Beer Butt Chicken Recipe
January 14th, 2008
If you like cooking with beer, try the beer steamed mussels.
Beer Butt Chicken Recipe
Okay, so I was hoping to post this over the weekend but football playoffs proved to be a little distraction. Speaking of, this Beer Butt Chicken Recipe may be what your next football gathering is missing!
Just like any other American who has numerous Thanksgiving feast experiences under the belt, I am a huge fan of the roast turkey. But the idea that we have to wait all year to have a roasted bird is just absurd. However, the commitment of brining and roasting the beast is more than just a quick chore. As a kid growing up in another country, the roaster of the choice for my family was chicken. Although it may not sound as grand, never underestimate the power of a perfectly roasted chicken.
Roast chicken can be comforting, satisfying, and impressive if well executed. I try to buy my chicken when it is on sale for under $1.00/pound. I grab a couple birds, cook one of them immediately and usually freeze the other for later use. But don't forget that roasting two chickens is just as easy as roasting one, and the leftover chicken could be used throughout the week for sandwiches, salad, quesadillas, soups, pasta, and etc. Broiler chickens you see at most grocery stores are about 12 weeks in age, making them extremely juicy and tender. I typically go for ones that weigh in around 4~5 lbs.
Beer Butt Chicken photo by SheeeeeUTE
For those of you scared of roasting a chicken, wanting to wow your dining guest, or even just looking for an escape from grilling yet another burger; behold, the beer butt chicken!
Beer Butt Chicken Recipe
Olive Oil
Whole Chicken
Kosher Salt
Fresh Pepper
Can of beer
How to Make Beer Butt Chicken
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees; make sure that it is heated all the way, don’t throw the bird in to the cold oven. Check the temperature using an oven thermometer.2. Open the can of beer, take a good swig, and enjoy the cold refreshing drink.
2. If you take small drinks take another sip leaving just over half the liquid in the can. Resist the temptation of finishing what is left, you need this for the roasting. The beer will make the chicken exceptionally juicy and moist.
3. Set chicken on can, inserting can into the cavity of the chicken. The chicken should be standing on its legs supported by the beer can inserted in the cavity, hence the name of beer butt chicken. Lightly oil, using enough to make the entire surface of the meat glisten, but not so much that you leave a puddle. .
4. Season the chicken well. Kosher salt and freshly ground peppers are all the seasonings you need. Most people go too easy on them, I say don’t be shy. See below for other seasoning variations.
5. Place baking sheet with beer and chicken in the pre-heated oven. Word of advice: two sets of hands here are better than one! The chicken is done when the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees. For a 4~5lbs bird, you are looking at any where from an hour to an hour and half, at the most. But don’t let the time decide the fate of your dinner guests; stick an to make sure that you don’t undercook, or even worse overcook.
6. Once the chicken is done, let the bird rest for 10~15 minuets so that your guest have time to view and wow over it :) Okay, so this is to allow the juices to settle back into the meat, but there's nothing wrong with impressing. Remove the chicken from the beer can using oven mitts and spring-loaded tongs. Be very careful, the can is still very hot. All BBQ aficionado's will agree, comes in super handy for occasions as such. Again, two sets of hands are best.
The end result, is roasted chicken without the usual hassle. Brown and crusty all over, juicy and flavorful inside; and some argue, superior to the standard oven roasted bird.
Variation: Beer Can Chicken
Try adding the spice/herb listed below to your classic salt and pepper seasoning.
- 1/4 cup of minced rosemary and crushed and minced garlic
- 1/4 teaspoon each of cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano
- Ground coriander, cumin, and cayenne pepper equal portions
Feel free to get creative here and don't be shy about sharing your seasoning combination in the comments section below!
If you enjoyed this recipe, .
Thanks for visiting!
January 14th, 2008 at 11:07 am
i love beer, i love butt, i love chicken
January 14th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Beer, Butts and finger lickin’ Chicken…sounds like a GREAT football Sunday. GO PACKERS!
January 14th, 2008 at 7:32 pm
Go Chargers!
January 16th, 2008 at 11:04 am
How ingenious. I am probably the only one who has never heard of a Beer Butt Chicken Recipe. I am thinking of trying it with my traditional roast bird recipe: coat with dry seasonings (salt, pepper, garlic, mrs. dash table blend) and sprinkle with soy sauce. In a separate dish mix equal parts of ketchup and pickapepper sauce (if you can’t find pickapepper use A1 steak sauce). Use fingers to dab all over chicken. Sprinkle lightly with oil of choice, I use vegitable. Then the rest is Beer Butt baby!
