One of my favourite ways to prepare chicken is in my grill, summer time, beer can chicken style.
Last year, one of the earlier posts I made was for a more classic version of this American gift to BBQ.
This year, I kick it up a notch, shake up the ingredients and use the same, “shove the beer can up the chicken’s ass” method.
One of the best sources of outdoor grilling has to be Steve Raichlen’s Barbecue University.
Today, I’m showing you his Ragin’ Cajun’ Beer Can Chicken recipe or rather, his method of beer can chicken.
I’ve dumbed it down a bit as I’m using a gas grill but you get the same, smoky effect from the ingredients, moist, aromatic meat and crispy as Hell skin…Umm UMM GOOD!
Ragin’ Cajun Beer Can Chicken
1 can of beer
1 whole chicken
1 tsp. liquid smoke
1 1/2 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning
1 1/2 Tbsp. Old Bay Seasoning
2 tsp. vegetable oil
- Open your can of beer pop the tab off and using a can opener, make two more holes in the can. Now pour in your liquid smoke ad stir with a skewer to mix it well. Reserve.
- Remove the giblets, etc. from the cavity of the chicken and throughly wash the chicken and pat dry. Remove any excess fat and place the chicken in a large bowl. Pour about a third of the beer & liquid smoke mixture over the chicken ans place in the frdge for an hour (turning a couple of times).
- Place your can of beer onto the stand (if you have one) until your chicken is ready.
- Return the chicken to room temperature and mix the Cajun & Old Bay seasonings in a bowl.
- Rub some vegetable oil on your chicken (olive oil will burn) and rub some seasoning in the cavity and the rest all over the outside of the chicken.
- Place your chicken on top of the beer can (and stand) and place a tray underneath to catch any drippings.
- Preheat your grill with one side of the grill’s gas turned on and the other side being turned off. Close the lid and wait until the temperature reads 360F.
- Transfer your chicken over to the side of the grill that’s not turned on and close the lid.
- Roast your chicken for 70-80 minutes or until the juices run clear.
- Allow 15 minutes for the chicken before carving.
47 Responses
Peter! Why I come??? Im soooo hungry (not dinner yet) and this look sooo delicious, I love the colour Peter, really yummy!!!! xxxxGloria
This is something I’ll like to try. I BBQ year long and this looks so good.
Looking goooood, Peter. I wish I had the balls to try this. Maybe I’ll get my hubby to do it…
Yowzers! That looks spectacular. that chicken never looked so good to so many!!! :) Peter, that is a masterpiece, I only wish I was present at the carving of this fine example of a bbq bird. I only wish your photos were scrath’n sniff!
The skin on that chicken looks perfectly done!
Scratch ‘n Sniff posts…now there’s a concept for tasting this succulent BBQ’d bird. I haven’t got on it yet and made my beer can chicken yet this season:D
Oh Mamma! Or, Pappa!That is a gorgeous chicken…beercan chicken is a family favourite.
This chicken looks absolutely delicious. I make my own Cajun seasoning and it is very good. The recipe is on my blog.
You got that chicken crisped up perfectly! A well-executed barbecued chicken truly is a thing of beauty!
We’ve made Raichlen’s beer can chicken and it really is a winner. We have a big old charcoal grill and it works great. I only wish I could get Mr. SGCC to crank it up more often. I never met a man who was such a reluctant griller!
Great photos. This looks like a delicious meal.
Here in the good old SA, beer can chicken is a big deal. I love the rb on that chicken, Peter. Ooohhhh, and those roast potatoes on the side, delicious!
Here in the good old SA, beer can chicken is a big deal. I love the rb on that chicken, Peter. Ooohhhh, and those roast potatoes on the side, delicious!
Here in the good old SA, beer can chicken is a big deal. I love the rb on that chicken, Peter. Ooohhhh, and those roast potatoes on the side, delicious!
Here in the good old SA, beer can chicken is a big deal. I love the rb on that chicken, Peter. Ooohhhh, and those roast potatoes on the side, delicious!
Here in the good old SA, beer can chicken is a big deal. I love the rb on that chicken, Peter. Ooohhhh, and those roast potatoes on the side, delicious!
Here in the good old SA, beer can chicken is a big deal. I love the rb on that chicken, Peter. Ooohhhh, and those roast potatoes on the side, delicious!
Here in the good old SA, beer can chicken is a big deal. I love the rb on that chicken, Peter. Ooohhhh, and those roast potatoes on the side, delicious!
Here in the good old SA, beer can chicken is a big deal. I love the rb on that chicken, Peter. Ooohhhh, and those roast potatoes on the side, delicious!
Here in the good old SA, beer can chicken is a big deal. I love the rb on that chicken, Peter. Ooohhhh, and those roast potatoes on the side, delicious!
This is a favorite of ours too, the skin is the best and the chicken is so juicy and moist this way! I made 2 last weekend and have my photos waiting, not as pretty as yours though!
I always just do simple grill with butter and spices, but with beer it is new, will try them with beer.
As you know peter belgium is famous for it variety ofbeers :-)
AMAZING …. and I’m even more amazed that there’s a product you can buy to make the whole process easier/safer … not sure whether I’ll try it, but I think my boys will – as soon as they hear about it
Great post
Joanna
Well I am the odd one out as I’ve never heard of such a thing……beer cans up a chicken’s bottom – poor chicken lol
Looks yummy – I want some of that Old Bay Seasoning but can’t get it in the UK, sadly.
oh peter this is the handsomest chicken i’ve ever seen.;i wanna have a date with him alone and finish him off in one sitting!! delicious!!
