Smoked Beer Can Chicken
Summer's here, so fire up the smoker and get ready to make the ultimate juicy and flavorful beer can smoked chicken.
Servings: 6 people
Ingredients
The Meat
- 1 4-5 pound whole chicken
The Dry Rub
- 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 Tablespoon dried oregano leaves
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon coriander
The Beer
- 1 16-ounce can of beer
To Baste
- ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 Tablespoons dry rub mix
Instructions
- Preheat the smoker to 225°F.
- Prep the dry rub in a small mixing bowl and set aside 2 Tablespoons of the mix to use for basting later.
- Place the chicken on a tray and remove the gizzards. Pat dry with a paper towel and generously rub the seasoning over the chicken coating the skin.
- Pour out half of the beer and place the can in a beer can chicken stand. Lower the chicken onto the can of beer and tie the legs together with butchers twine.
- Once the smoker reaches 225°F smoke the chicken for 2-3 hours.
- For an extra layer of flavor baste halfway through cooking with a mixture of 2 tablespoons of the reserved dry rub with 3/4 cup of olive oil. Brush generously over the chicken's skin.
- Repeat this basting process again after an additional hour of smoking (2 ½ hours total cooking time) if desired.
- To check for doneness, insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken breast (not touching bone). Once the chicken has reached 165°F it is safe to eat and fully smoked.
- When done, remove from the smoker and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.
Notes
To clean up leftovers, remove the smoked chicken meat from the bones while it's still warm. Shred and place in an airtight food storage container in the fridge for up to 5 days.