January 16th, 2008 at 11:09 am
This is a great recipe….I have also done this on my grill…giving the chicken a good smokey taste…we’re hooked on it.
January 17th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
that is where high life belongs
January 17th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
Now that’s what I call finger lickin good :)
January 21st, 2008 at 8:52 am
My name is Bob, i am a retard, please spam me: bob@bobnet.com
January 25th, 2008 at 10:26 am
this is a great recipe i have tried it myself on the pit
January 25th, 2008 at 10:29 am
what about the chemicals that will leech into the food from the colour coating printed onto the beer can? assuming the taste of the bird is not affected, the carcinogens in the paint/lacquer cannot be good.
probably better to get a can of a similar size which uses a paper label. use food in the can, remove label and wash off the glue used to hold on the paper label.
January 28th, 2008 at 7:32 am
Football is a homoeritic sport for all you gay guys!!
January 29th, 2008 at 9:11 am
You could lightly cover the chicken with mustard before adding other spices.
February 26th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
man, this is so awesome. and mb’s comment is simply perfect…
I’m truly impressed. I hope, you don’t mind, if I use the recipe and picture in my (german) blog?
February 27th, 2008 at 12:35 am
Thanks for your kind words everyone. Hope you have mastered the art of Beer Butt Chicken by now.
Feel free to share the recipe on your blog. Just don’t forget to give us link love to the site :)
February 27th, 2008 at 5:59 am
[...] Februar 27, 2008 · No Comments Endlich gibt es mal einen Blog, der wirklich alles, was man über ihn wissen muss im Namen enthält und dabei kreativ ist. Ich präsentiere: Wasabibratwurst.com. Hier findet man tolle Rezepte wie dieses: Beer Butt Chicken. [...]
March 22nd, 2008 at 7:35 am
I cooked this last night and it was delicious!!! Thanks for sharing dude!
March 22nd, 2008 at 10:35 am
Ricky, I am glad you enjoyed it. I had some friends over last night and we cooked up couple last night! You need to post photos on your !
April 15th, 2008 at 10:27 am
this was DELISH… thank you for the detailed breakdown! fabulous!
April 20th, 2008 at 7:58 am
Well, we have had this before, although at a friends house………….and today is the moment of truth TODAY, I too shall try this for myself. Oh the humanity, my poor family. Will let you know later how it worked out. My mouth is already watering,mmmmmmmmmm
April 20th, 2008 at 11:38 am
@Amanda,it was great to see you yesterday. Make sure to try out some of the other recipes.
@extrememover – it’s so easy, you can not fail :) I do with you all the best. Let us know how it goes. Oh and make an extra bird so you have left overs :)
May 10th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Nothing equals the flavor of drunk chicken!!! I have tried several recipes and I have found that the sasonings (I marnade for at least 24 hours)that win the most accolades are when I use a mixture (VERY THICK EMULSION) of olive oil, Adobo seasoning and a whole lot of garlic (fusing those 3 ingredients together in my food processer (a blender will work). I apologize for not having exact measurements, but trust your instincts….that ALWAYS works best for me)!! work themix UNDER the skin and all around the exposed meat, and refrigerate until ready to prepare. Preheat oven 400 degrees, 0r what ever works for you if you are using an outdoor grill. Allow approx. 1-to 1 1/2 hours cooking time. (If it gets done before your guests are ready to indulge, know that if it has to be warmed up, it will not be disastrious….it can taste better the next day). Hope this helps anyone who present a successful party!!!! Bon apetite!!!!!!!!!!
May 12th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
@Jodi Adobo seasoned Drunken Chicken is something I have yet to try. I have a great excuse to make some. And I agree, nothing equals the flavor of drunken chicken and it’s true; TRUST your instincts when it comes to measurements. Thank you for reading and sharing!
May 13th, 2008 at 7:01 am
Hi Wasabi,
Thanks for the comment! My husband has been trying to get into cooking more and he was especially pleased with this recipe. Like I’d mentioned, anything with “Beer” in the name is cool in his books. I can’t wait to try this for a Super Bowl party (Go Steelers!).
