Better Beer Can Chicken Recipe

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Better Beer Can Chicken
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Ingredients
13
Count
Nutrition
1090
Calories
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Ingredients:

Directions:

  1. BBQ Rub
  2. Put the salt, brown sugar, paprika, and pepper in a small bowl and stir to mix. (Your fingers actually work better for mixing the rub than a spoon or whisk does.) Store the rub in an airtight jar away from heat and light; it will keep for at least 6 months. Makes about 3/4 cup
  3. The Beer Can Chicken:
  4. Pop the tab off the beer can. Pour half of the beer (3/4 cup) over the soaking wood chips or chunks, or reserve for another use (Drink it!)
  5. If cooking the chicken on the can, using a church key-style can opener, make 2 additional holes in its top. Put a couple cloves of crushed garlic, some onion, some salt and pepper in the beer. Set the can of beer aside.
  6. Remove the packet of giblets from the body cavity of the chicken and set aside for another use. Remove and discard the fat just inside the body and neck cavities. Rinse the chicken, inside and out, under cold running water and then drain and blot dry, inside and out, with paper towels.
  7. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the rub inside the body cavity and 1/2 teaspoon inside the neck cavity of the chicken. Drizzle the oil over the outside of the bird and rub or brush it all over the skin. Sprinkle the outside of the bird with 1 tablespoon of rub and rub it all over the skin. Spoon the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons of rub into the beer through a hole in the top of the can. Don’t worry if the beer foams up: This is normal.
  8. If cooking on a can: Hold the bird upright, with the opening of the body cavity at the bottom, and lower it onto the beer can so the can fits into the cavity. Pull the chicken legs forward to form a sort of tripod, so the bird stands upright. The rear leg of the tripod is the beer can. If cooking on a roaster: Fill it with the beer mixture and position the chicken on top, following the manufacturer’s instructions.
  9. Tuck the tips of the wings behind the chicken’s back. Set up the grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium. If using a charcoal grill, place a large drip pan in the center. If using a gas grill, place all the wood chips or chunks in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch and preheat on high until you see smoke, then reduce the heat to medium.
  10. When ready to cook, if using a charcoal grill, toss all of the wood chips or chunks on the coals. Stand the chicken up in the center of the hot grate, over the drip pan and away from the heat. Cover the grill and cook the chicken until the skin is a dark golden brown and very crisp and the meat is cooked through (about 180°F on an instant-read meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh, but not touching the bone), 11/4 to 11/2 hours. If using a charcoal grill, you’ll need to add 12 fresh coals per side after 1 hour. If the chicken skin starts to brown too much, loosely tent the bird with aluminum foil.
  11. If cooking on a can: Using tongs, hold the bird by the can and carefully transfer it in an upright position to a platter. If cooking on a roaster: Use oven mitts or pot holders to remove the bird from the grill while it’s still on the vertical roaster.
  12. Present the bird to your guests. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then carefully lift it off its support. Take care not to spill the hot beer or otherwise burn yourself. Halve, quarter, or carve the chicken and serve.
  13. Variations - You can also barbecue a chicken on a can of cola, lemon-lime soda, or root beer. Use a tall boy (16 ounce) can of beer to barbecue a capon or duck. Use a mini (8 ounce) can of beer to barbecue a game hen.
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Nutrition Facts

Per ServingPer 100 g
Amount Per 1 Serving
Calories 1090.35 Kcal (4565 kJ)
Calories from fat 641.76 Kcal
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 71.31g 110%
Cholesterol 408.15mg 136%
Sodium 7471.33mg 311%
Potassium 1117.12mg 24%
Total Carbs 24.67g 8%
Sugars 17.25g 69%
Dietary Fiber 3.65g 15%
Protein 83.28g 167%
Vitamin C 15.8mg 26%
Vitamin A 0.1mg 5%
Iron 6.5mg 36%
Calcium 106.3mg 11%
Amount Per 100 g
Calories 204.57 Kcal (856 kJ)
Calories from fat 120.41 Kcal
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13.38g 110%
Cholesterol 76.58mg 136%
Sodium 1401.76mg 311%
Potassium 209.59mg 24%
Total Carbs 4.63g 8%
Sugars 3.24g 69%
Dietary Fiber 0.68g 15%
Protein 15.63g 167%
Vitamin C 3mg 26%
Iron 1.2mg 36%
Calcium 19.9mg 11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Find out how many calories should you eat.

Tastes

  • salty
  • savory
  • bitter
  • sweet
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Recipe Tags

Weightwatchers Points

  • 27
    Points
  • 28
    PointsPlus

Good Points

  • saturated fat free

Bad Points

  • High in Sodium,
  • High in Total Fat

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