Best Beer Can Chicken
Description
In this best beer can chicken recipe, chicken is seasoned with a sweet and spicy brown sugar-paprika rub and grilled over wood chips for smoky flavor.
Ingredients
•
2 cups cherry wood chips
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1/2 cup dark brown sugar
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1/2 cup kosher salt
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1/2 cup paprika
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1/4 cup ground black pepper
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1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
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2 (12 fluid ounce) cans beer, half full
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2 (3 pound) whole chickens
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1/4 cup vegetable oil
Directions
1
Soak wood chips in water for at least 1 hour.
2
Preheat an outdoor grill for indirect medium heat, about 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3
Combine sugar, salt, paprika, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a small bowl. Place beer cans on a baking sheet. Spoon 1 teaspoon seasoning mix into each can. Be careful, this will make beer foam up and out of the can.
4
Rub each chicken with 2 tablespoons oil. Rub remaining seasoning mix over entire chickens, inside and out. Place each chicken upright over 1 beer can.
5
Drain wood chips; place with coals, in an aluminum pan, or under the grill grate according to manufacturer's instructions.
6
Place cans with chicken directly on the grill. Close the lid and grill chicken until no longer pink, and juices run clear, about 1 ½ hours. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thighs should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
7
Remove chickens from the grill; discard the beer cans. Cover chickens with a doubled sheet of aluminum foil; rest in a warm area before slicing, 10 minutes.