Best Tangy Root Beer Can Chicken Recipes

BEER CAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Prepare a charcoal grill. Let the coals cook down until they are hot and there are no flames, 25 to 30 minutes. Carefully move the coals to the outside perimeter of the grill to create a "ring." Place a drip pan in the center of the coals. Place the grill grate on the grill.
• Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper and place on top of the beer can so the beer can is inside of the chicken cavity. Stand the chicken and beer can in the center of the grill over the drip pan. Cover and cook until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

ROBIN KOURY'S SPICE OF LIFE BEER CAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Soak the wood chips in water for at least 2 hours.
• When ready to grill, preheat 1 of the burners to 350 degrees F.
• Make sure the chicken is clean and innards are removed; pat dry with a paper towel and set aside. In a small mixing bowl, add paprika, brown sugar, kosher salt, cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic salt, chili powder and mix well. Take the chicken and separate the skin from the breast taking care not to tear or remove skin. Apply the spice rub directly to the chicken breast, under the skin. Apply rub to the entire chicken, inside and out, reserving at least 2 tablespoons. Punch 2 holes at the top of the can, with a manual hand-held can opener. In a new bowl, mix butter and remaining spice rub. Add this mixture to the half-full can of beer. Place chicken over beer can and insert into the cavity of the chicken, keeping beer can standing up.
• Place the wood chips in a foil smoker pouch over the active burner on the grill and set the chicken, on a pie plate, over the in-active burner. Close the lid. Rotate the chicken every 20 minutes. 5 minutes before cooking is complete, drizzle the honey over the chicken. The chicken should take about 1 hour and 20 minutes to cook, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 155 degrees F. Slice and serve.

ROOT BEER GLAZED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Flatten chicken breasts slightly. In a large skillet, cook chicken in oil for 4-6 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 170°. Remove and keep warm., Stir the root beer, brown sugar, ketchup, mustard and lemon zest into the skillet. Bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 6-8 minutes or until thickened. Return chicken to skillet; heat through.

BEER CAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Remove and discard the fat just inside the body cavities of the chicken. Remove the package of giblets and set aside for another use. Rinse the chicken inside and out, under cold running water, then drain and blot dry inside and out, with paper towels. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the rub inside the body and neck cavities, then rub another 1 tablespoon all over the skin of the bird. If you wish, rub another 1/2 tablespoon of the mixture between the flesh and skin. Cover and refrigerate the chicken while you preheat the grill.
• Set up the grill for indirect grilling, placing a drip pan in the center. If using a charcoal grill, preheat it to medium. If using a gas grill, place all the wood chips in the smoker box and preheat to high; then when smoke appears, lower the heat to medium.
• Pop the tab on the beer can. Using a 'church key'-style can opener, make 6 or 7 holes in the top of the can. Pour out the top inch of beer, then spoon the remaining dry rub through the holes into the beer. Holding the chicken upright, with the opening of the body cavity down, insert the beer can into the cavity.
• When ready to cook, if using charcoal, toss 1/2 the wood chips on the coals. Oil the grill grate. Stand the chicken up in the center of the hot grate, over the drip pan. Spread out the legs to form a sort of tripod, to support the bird.
• Cover the grill and cook the chicken until fall-off-the-bone tender, 2 hours. If using charcoal, add 10 to 12 fresh coals per side and the remaining wood chips after 1 hour.
• Using tongs, lift the bird to a cutting board or platter, holding a large metal spatula underneath the beer can for support. (Have the board or platter right next to the bird to make the move shorter. Be careful not to spill hot beer on yourself.) Let stand for 5 minutes before carving meat off the upright carcass. (Toss the beer can out along with the carcass.)

OVEN BEER CAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Remove all but the bottom rack from the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F. Set a large ovenproof skillet on a baking pan.
• Mix the coriander, paprika, lemon zest, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper together in a small bowl. Pat the chicken dry and sprinkle the spice mixture all over the chicken and inside the cavity.
• Pour about 1/2 cup of the beer into the skillet, then insert the open can into the larger chicken cavity. Set the chicken upright on the can in the skillet. Add 1 cup of water to the beer in the skillet.
• Transfer the baking pan with the skillet to the oven and roast until the chicken is golden brown all over and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the breast registers 160 degrees F, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes. Carefully transfer the chicken with the beer can to a cutting board and let stand 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, pour the contents of the skillet out into a fat-separating measuring cup (be very careful, the skillet's handle will be hot). Spoon 1 tablespoon of the fat that has risen to the top onto the skillet. Set the skillet over medium heat and add the shallot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Pour the juices from the measuring cup into the skillet, leaving the remaining fat behind (if you don't have a fat-separator, pour the juices into a bowl and remove as much of the fat as possible with a small ladle). Bring the juices to a simmer in the skillet, about 1 minute, then add the cream and bring back to a simmer, about 1 minute. If the sauce seems too concentrated, dilute with a little water. If it seems too thin, simmer until reduced to a nice coating consistency. Stir in the parsley.
• Remove the can by placing tongs around the edge of the neck cavity and tipping the chicken back just slightly. Carefully twist and remove the can while holding the chicken back with the tongs. Return the chicken to the middle of the cutting board and carve into pieces. Serve the chicken with the sauce.

SPICE RUBBED BEER CAN CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat a gas or charcoal grill with a lid big enough to accommodate the bird. Put a drip pan below the grates.
• Mix the ingredients for the Spice Rub until they are well blended. (This will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for 1 week.) Rub it all over the chicken, inside and out.
• Open the beer and take a big swig or just pour out a couple of ounces. Sit the chicken on the beer can so the legs are at the bottom and the wings are at the top. Stand the beer can on the grates over the drip pan. Put the cover on and cook over indirect heat until the juices run clear, about 1 hour. (If using charcoal, push the coals to 1 side so the chicken is not over direct heat.)
• Note: This chicken can also be cooked in a 350 degrees F oven. Just stand the beer can in a shallow roasting pan and cook about 1 hour or until juices run clear.