

Expect a 4-5 bird on a Weber Kettle using this method to take around 2 hours to cook.  The ultimate indicator though is the meat thermometer.  If it rises quicker than you think it should, pull it out and insert it into another portion of the chicken.

Serving:

When done, remove the bird, with the can in place, to a metal tray such as a cookie sheet and allow to rest.  The  liquid inside the can will be steaming hot - BE CAREFUL!!!

After cooling for ~15 to 20 minutes lift the bird off of the can and carve in traditional fashion.

If you take the time in the last hour or so to make some onion and pepper grill packs or potato grill packs and a garlic bread pack and put them on the grill - you've got a great meal.

Plate the bird with some grilled onions and peppers; grilled steamed potatoes with sour cream and a slice of garlic bread - Good Lawd I gotta get busy!