May 13th, 2008 at 4:41 pm
@Major Mom
I can’t agree enough, anything with beer is cool in my books especially when we are celebrating the
American Craft Beer Week this week (May 12-18) :) :) :)
Anything in particular that your husband likes to cook? Let us know if there is anything you like to see in terms of recipes. We aim to please!
Thanks for visiting WB, and thank you for giving Beer Can Chicken a try. Hope you try some of the other recipes!
May 25th, 2008 at 1:28 pm
For those of you that are fearful of being contaminated by the beer can, you can buy metal holders at Lowe’s. It makes sure that the beer and the chicken are stable. I ususally do two on the grill but my grill is on the fritz so oven it is. Does anyone know how to clean out chicken grease from the little holes in the burners?
May 27th, 2008 at 3:20 pm
@joan – I saw my friend Chrisy and Jon this weekend and they brought me a metal holder as a gift. Needless to say, I am very excited to give it a try.
(the beer butt chicken photo that appears at the top of this page is taken at Christy’s two years ago)
Does your oven have a self cleaning mode?
May 29th, 2008 at 7:13 pm
mmmmm mrs dash n evoo mmmmmm :)
August 21st, 2008 at 5:53 pm
I have been cooking up this recipe for last 5 years, where has everyone been? I feel that everyone that loves BBQ-ing and Chicken plus a little beer has got to try this. I don’t drink Beer, but it is great to cook with. Has anyone ever Slow Cooked Brawts and Beer, that is great too!!
Have a great time Eating!
August 22nd, 2008 at 7:45 am
@skyles.83 – I just understood your comment. Mrs Dash as in the spice mix and extra virgin olive oil! Wow, I am a sharp knife… :P
@Hillary We always cook brats in beer and chopped onion before we hit it on the grill for a little char. Football season is coming up, beer can chicken and beer brats are my two favorite tailgate dishes.
September 1st, 2008 at 9:43 am
I tried this, beer was not handy so i use can of apple juice. But when it done after two and half hours, chicken was ready and tasty but can was still full with juice, is it suppose to be like this or can should be empty?
September 2nd, 2008 at 12:57 pm
HI jijaji, thanks for stopping by. Your comment was slightly edited as it included profanity :)
Yes, you will liquid remain in the can. Apple juice must of worked perfectly fine. The reality is that you can use any liquid to cook.
September 7th, 2008 at 2:17 pm
I don’t drink beer. So I got a non-alcoholic version. I will let you know how it turns out.
September 7th, 2008 at 5:48 pm
Ok, the non alcoholic version is to die for. I have nothing to compare it with, but it can’t get much better than this. I used a half can of Busch non-alcoholic beer, with green onions and green pepper in the can. I rubbed the outside with olive oil, rubbed in abobo and then patted on Italian seasoning. I used the holder. It was way too easy!!!
September 7th, 2008 at 6:00 pm
@rho
mMMM adobo sauce. I am coming over for dinner right now!
September 23rd, 2008 at 4:29 pm
One word of warning on the Beer Can Chicken. Don’t cook the chicken and then place it into the refrigerator with out removing the meat from the bone first. I cooked my 4th or 5th chicken, but didn’t have the time to place the meat into a separate container first. When I finally removed the skin a day later, there was a Jello-type substance everywhere the juice would be. I assume this was a sort of fat which had jelled in the fridge. Not a problem as it went away when I reheated the chicken. Just a word to the wise!
September 23rd, 2008 at 6:38 pm
@Beer Can Chicken Lover
You tried it 5 times already, WOW! Thanks for trying the recipe and coming back to share your comment with us. You must have become a pro at cooking beer can chicken. That is awesome, I LOVE IT!
The jello-type substance is called collagen, a structural protein of the connective tissue. Collagen dissolves into gelatin in the presence of water and heat. Collagen is what gives slow-cooked dishes like pot roast and chicken soup the goodness that is oh so finger licking :)
The jello snack that we all love is made of water, sugar, flavoring, coloring and you guessed it, collagen!
November 29th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
I’ve had this before. Definitely a solid way to do up a chicken. Just wondering if it is all about the mouthfeel of the chicken or if some flavor actually come from the beer. If the former, I’ll use Bud Light, etc. but if you can get flavor, I’d be tempted to use something a little more unique like . Surly and Oscar Blues are two canned craft breweries that make excellent beer but the Surly cans are 16 ozers and might be kind of hard to jam up the chicken’s arse!
