Smoked Beer Can Chicken

Perfectly seasoned Smoked Beer Can Chicken is set to give your taste buds an experience of a lifetime. This super easy whole chicken recipe serves as a great party centerpiece even if it’s not the holidays. Just a slice of this amazing dish packs a great deal of flavor that goes well with many side dishes.

Contents… Beer Can Chicken How to Buy Chicken in the Grocery? The Best Beer for Beer Can Chicken What smoker to use? My Choice: Pellet Smoker How to use a Pellet Smoker? Charcoal Grill How to Use your Charcoal Grill as a Smoker? Electric Smoker How to use an Electric Smoker Recipe Ingredients Seasonings to use How Long to Smoke Beer Can Chicken? Tips and Tricks Serving Suggestions More Chicken Recipes How to Smoke Beer Can Chicken?

I love going to community potlucks because we get to interact with different people within our community. And knowing me, I always bring out one show-stopping dish that everybody loves.

One such dish is this beautifully colored Smoked Beer Can Chicken. I’m telling you, it’s an amazingly simple recipe that’s worth the wait. The flavor isn’t just skin deep, it penetrates down to the bone!

Today, I’ll show you exactly how to make this dish so you can make heads turn on your next potluck.

Beer Can Chicken

Have you ever seen a cooked chicken standing on its own? This magical dish wouldn’t leave anything to the imagination.

The beer for this recipe is partially full so that the steam from the beer cooks the chicken from within.

Before you ask, yes! It helps add moisture to the chicken. It’s a controversial dish that’s been subject to different debates regarding beer’s effectiveness in barbecuing and smoking.

One thing’s for sure tho, it’s a delicious meal that you want to try! No debate there.

How to Buy Chicken in the Grocery?

1. Color. Check the color of the flesh. If it’s pink and has a lively color, it’s most probably fresh. I try to avoid grayish or dull-colored chicken because it’s a sign that it’s probably days old.
2. Firmness. Fresh meats in general are plump and springy. Give it a little press using one finger, it should immediately go back to its original shape; if not, skip those.
3. Smell. I’d avoid chicken legs with bad odors because it’s a clear sign of decomposition.
4. Texture. A slimy film is a sign of further decomposition; I’ll avoid that at all cost!
5. Blood. Contrary to what you probably think, blood marks aren’t signs of freshness. It’s a sign of multiple freezing and thawing. Blood also spreads bacteria easily!

The Best Beer for Beer Can Chicken

Lager is one of the most popular choices for this dish but you can also play around with other beers. Since there are a variety of beers out there, I’ve listed down my top beer picks below.

1. Stout. Although it’s generally bitter, there are brands that are sweet or that have a hint of oatmeal. I’d go for sweeter stouts than the more popular bitter brands.
2. Wheat or Fruit-Flavored. Personally, I go for fruity beers that complement the woodchips I use for my smoking.
3. Sour. This type of beer can be a bit complex, especially with the citrusy taste. I only go for this when I have a neutral-tasting side dish to pair it with.
4. German. German beer is undoubtedly rich in flavor. They also make a variety of smoked beer. It’s pretty hard to find but totally worth all the trouble. It’s almost the most perfect beer for smoking because it gives your bird the smoky flavor through and through.

What smoker to use?

I’ve tried a lot of smokers, big and small, and I personally think it all depends on your preference. Personally, I think that there’s no one specific way to perfectly smoke beer can chicken.

I prefer mixing and matching different smoking methods and flavors to get the best taste.

So here are some of my preferred techniques for this recipe:

My Choice: Pellet Smoker

Pros

• Easily Tenderize – The long smoking period is totally worth the wait because of the tender softness of the meat. You’ll activate the flavors of the chicken and the beer.
• Flavored Wood Chips – Feel free to mix and match different woodchip flavors using this smoker.
• Indirect Heat – This uses indirect heat which means that the heat source is distant from the meat.

Con

• One unit of a smoker can be too bulky – I really wish it didn’t take up a lot of space.

How to use a Pellet Smoker?

