Beer Can Chicken

Step 1

Prepare oven and roasting pan: Preheat oven to 425 F degrees. Place a small roasting pan on a baking dish to prevent making a total mess of your oven.

Step 2

Prepare chicken: Remove any giblets from the chicken if it has any and pat it dry with paper towels.

Step 3

Place beer can on roasting pan: Open the can of beer and pour about 1/4 of it into the roasting pan and set the can of beer in the center of the roasting pan.

Step 4

Prepare spice rub: Mix all the rub ingredients together in a bowl.

Step 5

Season chicken: Drizzle the olive oil over the chicken  and rub it in all over. Sprinkle over the rub and use your hands to massage all the rub into all the nooks and crannies.

Step 6

Place chicken over beer can: Place the chicken upright over the beer can. Use the chicken legs to support its body and it acts like a tripod, preventing the chicken from falling over.

Step 7

Bake: Transfer the roasting pan to the oven. Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or until golden and cooked through. To check to see if it's done, insert a knife into the thickest part of the thigh, and the juices should run clear. To properly test if the chicken is cooked through, use a meat thermometer to check and make sure the internal temperature of the chicken is 165F/75C degrees.

Step 8

Remove chicken from roasting pan: Carefully lift the chicken off the can. To make this easier, have someone else help you remove the chicken while you  hold the beer can.

Step 9

Let the chicken rest and carve: Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and cover with aluminum foil. Let it sit for 15 minutes before carving it.