November 30th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
@Adam – it’s the forgiving steam cooking that helps it cook from the inside while retaining the moisture on the bird. As for the flavor, the beer does not contribute as much as we would like. Hence the reason why cheap cans of beer is used in the photos seen above. You can make it with coca cola for that matter ;)
November 30th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
It can’t be the beer. I only made it once with non-alcoholic beer. The other times I have used soda or apple juice. Each time the chicken has gotten rave reviews for a prime performance :-)
December 2nd, 2008 at 6:09 pm
@rho – It’s true, it’s not the beer. But it sure sounds better when you call it beer butt chicken, drunken chicken, or beer can chicken than soda pop chicken. Well at least it does for me :)
December 3rd, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Definitely! As a non drinker, even I love the expressions and reactions I get when I say “Beer Butt Chicken”! My dd loves saying it too.
December 3rd, 2008 at 1:03 pm
@rho – Yes! I love watching and hearing reactions when my guests see the chicken with a can shoved up. SHOCKER! :)
January 19th, 2009 at 2:19 pm
I am trying it right now, but,insted of beer, I am using a nice white wine and 2 chicken bullion cubes in the can mixture (i hope it turns out o.k.)
January 27th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
I love this recipe! I add different spices each time I make it, depending on what I have on hand. I have used: 1.Dijon mustard & Honey, 2.Stuffed cavity with an onion, bell pepper, jalapenos. Rubbed the outside with a mexi-mix of cumin, chili powder, onion/garlic powder, salt and pepper. 3.Rubbed with rosemary, honey, salt & pepper. Stuffed cavity with rosemary, onion & drizzled butter over entire chicken. etc, etc…I could go on & on….:-)
January 27th, 2009 at 9:36 pm
@1HotMama
So you stuff the cavity with vegies and then the beer can?
Rosemary & honey, now that is a combo I haven’t tried yet. Thanks for visiting!
February 7th, 2009 at 12:59 pm
I used cheap beer the first time and was not that impressed. Using beer with flavor like a darker beer tastes much better. The seasonings make the most difference in flavor – I’m trying an overnight marinade this time. Does everyone take the top of the can off? I’m trying that too this time.
February 8th, 2009 at 1:43 pm
@Tex-B-Que Hey Curtis, thanks for posting. I have yet to take the entire top off as I am scared to spill the beer from boiling over.
What kind of dark beer do you prefer when making beer can chicken? I been thinking of marinades too. When I cook chicken breasts, I usually brine it first, maybe I can try that too.
March 26th, 2009 at 6:19 pm
Was great but I found one thing missing that does change the taste to a perfection. Marjoram, this Scandinavian spice is excellent enhancer to this recipe. Added to variation version.
April 1st, 2009 at 8:29 pm
this recipe is just what i’m looking for- sounds simple enough…
i like it sweet so i think i’ll try honey and thyme to jazz it up.
April 5th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
I like my beer butt chicken with Zaterains crab boil added to the beer. It addsa an amazing flavor to the meat.
April 10th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
I stumbled on this recipe because I thought 375 degrees was the proper temperature to cook the chicken. Plus I loved the photo of the birds in the oven. I think it will be delicious.
April 19th, 2009 at 10:50 am
Used light oil, garlic salt and fresh ground pepper. This is now the only way i am going to cook my chicken. My life has been changed. My life altered thanks to this recipe. Plus i can taste the beer in the chicken. Leaves a wonderful flavor. Thanks for the recipe.
April 22nd, 2009 at 11:02 am
I am going to try this tomorrow. Somebody told me about this recipe so lookin some up online. I definately didn’t want to use cheap beer, so browsing around for opinions. Going to grocery store now and will try to get one can of either Heiney, Saporo/Kirin (japanese lager), Killian’s Red, Fosters, or maybe some kind of Pale Ale like Dales in a can. Havent seen too many good darker porters in a can, but wondering if something like Guiness Stout would be too dark. The beer thats sticking out right now though is Heineken in a can. Foster’s “Oil Can” would be perfect if it wasn’t so wide.
April 27th, 2009 at 7:17 pm
@briana b, @keith – Thanks for the great suggestions. I plan on trying both!
April 27th, 2009 at 7:19 pm
@Miss Anthropy – Glad you found us as well. The chickens almost look like there about to march away don’t they? I always laugh when making beer butt chicken, the chicken always looks so ridiculous. LOL!
April 27th, 2009 at 7:39 pm
@Jabah – How did it go? What kind of beer did you end up going with?
