3. When cooked and ready to eat, carefully take the chicken out of the smoker. I find the best way is to use a large, clean, cloth or oven gloves. Take care as the beer can will still have about half the beer and drippings from the chicken in it, and it will be very hot.

4. Put the chicken on a board and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

5. Carefully remove the beer can from the chicken. Discard the can and carve the chicken.

Cooking Method Using A Barbecue Grill And Indirect Heat

I've assumed that you have the charcoal or gas at the correct temperature. Your grill is set-up for indirect heat, and if you're using wood chips or chunks, you have them on the charcoal.

1. Carefully stand the chicken on a cooking grid over a drip pan. Use the legs and the beer can to act as a tripod.

2. Cover the grill with the hood and let the beer can chicken cook for about 1 ? to 2 hours. Check the chicken at intervals, say every half hour to start with. The chicken will be cooked when the skin is crisp and is dark brown going on black. If the skin goes brown too quickly shut the vents on the grill to reduce the heat.

3. When cooked and ready to eat, carefully remove the chicken from the grill. I find the best way is to use a large, clean, cloth or oven gloves. Take care as the beer can will still have about half the beer and drippings from the chicken in it, and it will be very hot.4. Put the chicken on a board and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

5. Carefully remove the beer can from the chicken. Discard the can and carve the chicken.

I like to carve the chicken and make sandwiches out of it using rustic bread. But most often I find the meat gets plucked from the carcass before I've time to carve it!

I usually cook two or three at a time on the lower grid of my Brinkmann smoker. I put ribs and the like on the top grid and let the drippings drop onto the beer can chicken below.

As I mentioned, this is the easiest recipe for beer can chicken that I know. Many recipes state that you must use a rub the inside or outside of the chicken, or both. Others state that you should baste the chicken. Personally, I'd try the easy recipe above and then change one thing at a time.
About the Author

Les runs The Barbecue Hut website that provides useful information about barbecue grills and smokers, and also includes a wide selection of free recipes.He is also author of The Char Grill Chat newsletter.

Website:http://www.barbecuehut.com

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