This looks amazing. No clue what liquid smoke is though! Will try out the classic version on my BBQ later in the summer. It’s a charcoal BBQ but I’m sure it’ll work fine. :)
I’ve heard of the beer can method but have never tried it. That chicken looks simply wonderful and I wish I had some now!!
Ha ha! I must try shoving a beer can up a chickens’ ass sometime Peter!
I’m totally drooling over your chicken. I’ll have to make this next week! (Thanks for the dumbed down instructions!)
I love your chicky pics Peter. It looks as though the chicken is gonna get right up off that can and come over to say hi.
Ohhh! I bet that was delicious! The pictures of them are always funny aren’t they!
I could come up with so many lines about shoving cans up chicken’s behinds…but I’ll just say “delicious”…Hope you’re well.
Beer Ca Chicken. I like the way you posed the chicken. The final shot with it exhausted and the leg up in the air. :-).
Gloria, you know better than to visit here on an empty stomach!
Helene, the beer can chicken method is fabulous.
Aimee, c’mon…it’s easy…indirect heat in the Q.
Sam, it’s my fave way to do chicken in the summer…my relatives in Greece love it too!
Kevin, simply crispy.
Val, I do wish I could sniff out all the dishes out there.
Marie, welcome…it’s a fave here too!
Miss Diane, I would like to see your rub, try it out too!
Sticky, Raichlen’s show was great…pity it’s not on TV anymore.
Kalyn, perhaps the best way to do chicken.
Nina, glad to hear this style of chicken is done there too. As for the potatoes, Greek style!
Marie, the skins is as good as bacon!
Happy, just make sure you use a Belgian lager or pilsener, the other dark beers would be too overbearing.
Joanna, the stand just eliminates the chance of the chicken and beer toppling over…it’s an easy process.
Jan, if you have a gas grill – you must try it!
LOL @ Dhanngit…the “manok” was “masarup”!
Wendy, works even better with a charcoal grill, just move all the coals to one side and liquid smoke…ask at your grocery store.
Dharm, best chicken ever…convinced?
Helen, or as you folks say..”arse”!
Mary, it will be a huge hit.
Cake, no possesed chickens here! lol
Judy, my Greek relatives always get a kick out staring at the chicken chillin’ on a beer can!
Peter, the chicken got “rooted” by a beer can!
Glamah, perhaps I’ll make some the next time you’re up in town.
chicken ballet if ever there was one!!!!!!!
wow, that chicken looks amaaaazing! Peter, thanks for the advice! I went to visit the street in Istanbul you told me about and I loved it! Im posting some of the things I ate there on my blog today! ;)
The (in)famous beer in the rear chicken… (did Americans really invent this? Ahh, the sheer culinary genius of it all!)
In short: never done this, always wanted to, everyone (I know) who has ever tried it brags on their success.
Guess the hubby and I are going to have to buy a 12-pack and get crackin’!
By the way, everyone is right: that chicken is cooked to perfection. If that bronzed hunk of poultry had come off of my grill, I would have been snapping photos too! (Like I can cook anything anymore without my camera nearby—such are the pitfalls of (food) blogging!)
steve is my fave. i miss BBQ U on TV. also your skin looks nice and crispy. damn, you’re making me want chicken.
We were just talking about this chicken the other day –I’d never heard of it before. Sounds yummy and I can’t wait to give it a go. Nice pose on that leg btw…
Nothing like a good beer can chicken!
I love how this has a bit of a bite to it!
Just love those beer can chicks! Nice job Peter! I like your seasoning mix! I will try it on my next chicky!
This must be a very nice recipe but my English is not so good so that I can Understand it. I’ll try to cook it using a dictionary.
Wow! Love the idea of this – never heard of it before. Looks fantastic with really crispy skin…
lol, you & i are both sticking cans up chickens’ butts these days. I think I’m going to try it next with some black beans
Maria, a chicken ballet? Nice one!
Lina, pleased to hear that you went there. YOUR photos and experiences in Istanbul are convincing to visit there again later this year.
Sandie, you must try it – it’s so easy and you’ll bang your head on wall wondering why you waiting so long…it’s that good!
Never Full, I just tried another Raichlen recipe…f-ing rocked!
Kelly, you’ll be well rewarded when you taste a beer can chicken.
Kristen, the liquid smoke make this chicken incredible.
Theo, I have a goole translator on the blog, it will help you with reading my blog.
Antonia, moist aromatic meat meets crispy, tasty skin.
Kat, the chicken has that big gaping hole…screaming to be plugged! lol
I’ve always wanted to try the beer can method of cooking a chicken… Wonder if a standard Weber charcoal grill’s lid is domed enough to accommodate a chicken upended on a beer can (bet that’s not something covered in the owner’s manual!!) And now I know what to do with my tin of Old Bay seasoning that I brought back from my last US visit :) Looks spectacular.
Wow this is so original!!! I love the prisoner pictures of the poor chicken ;-)
I have cooked it before with beer or sidra but not this way… I must try it looks so appealing!!!
this seems so typically american to me. a chicken with a beer can up it’s butt!!!
but wow does it look good.
i love the idea of adding liquid smoke too.