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Ingredients
- 1Â 1/2 c. mesquite wood chips
- 1 whl chicken 4 to 5 lbs
- 3Â 1/2 Tbsp. Memphis rub
- 1 can , 12 ounce. beer
- Â Â Memphis Rub ( makes 1/2 c. )
- 1/4 c. paprika
- 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp celery salt
- 1 tsp fresh grnd black pepper
- 3 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp dry mustard
- 1 tsp onion pwdr
- 1 tsp garlic pwdr
Directions
- The recipe comes from a newspaper clipping and the cooking method sparked my curiosity. The chicken steams in a closed grill for about two hrs and is very moist and tender with a subtle smoky flavor ( no strong beer flavor at all ) and the skin comes out brown and crisp. We would repeat this again. Following is a synopsis of the original directions and then my further comments.
- If using a gas grill: remove upper warming rack ( so it doesn't knock chicken down when lid is closed ), set the grill for indirect ( low ) heat, place a foil pan directly beneath the chicken to catch the drippings, do not open and close the lid often.
- Soak the wood chips in cool water for 1 hour and drain. Rinse chicken ( remove any giblets etc. ) with cool water inside and out and pat dry. Sprinkle the cavity of the chicken with 1 Tbsp of the dry rub and rub the outside of the chicken well with another Tbsp of the rub
- For gas grills place the wood in the smoker box and preheat to high . When smoke appears, lower heat to medium. For charcoal grill, bank coals to side of the grill and light. Coals are ready when coated with a light gray ash color.
- For both types of grills place a drip pan in center just below where chicken will be placed.
- Now open the beer can and poke ( 6 or possibly 7 ) holes in the top of the can.
- Pour out the top inch of liquid and place in 1 Tbsp of the dry rub. Holding chicken upright with body cavity pointed down, insert the upright can of beer into the chicken.
- When ready to cook: for the charcoal grill, drain the wood chips and toss half over the coals. Oil the grate and stand chicken up in center of warm grate over drip pan. Spread out legs to support the chicken. If using charcoal, add in 10 to 12 fresh coals per side and the remaining wood chips after 1 hour of cooking. It takes about 2 hrs for the covered chicken to cook either gas or possibly charcoal.
- Using tongs lift chicken to cutting board, holding large metal spatula under the beer can for support. Be careful not to spill the warm beer. Let chicken stand for 5 min before carving meat off the carcass.
- Serves 6.
- I used a 16 ounce. can of beer that was taller and offered more support. I covered the can ( sides not top ) with heavy duty aluminum foil because I worried about the color coming off the beer can into the chicken. I cut off any hanging excess that cooked in 1 hour and 45 min. The chicken on the tall can was quite stable.
- I used the gas grill and low heat setting after the grill was preheated to high. I placed a piece heavy duty foil ( on top of the grates ) with edges folded up to contain any drips and no other drip pan was used. I used long tongs to remove the chicken off the beer can directly from the grill. The chicken was very tender but lifted off easily . I opened the grill cover about a total 4 times during cooking to briefly check. To my surprise there was not a lot of drippings contained in the foil. Good luck and hope you all enjoy the recipe if you try it.
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Nutrition Facts
| Amount Per Recipe | %DV |
|---|---|
| Recipe Size 1322g | |
| Calories 2892 | |
| Calories from Fat 1717 | 59% |
| Total Fat 190.69g | 238% |
| Saturated Fat 53.99g | 216% |
| Trans Fat 0.0g | |
| Cholesterol 925mg | 308% |
| Sodium 5660mg | 236% |
| Potassium 3410mg | 97% |
| Total Carbs 53.27g | 14% |
| Dietary Fiber 14.3g | 48% |
| Sugars 32.7g | 22% |
| Protein 235.89g | 377% |
