Craving a mouthwatering, tender, and juicy chicken fresh off the BBQ? Look no further! This Beer Can Chicken (Dancing Chicken) recipe is your go-to for an effortlessly delicious grilled masterpiece. Get ready to impress your taste buds and your guests!
My Beer Can (Dancing Chicken) Inspiration
Many years ago, while working for the San Francisco Visitors and Convention Bureau, BB helped shift the city's image from "come visit our icons" to "come visit our restaurants because we have the BEST chefs." During this time, we attended the Food and Wine Classic in Aspen, CO, an annual event that introduces the top 10 new chefs, offers cooking demonstration classes, wine-tasting events, educational sessions, and, of course, delicious food.
At the event, I met Steven Raichlen, the grill master extraordinaire, who was demonstrating his Beer Can Chicken recipe (using Cornish Game Hens for time constraints). The dish was so good and tender that I bought his cookbook and decided to try it at home.
Using much of Raichlen's technique (which isn't too hard) and a personal rub, this was the result: a delicious, tender, and juicy Beer Can Chicken.
Jump to:
Why You Want to Make this Beer Can Dancing Chicken Recipe
- Effortlessly Juicy and Tender: Inserting a chicken onto a can of beer keeps it moist as the beer bubbles and bastes the chicken from the inside. The slow-cooking method ensures tender, fall-off-the-bone goodness every time.
- Delicious and Flavorful: The flavorful rub enhances the taste, making each bite delicious. Plus, the beer infuses the chicken with a fantastic aroma and taste, without any alcohol remaining after cooking.
- Fun and Unique Cooking Method: "Dancing chickens" are not only tasty but also entertaining! The way the chicken stands on the grill with its wings tucked behind its head adds a fun twist to your BBQ experience.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Whole Chicken - Fresh or defrosted from frozen. You could substitute Cornish Game hen
- Beer - for best results use a lager. Or IPA. or as I did, Bud. or Coors.
- Spice Rub - either Lindy's Sweet and Spicy Rub for Ribs and Chicken, or your favorite rub.
- Salt
FAQ
Absolutely! If you prefer not to use beer, you can substitute it with a canned soft drink. Many people have had great results using options like Dr. Pepper or cola, which add a bit of spice and sweetness. These alternatives will still provide the moisture and flavor needed to make the chicken delicious and tender.
Off-heat grilling, also called indirect grilling, is a method where food is cooked next to, rather than directly over, the heat source. This technique allows for slower, more even cooking and is ideal for larger cuts of meat or delicate items.
The chicken is cooked when it reaches 165ºF (77ºC).
Top Tip
For many years I just precariously positioned the chicken on the grill, using its own legs like a tripod. It never fell over, but I have to admit this handy stand makes it a lot more stable and easier to get on and off the grill. For less than $10.00 I highly recommend you get yourself one! (beer can chicken holder)
Instructions
- If using frozen chicken, thaw in the refrigerator for 2 days on a tray to catch juices.
- Once thawed (or if using fresh), remove the giblets. Dry the chicken inside and out with paper towels.
- Generously salt inside and out. Apply the rub all over the chicken, including a bit inside. Let it rest for 30 minutes.
- Set up your grill for indirect heat and place a drip pan on the bottom. Open a 12-ounce beer or soda and make additional openings with a can opener. Drain the first inch of liquid and add 1 tablespoon of rub.
- Place the chicken on the can (using a stand if desired) and position it in the off-heat area of the grill. Close the lid, maintain around 350ºF (177ºC), and cook until tender and the internal temperature has reached 165ºF (74ºC).
- Carefully remove the chicken and hot can from the grill. Let it sit for 5 minutes before extracting and discarding the can. Carve and serve.
How to Set Up for Indirect Heat
Indirect Grilling with Gas or Charcoal
Gas Grill:
- Preheat: Turn on all burners to high and preheat the grill.
- Set Up Zones: Turn off one or more burners to create a cooler, indirect heat zone.
- Cook: Place the food on the cooler side of the grill, away from the lit burners.
Charcoal Grill:
- Light Coals: Light the charcoal and let it ash over.
- Arrange Coals: Push the coals to one side to create a hot and cooler side.
- Cook: Place the food on the cooler side, away from the direct heat of the coals.
Great Sides to Serve with Beer Can Dancing Chicken
Wine Recommendation
Zinfandel: Its bold fruit flavors and peppery finish pair perfectly with smoky, spicy BBQ sauce. Malbec: With its rich, dark fruit flavors and smooth tannins, it complements the sweetness and tang of BBQ chicken. Syrah/Shiraz: The bold, spicy notes enhance the BBQ flavors and add a touch of smokiness. Rosé: A versatile choice, it offers refreshing acidity that balances the sweetness and spice of BBQ sauce. Riesling: Its slight sweetness and bright acidity work well with the smoky, tangy flavors of BBQ chicken.
Beer Can Chicken (Dancing Chicken) -Recipe Card
Equipment
- Beer Can Chicken Holder optional
Ingredients
- 1 large 4 - 5 pound whole chicken
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 5 tablespoons Lindy's Sweet and Spicy Rub or your favorite rub
- Salt
- 1 12 ounce can beer lager preferred
- For the Rub:
- 3 tablespoons paprika
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper or to taste
- 1 tablespoon crushed dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon crushed dried thyme
- mix all together in a jar, shake until combined, store for up to six months
Instructions
- Set up the grill for indirect grilling at medium heat. If you have a thermometer on your grill, it should stay between 300°F and 325°F.
- Remove giblets from the chicken and rinse it well under cold running water. Pat dry inside and out with paper towels. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the rub inside the cavity. Rub the outside of the chicken with about 3 tablespoons of the rub all over its body. Tuck the wings behind the back of the chicken.
- Pull the tab off the beer can and then using a "church key" opener, make 4 - 6 more holes. Pour (or drink) the top inch of beer; then spoon the remaining dry rub into the can. Holding the chicken upright, with the body cavity down, insert the beer can into the cavity of the chicken.
- Stand the chicken up in the center of the hot grate, over a drip pan, spread the legs out to form a tripod to support the bird (or get the beer stand). Cover the grill and cook until fall off the bone tender, about 1 ½ to 2 hours.
- Using tongs, remove the bird to a cutting board, being careful not to spill the hot beer on yourself. Let stand 5 minutes before carving.
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