How to make a beer can chicken

After nearly 6000 entries on this site, this is the first recipe I’ve ever posted. I learned how to make this from James. I subsequently showed it to Theo, and she kindly typed up the complete recipe.

“There-in Lies the” Rub

Ingredients

• Salt
• Mexican Herb mix (paprika, cumin, coriander)
• Bouquet (two springs fresh rosemary, four sprigs thyme, six sage leaves)
• Brown Sugar

Instructions

1. Each ingredient makes up a quarter of the whole mix.
2. Add one quarter salt (or a little less if you don’t like your beer can chicken too salty.)
3. Add one quarter mexican herbs.
4. Add one quarter bouquet herbs.
5. Add one quarter brown sugar.
6. Take a picture, post to Instagram, and then mix together.

The Stuffing

Ingredients

• “There-in Lies the” Rub
• Half-loaf of day-old bread
• 1 white onion
• 2 apples
• 2 big sticks of celery
• Olive oil

Instructions

1. Acquire a big bowl to place all the ingredients in.
2. Cut bread into cubes.
3. Cut onion into cubes or chunks.
4. Dice apple into cubes.
5. Cut celery into big pieces.
6. Add a generate amount of olive oil and mix together in your bowl.
7. Add five heaping table spoons of the “There in lies the rub” Rub (or whatever is left over from your Beer Can Chicken coating. More below.)
8. Let sit until it’s ready to go into the oven.

DB’s BC Chicken Glove

Ingredients

• One five pound chicken
• One tall boy beer
• Olive oil (you’ll need lots so don’t worry if it’s cheap)
• “There in lies the rub” Rub

Instructions

1. Set the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Empty and rinse chicken (remove any of the guts).
3. Take your tall boy beer, open, remove the tab, pour one-quarter out into a glass and enjoy.
4. Punch some holes around the side, high up, maybe six. This is necessary if the top gets blocked and you want to avoid a beer can chicken bomb.
5. Take a cookie sheet or oven pan and cover in aluminum foil.
6. One person holds the chicken by placing their hand in the orifice — just like a chicken glove.
7. Generously pour olive oil over the chicken, on both sides, while the other wears the “chicken glove” and rubs it into the chicken.
8. Start spooning on the rub all over.
9. Let the olive oil and spices catch and drip over the pan. It will only add to the stuffing flavour later on.
10. Place the tall boy in place of the glass. Mount chicken over top. If you’re lucky, the chicken’s legs will touch the surface of the pan to form a solid tripod base.
11. Carefully carry the pan over to the oven–the bird may be tipsy–and put it inside.
12. Add stuffing to the bottom of pan and around chicken at one hour mark (you want the stuffing to cook for about 45 minutes).
13. Cook 5 pound chicken for 1.75 hours or until done. Cooking time may vary depending on the size of your chicken.
14. Once ready, pull out of the oven and pierce the skin between the thigh and breast with a knife. If the juice that runs out is clear, it’s ready to eat. If it’s pink, more cooking still needs to be done.
15. Take a length of aluminum foil and wrap around the standing chicken to keep the heat and moisture in for 15 minutes while it sits.
16. When ready, pull the chicken off the beer can–this part is trickier than it sounds–and carve.

This meals goes nicely with beer, wine, and a beet and goat cheese salad. Appetizers should include French cheese, sausage, and artichokes dipped in mayonnaise.