• Placing the Meat – You will simply place the meats in a rack indirect to the heat source. This will make sure that your meat will cook evenly without one side burning.
• Installing the water pan -Add a pan with half a cup of water to the smoking chamber to prevent it from drying out. This method also infuses the flavor of the wood chips in the chicken. (Personally, I think Hickory flavored wood is great for beer can chicken but feel free to mix and match.)
• Catching the heat – Close the lid and start cooking!

Verdict: By far, this is the easiest way to smoke. It automatically feeds the heater with pellets and fans the heat around the chamber. No need for the dirty work, just check the meat from time to time!👍

I, myself, use a Traeger Pellet Smoker for my smoked beer can chicken because it’s so versatile. I often get my woodchips from Traeger but Kingsford’s woodchips are also a great alternative.

Charcoal Grill

Pros

• Compact Unit – I can fit it right in my shed.
• No Electricity – Go green with this smoker because you don’t need electricity for this method. You can enjoy your Smoked Chicken even when you’re in the great outdoors.
• Low Cost – It’s really budget-friendly in terms of maintenance. and it’s waaay easier to clean!

Con

• Direct heat – although technically it’s indirect. the heat source is in the same chamber as the meat. this can lead to roasting rather than smoking which burns one side of the chicken.

A simple compact charcoal grill can also be used for smoking.  This is the perfect smoker for you if you don’t have much space in your backyard.

I wouldn’t wear white when using this if I were you. Aside from the hot coals, you’re going to cook poultry, so it’s also super easy to stain your shirt with soot.

This smoking method uses charcoal which cooks the meat with low but direct heat. Flavored wood can also be used for this method to infuse a smoky aroma to the center.!

Barbecuing vs Smoking: The difference between barbecuing and smoking is that smoking uses slow and indirect heat so that all sides cook perfectly.

How to Use your Charcoal Grill as a Smoker?

• Heat the charcoals – Place the hot charcoals on one extreme side of the grill.
• Catch those dripping juices – Add a tin catch just below the grill so you can catch any juices that drip off.
• Picture Perfect Placement – Place the chicken on the other side of the grill farthest from the coals and the water pan beside it. It’s easier if you have a bigger grill.
• Trap the heat – You want all that heat to cook your meat.

Verdict: I like using this method though because it’s the most convenient. I don’t need a bulky unit in my backyard. 👍 All I have to do is take my favorite wood flavor and use it along with charcoal.

Electric Smoker

Pros

• No direct heat – We won’t be using an open fire for this smoker. It’s woodchips and some heating rods.
• Its own thermometer – It has a built-in thermometer to tell the temperature inside the smoker.

Cons

• Longer smoking time – It cooks longer and slower because of the low maximum temperature.
• Electric consumption – I think you should expect a higher electric bill when using this smoker. Power outages get super annoying especially when you’re in the middle of smoking
• Tastes different – Without the authentic smoke from a burning woodchip, you’ll sense a light difference in the taste. Also, if you don’t preheat the smoker. you’d probably taste a bit of plastic from the manufacturing in your dish.

Electric smokers use wood chips to produce smoke via heating rods to produce the smoke. It also uses convection to heat food which gives the food a different flavor due to the lack of fire.

The parts are generally similar to a bullet smoker with the wood tray substituting the fire chamber.

How to use an Electric Smoker

• Preheat the smoker: Pre-smoke the unit with the woodchips of your choice.
• Attach the water pan: Once it reaches the desired temperature, place the water pan inside the lowest space inside the unit.
• Perfect Placement: Place the chicken in the racks and close the lid or door to start cooking it.

NOTE: If you’re a first-time user of this type of smoker, I suggest seasoning your grill with cooking oil. This prevents any residue from the manufacturing to stick to your food.

Verdict: Electric grills tend to cook at a lower temperature which means they would cook longer.

Recipe Ingredients

The recipe itself is super simple that the name gives away any surprises. However, we can still make this dish exciting with a mix of simple herbs and spices. Here’s a full list of everything you’ll need for this beer can chicken recipe.

