Beer Can Chicken on the Grill Grate
A whole bird cooked upright over a half-full can. Car camping only, and worth the cooler space.
- calories
- 250
- weight
- 8 oz
- cal / oz
- 31
- protein
- 30 g
- serves
- 6, scales
- prep
- 10 min
- cook
- 60 min
- total time
- 70 min
- water
- none
- cost
- $$
Calorie and protein figures are my own estimates, good enough for planning a food bag and not meant as precise nutrition data.
- Dinner
- Grill grate
- Campfire coals
- Car camping
- Basecamp
- Gluten free
- Dairy free
- Nut free
- Real dishes
- Grab and go
- Needs a cooler
- Actual cooking
Ingredients
| Whole chicken | 1, about 4 lb | season it at home and keep it cold |
|---|---|---|
| Canned beer | 1 can, half drunk | any lager; soda works the same way |
| Chicken seasoning blend | 2 tbsp | a Montreal-style steak or chicken rub |
| Small cast iron skillet | 1 | 5 to 8 inches, to catch drips and keep the bird upright |
Method
- Get the grill or a bed of coals up to a steady medium-high, around 375F. If you are on a fire, bank the coals to the sides so nothing sits directly under the bird.
- Rub the seasoning over the whole chicken, skin and cavity.
- Open the beer, drink or pour off half, and set the open can in the skillet. Lower the chicken onto the can so it stands on its own legs.
- Set the skillet on the grate, close the lid or tent with foil, and leave it alone for 50 to 60 minutes.
- Check the thickest part of the thigh. 165F and you are done. Under that, give it another ten minutes.
- Pull the skillet off with gloves. The can is full of near-boiling beer and will scald you if the bird tips.
- Rest ten minutes, then lift the bird off the can and carve.
The can is a stand, not a flavor delivery system. Standing the bird upright puts the thighs closest to the heat and lets the breast finish last, which is the right order for a chicken. The beer steams slowly and keeps the cavity humid, but most of what you taste is the rub and the fire.
This one does not travel past the trailhead. A whole raw chicken needs a cooler, and the whole method needs a lid or a foil tent to hold heat around a tall bird. Freeze it solid before you leave and it does double duty as ice. The skillet underneath matters more than it sounds: it catches the fat, and it stops a top-heavy chicken from going over into the coals.
Packing
Rub the chicken at home, bag it, and freeze it solid. It thaws over the first day in the cooler and acts as an ice block while it does. Skillet and gloves live in the kitchen tote.
Variations
- Swap the beer for cola or ginger ale. The liquid is mostly steam and a little sugar in the drippings.
- A chipotle rub instead of the chicken blend gets you smoke without a smoker.
- No skillet? Any oven-safe pan or a doubled sheet of heavy foil in a pie tin keeps the can from tipping.
https://campfirefoodie.com/the-best-beer-can-chicken-recipe