Beer-Can Chicken with Cola Barbecue Sauce

Name: Beer-Can Chicken with Cola Barbecue Sauce
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 3 ounces chicken and about 2 tablespoons sauce)
Ingredients: Chicken:; 1 (12-ounce) can beer; 1 cup hickory wood chips; 2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt; 2 teaspoons brown sugar; 2 teaspoons sweet paprika; 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper; 1 (4-pound) whole chicken; Cooking spray; Sauce:; ½ cup cola; ½ cup ketchup; 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce; ½ teaspoon instant onion flakes; ½ teaspoon instant minced garlic; 1 ½ teaspoons steak sauce (such as A-1); ½ teaspoon liquid smoke; ¼ teaspoon black pepper

16 Ratings
12 Reviews

"I like any recipe that starts with 'open a can of beer and drink half,'" says recipe developer and chef Steven Raichlen. American ingenuity has produced a variety of beer-can roasters that hold the can in place and stabilize the tipsy chicken. Aluminum cans bend easily under the pressure, so when piercing holes, it's a good idea to use a can-holding gadget.

By Steven Raichlen

Recipe by Cooking Light August 2003

Gallery

Credit: Photography: Randy Mayor; Styling: Lydia DeGaris-Pursell

Recipe Summary

Yield:

6 servings (serving size: 3 ounces chicken and about 2 tablespoons sauce)

Nutrition Info

Directions

Step 1
Open beer can; drink half. Carefully pierce top of beer can with "church-key" can opener several times; set aside. To prepare chicken, soak wood chips in water 1 hour. Combine salt, sugar, paprika, and pepper; set aside.

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Step 2
To prepare grill for indirect grilling, place a disposable aluminum foil pan in center of grill. Arrange charcoal around foil pan; heat to medium heat.
Step 3
Remove and discard giblets and neck from chicken. Rinse chicken with cold water; pat dry. Trim excess fat. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat.
Step 4
Rub 2 teaspoons spice mixture under loosened skin. Rub 2 teaspoons spice mixture in body cavity. Rub 2 teaspoons spice mixture over skin. Slowly add remaining spice mixture to beer can (salt will make beer foam). Holding chicken upright with the body cavity facing down, insert beer can into cavity.
Step 5
Drain wood chips. Place half of wood chips on hot coals. Coat grill rack with cooking spray. Place chicken on grill rack over drip pan. Spread legs out to form a tripod to support the chicken. Cover and grill 2 hours or until a meat thermometer inserted into meaty portion of thigh registers 180°. Add remaining wood chips after 1 hour and charcoal as needed.
Step 6
Lift chicken slightly using tongs; place spatula under can. Carefully lift chicken and can; place on a cutting board. Let stand 5 minutes. Gently lift chicken using tongs or insulated rubber gloves; carefully twist can and remove from cavity. Discard skin and can.
Step 7
To prepare sauce, combine cola and remaining ingredients in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 6 minutes. Cool. Serve with chicken.

Source

Recipes adapted from Steven Raichlen's books How to Grill (Workman, 2001) and BBQ USA (Workman, 2003)

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:

215 calories; calories from fat 20%; fat 4.7g; saturated fat 1.1g; mono fat 1.4g; poly fat 1.3g; protein 31.8g; carbohydrates 10g; fiber 0.5g; cholesterol 100mg; iron 2.2mg; sodium 741mg; calcium 29mg.

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mbubel

05/19/2014

Chicken turned out great. Moist and flavorful. I did this on a gas grill with mesquite wood in the smoker. I had some trouble keeping the temperature right, I was shooting for 325, and probably came up a little shy 'cause after 2 hours the meat was only at 165. I pulled it off anyway and the breast were perfect, while their was some red in the middle. Also, not much of my beer was gone, so I didn't get a lot of steam going. I copped out on the sauce and used bottled BBQ. Next time I will go for 325 and err on the high side.

steponme

06/18/2013

I've made this (chicken only) a few times over the past few years and I have to say this a a fail proof barbecue chicken recipe; moist and flavorful every time. The chicken is so good on it's own, I've never felt inclined to try the sauce...maybe one day;)

Tammy531

01/02/2012

At what temperature do you use to roast this in the oven and for how long?

TappyAmsterdam

06/15/2011

This was by far, the BEST roasted chicken I have ever made. Easy and delicious. My husband couldn't stop raving about it. Fabulous. Will definitely make again, and we liked the sauce too.

NutsinNormal

09/15/2009

My husband and I both loved this chicken. He felt the flavor was so good that the sauce was unnecessary. I liked the extra flavor in the sauce and appreciated that it wasn't overpowering. We used a charcoal grill and found the 4-lb chicken to be done after about 1 1/2 hours. The skin was fairly blackened, but the meat underneath was absolutely succulent! I served it with orzo and roasted corn salad (also from CL) and old-fashoined cole-salw.

khorton

09/05/2009

This was absolutely fantastic. The chicken was tasty, juicy, perfect. The seasoningis fantastic. And i LOVED the bbq sauce. Again, I loved it!

daricelynn

08/25/2009

I often make beer can chicken and it is tasty and moist. I usually add some fresh herbs in the seasoning and also place some garlic cloves, rosemary and maybe some oregano in the beer can.

sailorbob

08/24/2009

This is a great recipe, even in the oven. I have tried other variations, including fresh garlic and shallots in the beer and spicing the chicken for roasting instead of BBQ. That comes out fall-off the-bone tender and moist.

ADinSB

07/27/2009

I've been doing Beer-can chicken for years. THIS is the best - perfectly seasoned, & the sauce is wonderful. I double the sauce and reduce it by 2/3.

dburge

07/15/2009

I love making Beer-Can Chicken because it is simple to prepare and taste like you slaved in the kitchen. The BBQ sauce is not essential as the chicken is great without the sauce. The technique of loosening the chicken skin from the breast to season was new to me, but was a great idea. (I don't eat chicken skin and this allowed the seasoning placed where it counts.) Served with a crisp salad and cob corn.

pamsy10

05/12/2009

This is over the top deliciious. We also bake this in the oven and the chicken is tender and moist every time. We don't care for the BBQ sauce and frankly this chicken is wonderful with nothing on it at all.

twinsucf

11/23/2008

Loved the recipe!! And no, the chicken doesn't necessarily need the cola barbecue sauce but the sauce is fantastic! I will make the sauce again for other things! Yummy!

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Beer-Can Chicken with Cola Barbecue Sauce

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Recipe Summary

Ingredients

Directions

Source

Nutrition Facts

Reviews (12)

All Reviews for Beer-Can Chicken with Cola Barbecue Sauce

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Beer-Can Chicken with Cola Barbecue Sauce

Gallery

Recipe Summary

Ingredients

Directions

Source

Nutrition Facts

Reviews (12)

All Reviews for Beer-Can Chicken with Cola Barbecue Sauce