Beer Can Chicken

Source: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/beer_can_chicken/

Drink the beer ahead of time. You only need a half can.

Ingredients

• 1 Roasting chicken, at least 4 lbs.

• Olive oil

• 1 Tbs Kosher salt

• 1 Tbs Ground black pepper

• 1 Tbs Dried thyme

• 1 16 oz. can of beer, opened, 1/2 full, room temperature

• 1 Lemon

Preparation

Prepare your grill for indirect heat. If you are using charcoal, put the coals on one side of the grill, leaving another side free of coals. If you are using a gas grill, heat the grill, then turn only half of the burners to medium.

Remove neck and giblets from cavity of chicken, if the chicken came with them. Rub the chicken all over with olive oil. Mix the salt, pepper, and thyme in a little bowl, then sprinkle it all over the chicken.

Zest the lemon, juice it, and pour the juice and zest into the beer can.

Lower the chicken on to the open can, so that the chicken is sitting upright, with the can in its cavity. Place the chicken on the cool side of the grill, using the legs and beer can as a tripod to support the chicken on the grill and keep it stable.

Cover the grill and walk away. Do not even check the chicken for at least an hour. After an hour, check the chicken and refresh the coals, if needed, if you are using a charcoal grill. Keep checking the chicken every 15 minutes or so, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 160°F - 165°F. The total cooking time will vary depending on the size of your chicken, and the internal temperature of the grill. A 4 lb chicken will usually take around 1 1/2 hours. If you don't have a meat thermometer, a way to tell if the chicken is done is to poke it deeply with a knife (the thigh is a good place to do this), if the juices run clear, not pink, the chicken is done.

Carefully transfer the chicken to a tray or pan. The beer can, and the beer inside of it, is quite hot. One way to do this is to slide a metal spatula under the bottom of the beer can. Use tongs to hold the top of the chicken. Lift the chicken, beer can still inside, and move it to a tray. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before serving. Carefully lift the chicken off of the can. If it gets stuck, lay the chicken on its side, and pull out the can with tongs.

Additional Information

Instead of lemon juice and zest, you can put other aromatic flavoring into the beer, e.g., a sprig of thyme, rosemary, or sage.

You can also roast a chicken this way in the oven. Just place it as directed on an open half-filled can of beer, sitting up, in a roasting pan on the lower rack of your oven. Roast at 350°F until done (about an hour fifteen to an hour and a half for a 4 pound chicken).

You can also use an open can of baked beans (remove the label) instead of the beer. The chicken juices will run into and flavor the baked beans, which you can then use as a side dish for the chicken.

•	1	Roasting chicken, at least 4 lbs.
•		Olive oil
•	1 Tbs	Kosher salt
•	1 Tbs	Ground black pepper
•	1 Tbs	Dried thyme
•	1	16 oz. can of beer, opened, 1/2 full, room temperature
•	1	Lemon

	Prepare your grill for indirect heat. If you are using charcoal, put the coals on one side of the grill, leaving another side free of coals. If you are using a gas grill, heat the grill, then turn only half of the burners to medium.
	Remove neck and giblets from cavity of chicken, if the chicken came with them. Rub the chicken all over with olive oil. Mix the salt, pepper, and thyme in a little bowl, then sprinkle it all over the chicken.
	Zest the lemon, juice it, and pour the juice and zest into the beer can.
	Lower the chicken on to the open can, so that the chicken is sitting upright, with the can in its cavity. Place the chicken on the cool side of the grill, using the legs and beer can as a tripod to support the chicken on the grill and keep it stable.
	Cover the grill and walk away. Do not even check the chicken for at least an hour. After an hour, check the chicken and refresh the coals, if needed, if you are using a charcoal grill. Keep checking the chicken every 15 minutes or so, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 160°F - 165°F. The total cooking time will vary depending on the size of your chicken, and the internal temperature of the grill. A 4 lb chicken will usually take around 1 1/2 hours. If you don't have a meat thermometer, a way to tell if the chicken is done is to poke it deeply with a knife (the thigh is a good place to do this), if the juices run clear, not pink, the chicken is done.
	Carefully transfer the chicken to a tray or pan. The beer can, and the beer inside of it, is quite hot. One way to do this is to slide a metal spatula under the bottom of the beer can. Use tongs to hold the top of the chicken. Lift the chicken, beer can still inside, and move it to a tray. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes before serving. Carefully lift the chicken off of the can. If it gets stuck, lay the chicken on its side, and pull out the can with tongs.