May 8th, 2009 at 6:58 pm
We do this all the time with the following variations.
Add rosemary or basil to the beer – it infuses into the chicken very well.
Use the smaller Millers 7oz cans with Cornish Game hens.
Fosters Lager beer can works great with a 15lb turkey!!
May 26th, 2009 at 8:20 am
I did two this weekend, one orange & one root beer. Same great chicken, but did not notice any difference between the two. I hand rubbed the birds with spices as I like to do changes in cooking one step at a time. This weekend the spices will go into the liquid.
May 26th, 2009 at 9:56 am
@Chris Davis – Thanks for posting Chris. Root beer might be a fun way to coat the outside of the roast. I can almost smell the root beer caramelizing the skin. Oh deslish!
June 3rd, 2009 at 5:41 am
This is a great way to use up those odd leftover beers that always end up at my house after company comes. Especially flavors I don’t care to drink. I have heard some issues with the can paint etc, so I use an old soup can that has been cleaned and used several times, but I think a small heat proof glass canning jar would work well too. And for all you non drinkers, pineapple juice and ginger in the can is fabulous!
June 6th, 2009 at 5:40 am
I’ve just tried cooking chicken like this. I used your blog for help with the cooking
Check out the results.
June 28th, 2009 at 12:08 pm
We have been making this for several years. The best beer to use is the left over odd beers that friends bring over for parties. Don’t go to the store and buy a special beer for this project just use up the odds and ends you have on hand. I take all the weird beers that we don’t want to drink after a party and put them in the cupboard. When we are making brats or beer can chicken we pull one out and use it. You can’t go wrong.
July 1st, 2009 at 2:48 pm
I like to mix olive oil with a heaps of spices, I do mean HEAPS, and I rub it all over the chicken and under the skin into the meat. I makes it great!
July 2nd, 2009 at 1:02 pm
Heaps is good, no sense of skimping spices in our lives :)
July 24th, 2009 at 2:16 pm
Thanks everyone. I truly enjoyed reading all the posts about beer butt chicken. I have tried it numerous times with many variations and my favorite is using Budweiser or Bud Light beer with lots of garlic and other spices. The new adobo seasoning is great(the hot one). We like things a bit spicy here. Also a little tip that I found that works good is putting a piece of potato or onion in the neck hole (keeps alot of the moist steam from escaping, keeping the bird juicier)while the bird is cooking. Also for those that do not care for the idea of using beer or that don’t like the taste of beer, try using orange soda instead. Another suggestion is to marinate the chicken in Italian salad dressing the day before for a tasty beer butt chicken.
Thanks everyone for reading my ideas and happy cooking and keep the different suggestions coming because I plan to try as many as possible.
August 3rd, 2009 at 3:11 pm
I’m cooking this recipe right now because I couldn’t find the sanitized grocery store version of a beer can to hold up the chicken. I was looking for the correct temperature, which I found here with some other interesting comments. To the guy who is worried about the ink from the beer can killing him, take a risk once in a while. It’s exciting! –Jack Morris, Salina, Kansas
August 4th, 2009 at 9:30 am
We just made this during the weekend and it was WONDERFUL!
September 13th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
One thing that makes it better is that after you add the rub and the oil, lay four strips of bacon over the chicken at the top (that way you don’t even have to “pin” it there to allow the moisture to stay in). The bacon gives it a smokey, flavorful taste, even when cooked in the oven. Can’t be beat!
September 14th, 2009 at 8:17 am
@Jennifer Well I’ll be darned! I love bacon but havn’t tried it with beer can chicken. Seen folks use bacon on Thanksgiving turkey, why not on the chicken. Great idea Jennifer, thanks for the input. Think I will give this a go this week!
September 21st, 2009 at 5:08 pm
I take the simple and make it complicated. I’m new to cooking. But, I’m wondering if you could use as your base an oven proof stainless steel skillet. Then, the residue after cooking that falls in the skillet could offer “fond” to make a sauce, less some of the fat. Another thing, adding paprika along with other seasonings could give “color” to the chicken. The sauce is open ended. White wine, broth, cream, etc.
Wait a minute, there is no “fond”. Since the chicken never touches the skillet. But, the juice/fat does. Crap. This cooking stuff is complicated. I’m going to get a hamburger.
