American · Barbecue · main

Beer-Can Grilled Chicken

Beer-Can Grilled Chicken reads allium 5.1, umami 4.5 and smoke 4.3 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a American · Barbecue main, about 3 hr 30 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 5.1 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.7 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 1.5 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 5.0 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 3.0 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 6.0 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Allium 5.1 · Umami 4.5 · Smoke 4.3 · Salinity 4.2 · Heat 3.6 · Bitterness 3.5 · Herbaceous 3.4 · Sweetness 3.3 · Richness 2.7 · Warm Spice 2.5 · Funk & Ferment 2.0 · Floral 1.5 · Earthy 1.5 · Fruity 1.4 · Sourness 1.2 · Citrus 1.2 · Nutty 0.9

What's in it (12)

• chicken — 2268 g
• salt — 30 g
• light-brown sugar — 13 g
• smoked paprika — 10 g
• garlic — 5 g
• onion powder — 5 g
• black pepper — 5 g
• cayenne pepper — 3 g
• vegetable oil — 14 g
• beer — 340 g
• garlic — 9 g
• rosemary — 2 g

Time & effort: about 3 hr 30 min (2 hr 20 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 132.1 kcal, 14.7 g protein, 7.3 g fat, 1.1 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Pat the chicken dry inside and out with paper towels, trim any large flaps of excess fat, and remove the neck and giblets from the cavity if present.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the kosher salt, brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and cayenne to make the rub.
3. Rub the chicken all over — outside, inside the cavity, and under the breast skin — with 1 tablespoon of the oil, then pat the spice rub on in an even layer.
4. Set the chicken uncovered on a plate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, up to overnight; this dry brine seasons the meat all the way through and dries the skin so it crisps instead of steams.
5. About 45 minutes before cooking, light a charcoal or gas grill and set it up for two-zone indirect heat — coals or lit burners on one side only — with a drip pan on the empty side; bring the indirect zone to 375°F.
6. Open the beer, pour off about half, and drop the smashed garlic and rosemary sprig into the can; set the can upright in a stable vertical poultry roaster stand placed inside a rimmed sheet pan, so the whole rig can't tip.
7. Lower the chicken cavity down over the can and stand so the bird sits upright, legs forming a tripod for balance, then set the rig breast-up on the indirect side of the grill and close the lid.
8. Grill over indirect heat, rotating the whole stand a half-turn every 20 minutes for even color, until an instant-read thermometer reads 165°F in the thickest part of the breast and 175°F in the thigh, 75 to 90 minutes; tent loosely with foil if the skin browns too fast before the thigh is up to temperature.
9. Using tongs and a folded towel, carefully lift the stand onto a sheet pan and let the chicken rest 10 minutes before lifting it off the can (the liquid inside is very hot) and carving.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Cajun Vegetable Gumbo with Okra and Tomatoes — Cajun/Creole
• Chicken Shakshuka with Merguez-Spiced Chicken — Middle Eastern
• Chicken Mole Enchiladas — Mexican
• Vegetarian Red Beans and Rice — Cajun/Creole
• Red Beans and Rice — Southern

Keep reading: what allium, umami, smoke mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

See how this dish fits your palate — take the short taste test →

Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.