• Whole Chicken – Go for bone-in and skin-on. You want it as a whole as possible. Of course, feathers off.
• Bouillon Powder – A concentrate of flavor you can find in most supermarkets. Get your preferred flavor for a richer and more flavorful broth.
• Minced Garlic – Cutting garlic into smaller pieces you can really get the flavor and aroma to soak into the meat. Find this in a jar or mince it yourself by cutting it into tiny pieces using How To Mince Garlic guide.
• Onion Powder – This dried seasoning distributes the rich onion flavor evenly throughout the meat. Using it in a brine gives the fish a sweet and aromatic internal flavor.
• Thyme – Using fresh herbs for this recipe is great but dried ones also work fine. I’m actually using dried thyme for this recipe because it has a longer shelf life. (You can replace this with oregano or basil.) Learn more about Thyme.
• Paprika – Has a pungent taste because of its pepper origins, also with a hint of sweetness from bell peppers.
• White Pepper – A milder spice that has a less complex flavor than its counterpart. It still gives you a kick of heat, I’ll give you that.
• Salt to taste

Seasonings to use

You’re gonna want to give your chicken a bit of razzle-dazzle and a soulful mix of flavor does the trick. Aside from the ingredients above, there are a variety of spices you can use to flavor your poultry all around. Here are some of my favorite homemade mixes: 

• Creole Seasoning – This is my all-time favorite. it makes any food vibrant with a flavorful mix of spice and herbs.
• Homemade Poultry Seasoning – It’s almost natural that this homemade seasoning perfectly pairs with this dish. The herbs harmoniously go well with the natural taste of the chicken and the flavor of the beer.
• Blackened Seasoning – Turn your dish into a soul food wonder with this amazing mix. Use it as a rub to flavor the chicken all around.
• Italian Seasoning – This mix is mainly dried herbs which is perfect for chicken. Enjoy the glorious mix of the beer and herbs infused in every chunk of chicken meat in this dish.

How Long to Smoke Beer Can Chicken?

Like with all my other smoked dishes I normally check the internal temperature rather than the cooking time. For poultry or this dish, in particular, my target temperature is 165 F.

You can keep it in the smoker for an additional 15 – 30 minutes for a more tender output. Remember to let your chicken rest for about 15 minutes before you start cutting.

Tips and Tricks

1. Season Everywhere: When you season the chicken, make sure to cover every inch of it, and I mean every inch. Season the insides of the chicken and make sure to coat it all.
2. Use a pan: You never know what can happen inside the smoker. So in case things get a little out of hand and the chicken falls over, you have something to catch it.
3. Drink some of the beer: You don’t necessarily need to drink the beer; you just have to take away about half of the beer. We only need about half of it.

Serving Suggestions

• Of course, Giblet Gravy goes well with the juicy meats of this recipe. 
• Make this homemade BBQ Sauce that you can serve as a dip or as a baste. 
• Give your plate a side of Rosemary Roasted Potatoes for an easy flavorful dinner!
• A popular dip that absolutely works for me is this Blue Cheese Dressing. This is super convenient because it balances out any overpowering spice.

Loved this recipe? You’ll Also Fall for These Chicken Recipes.

• Chicken Francese
• Tuscan Chicken
• Peri Peri Marinated Chicken Skewers
• Chicken Lettuce Wraps

How to Smoke Beer Can Chicken?

Prepare the Chicken

• Prepare the chicken: Remove neck and giblets from chicken and discard. Rinse chicken with water, inside and out, then pat dry with paper towels.
• Pre-season the bird: Rub inside and out of the chicken with salt. Set aside. (See photo 3)
• Mix the flavors: In a small bowl, combine spices. Generously rub the chicken with the spice combination, then refrigerate until ready to cook. (See photos 1-2)
• Prepare the beer: Open the beer can and empty half of it. Don’t go overboard – make sure you leave enough to cook the chicken. If desired, place a sprig of thyme into the beer can.

Smoking the Chicken

• Assembly: Place beer can on a solid surface. Then gently place the whole chicken over the beer can, with the chicken in the upright position.
• Placement: Transfer chicken together with the beer can into the smoker, then use the chicken legs to support its body, so it acts like a tripod, preventing the chicken from falling over.
• Close and cook: Smoke chicken over medium-high heat; covered until cooked through and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of thigh registers 165°F in the breast and 180 °F in the thigh.
• Remove and Rest: Carefully lift the chicken off the can, have one person remove the chicken while the other holds the beer. You will have to use paper towels as a kitchen cloth. Place chicken on a platter or carving board. Let it sit for another 10 minutes before carving. Discard beer.