September 28th, 2009 at 6:11 am
I sell jam and jelly at local farm markets and one of my customers returned last week to buy a supply of red pepper mango jelly to baste beer can chicken. His friends said that was the best way they had tasted so far. I had seen this done on TV but had not tried it. I bought the holder and the chicken and trying it tonight.
October 1st, 2009 at 7:43 pm
i have made hundreds of beer can chickens .i put damn near every spice in the pantry in them .some good flavors to try is a little pineapple juice and a couple of chicken cubes in the beer .for those of you that dont like beer try sprite or doctor pepper instead.YUMMY
October 2nd, 2009 at 8:34 am
@chris red pepper mango jelly basted on a roasting chicken?! OMG that sounds so good…… Problem is that it’s 8AM and I am in the office. This is a problem. Do you have a website where I can buy your jam/jelly?
October 2nd, 2009 at 8:51 am
I made my chicken it was so good I used Bud Light Lime. I have to admit I was out of the red pepper mango jelly so I just used salt and pepper and jalapeno jelly. I had to run out and my hubby burnt the skin. But the meat was so tender and delicious. I have a website, . I can only list a few items at a time to sell but you can pay through the site and I will ship any flavor.
November 5th, 2009 at 11:49 am
OMG! I’m riffing on your recipe for a wine club contest and the initial chicken was succulent, inventive and dead easy! Will credit you for base and send you final result! Thanks for great head start!
November 16th, 2009 at 6:21 pm
trying out beer butt chicken for the first time tonite. its snowing outside so were doing it in the oven. we rubbed the bird down with oil and seasoned with sea salt, corse ground black pepper, and garlic. we plugged the neck hole with a sweet onion and used Coors beer. i drink bottled beer usually so we just used an empty pop can and filled it halfway with Coors. were calling it Coors cornhole chickn. we’ll let ya know how it turn out. oh and to those out there who dont drink beer and don’t want to use beer because they don’t want to consume alchohol… the alchohol cooks off and all yer left with is that delicious beer flavor. so live a little
December 6th, 2009 at 10:43 am
I use ginger ale or 7 up in place of beer. Works great.
December 7th, 2009 at 10:59 am
Is it possible to use this method to bake a turkey? Has anyone tried?
December 25th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
@Chris – Can of Foster’s should be big enough for a turkey :)
February 10th, 2010 at 11:10 am
Sorry, not a sports fan. Single Mom.
I searched the internet for a simple recipe because I got the beer can holder as a gift () and wanted to us it to cook the chicken in the oven instead of the barbeque – during this latest blizzard.
I changed the recipe because we were (OH NO!) out of beer (and it was a blizzard)…so I cleaned out a beer can and half-filled it with a inexpensive Chardonnay white wine. I had some left-over oven-roasted garlic that I mashed together with fresh rosemary, thyme, sage, fresh-ground pepper and sea salt. Then I added extra-virgin olive oil to the pasty herb mixture and rubbed it inside and out of the chicken. (I put a sprig of rosemary, thyme and sage into the chardonnay in the can as well.)
Put the jar on the stand and the chicken butt over the whole thing and for the rest…followed your oven cooking instructions….6.5lb Roasting chicken took just under 2 hours. It had a built-in popup timer – but they tend to pop-up late and you end up with a dry chicken. Even though it might be difficult to get a really dry chicken cooking this way, your advice to check with the instant thermometer was THE BEST…
The result was cool AND elegant!
April 19th, 2010 at 7:18 am
I’ve been cooking chicken this way for over 25 years. I cook this on the grill while I’m out trailriding on my horse or when I’m out fishing for a bit. This is how we cowgirls do it!
April 29th, 2010 at 12:55 pm
A quick and easy rub for pork, chicken and beef is:
Half garlic salt and half chili seasoning. Sprinkle all over and let set for at least an hour. If you can let set for several hours or overnight, even better. Very simple.
May 12th, 2010 at 8:18 am
this is pukka on the bbq (must have a lid on the bbq tho) or a mettal bucket will do smokes it beutifull
May 15th, 2010 at 5:58 pm
Absolutely love the recipe and am trying it with a few cloves of garlic in the beer this time. Looking forward to a tasy dinner.
June 4th, 2010 at 8:54 pm
The first time I made beer butt chicken was on an open wood campfire using a cast iron skillet and tinfoil to improvise an oven. With no good way of monitoring temperature it took quite a while to cook, and due to grease rendering it may have caught on fire a few times, but my friend and I had to stop ourselves from eating the whole bird by ourselves before our boyfriends got back! This is the best way to prepare chicken!
June 27th, 2010 at 7:37 am
Try this: Marinate the chicken in Italian dressing for a couple of hours then coat the chicken inside and out with Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning prior to putting it on the beer can. Very easy and tastes great!
July 9th, 2010 at 6:04 pm
i’ve made this for years. i usually rub the chicken w/ olive oil on the outside; black pepper and tony cacherie’s (louisiana seasoning) inside and out. i then drink half the beer, add minced garlic, hot sauce of choice (think a bit more heat and vinegar) and a stem of rosemary. i tent the chicken for the first .5 hours, then remove. cook until the temp is 180 and the skin is golden. i’ve NEVER had one complaint and i’m ALWAYS left with just carcasses… bon apetit.
July 14th, 2010 at 7:36 pm
Cooking a beer can chicken over an open fire is another great and easy option for preparing this tasty recipe. Many people who camp don’t have larger grills that are needed to cook the beer can chickens. Others just prefer the taste of cooking over an open fire to cooking on a gas grill. Once you get the camp fire started, add charcoal and let the coals get hot. Next, place the chicken on a grate over the fire. The chickens will cook faster and brown very nicely if you cover them. We have experimented with various ways of covering the chickens and we have created a cover that works really well. It is reusable and easy to clean and store.
July 25th, 2010 at 11:16 am
To those concerned with beer can problems. There are no paint/lacquer issues with beer cans. They don’t use it and you are worse off with a steel/tin can.
August 13th, 2010 at 12:22 pm
I am trying this tonight.. but instead of beer, I’m trying Coca cola. Will let all know how it turns out tonight!
September 1st, 2010 at 5:43 pm
I have made this about 8 times now, each time I have used soda (variety of kinds) instead of beer and it has come out fantastic each and every time. Also I pick up packets of marinade mix from the grocery store and use the dry powders directly from the packet as a seasoning rub on the chicken. Best one I found so far was the Peppercorn marinade packet!
September 26th, 2010 at 3:55 am
I’ve been making these for years. I use any beer and put sprigs of rosemary and thyme in the beer can hole. the flavor is unbelievable. I’ve also put orange pieces in the cavity and used a Caribbean rub that was citrus themed. awesome recipe and the chicken look hilarious standing around waiting to cook.
September 27th, 2010 at 11:46 am
Fay Says:
April 19th, 2010 at 7:18 am
I’ve been cooking chicken this way for over 25 years. I cook this on the grill while I’m out trailriding on my horse or when I’m out fishing for a bit. This is how we cowgirls do it!
Ever need a hand?
November 14th, 2010 at 11:18 am
Before I oil and season my bird I use my fingers to loosen the skin over the breast and rub some season directly onto breast meat. For those of you who remove your skin its a little extra treat :o). Then I thinly slice a lemon (oranges work well also) and slip it up under the skin as well. I substitute Vegetable broth for the beer and to the can of broth I add seasonings, onion and lemon wedges. With an hour of cook time left I add a mixture of chunky cut veggies to roast around the base of the bird(s). Bake or grill bird for 20 per pound. SET OUT A TIP JAR THAT SAYS: TIP THE COOK….LOL!!
March 10th, 2011 at 3:06 pm
I didn’t get to read all of the posts, so this might be redundant! ::shrug:: I’ve used Big Red, Root Beer, Ginger Beer, Wine, many beers and ales, coffee, espresso, a multitude of juices & nectars and on and on. Never found a potable liquid that didn’t like cooking a chicken… just try to find rub ingredients that will complement the beverage, like salt smoked over wine barrel staves, basil, rosemary, and garlic for wine in the can chicken, or sweet paprika, brown sugar, red pepper flakes & applewood smoked salt for espresso chicken. We cook it in the oven, the Weber, the Weber Mountain Smoker, and my full-sized smokers, depending on the weather and number of diners. Beer can Chicken’s been around a long time, but I think it was Steven Raichlen who introduced it to the masses in 2002 with his ever popular skinny lil beer can chicken cookbook.
::sigh:: Last time I tried to get someone to tip the cook, they flipped over the outhouse!!!!
March 20th, 2011 at 10:11 am
I mix the seasonings into softened butter (last time I used the classic rosemary & lemon zest) and thickly coat sliced mushrooms with it. I slide the mushrooms between the skin & breast meat or, if I am feeling particularly industrious, the whole bird. The mushrooms are substantial enough to not slip during a vertical roasting and they are a great herb & moisture delivery system to the meat. It is also a nice little bonus to have a layer of mushroom between the tender meat & crisp skin.
May 10th, 2011 at 12:02 pm
Try this rub – Yellow Mustard, Brown Sugar and Pepsi. Make sorta thick and rub all over chicken prior to baking. This will result in a sweet/tangy coating that is to die for. My mom uses the same on Ham at Thanksgiving. AWESOME.
May 21st, 2011 at 8:06 pm
Goodness… was looking for new ideas for seasoning for Beer butt chicken. (I smoke it with hickory chunks on a gas grill).
Got some great ideas and the chicken is about 30 minutes away from coming off the grill.
I must say I really enjoyed the comments here! MB is a riot as is many others :P
May 21st, 2011 at 8:39 pm
MB is really a funny guy, we all love him.
May 21st, 2011 at 8:41 pm
MB is really a funny guy, we all love him. Hope you found what you are looking for, at the minimum glad that we are able to provide comic relief this post Rapture day. Enjoy!
May 22nd, 2011 at 6:57 am
Oh yes. I found what I was looking for, Yumi! The chicken was a absolute smash. I had just gotten a new mortar and pestle yesterday and put it to use on grinding the coriander seeds.
Thanks to all and may your post-Rapture beer butt chicken always be YUM!
May 26th, 2011 at 5:21 pm
For those of you who are non drinkers fear not, the alcohol is the first thing to boil off so using a non-alcoholic beer is moot, it’s the malt flavoring that accentuates the chicken. I rub with EVOO, mix several seasonings including garlic salt, Adobo with a touch of Webers Smoky mesquite and sea salt.
let’s face it, this is a damn hard recipe to mess up!
June 27th, 2011 at 9:06 am
I have the ceramic beer butt oven bowl. The last time I used it, the chicken took over two hours and never got a crispy crust like your picture. What did I do wrong? Was it the rub? I cooked it at 350 degrees. Should I try 375? I am trying it again tonight. Really want that great crusty skin this time! Thanks for your help.
June 27th, 2011 at 11:44 am
Peg, have you tested your oven for accuracy? Put an oven thermometer at the center of the oven and set the oven to 350 degrees F. After 20 minutes, check the temperature indicated on the thermometer. If it’s not within 5 degrees, you should adjust the dial on your oven control.
June 27th, 2011 at 12:17 pm
thanks for the quick response, I will try that right now!
June 27th, 2011 at 12:39 pm
You are welcome Peg! Let us know if that does not work, we can figure something out.
July 12th, 2011 at 11:49 am
I like cooking mine with a can of Squirt. Recently, a friend of mine introduced me to a Mexican seasoning called Chef Merito-Pollo, which I will try this time.
The first time I wanted to try the whole beer butt chicken thingy, I had my hubby pick up a chicken on his way home & sure enough he brought me a small turkey… now we joke about making beer butt turkey, but I still had fun & it still tasted great…
I loved reading all the comments even though some are 3-4 years old. I highly reccomend the stand, very inexpensive.
August 21st, 2011 at 12:59 pm
how come mine was dry?
August 21st, 2011 at 1:39 pm
Hey Chuck, how long did you cook in the oven/grill and what temperature?
September 3rd, 2011 at 12:03 pm
Thank you for giving an oven option versus grilling. I soak my chicken in Coke (or any cola) overnight and turn it over in the morning before cooking that night for dinner. I pat the chicken dry and prepare as you suggest sans oil. So tender and good!
September 3rd, 2011 at 12:48 pm
that sounds great, perhaps we will try the cola soak this weekend, thanks for sharing your tip Sarah. Have a great labor day weekend!
November 25th, 2011 at 5:35 pm
Today is Black Friday: Went to the store. Buy one chicken and get the 2nd for free not bad for today. I can’t wait to eat dinner with my family….party in the house/….
January 3rd, 2012 at 1:09 pm
This has to be one of my favorite posts! And on top of thats its also very useful topic for newbies. cheers a lot for the info!
January 3rd, 2012 at 1:22 pm
Thanks for this awesomely fun, easy and successful recipe. According to my South African barbecue expert husband it was the best home-made chicken he has ever had. As an addition, I laid potatoes, carrots and onions on the same pan around the sitting bird and they, too were delicious. 1 hour in the oven at 180 degrees (celsius) and everything was done.