Beer in the Rear (aka Beer Can Chicken)

What you’ll need:

For the Beer Can

4 chopped garlic cloves
one-quarter of an onion, chopped
lemon pepper
rosemary
garlic salt

For the Bird

5 lb roaster chicken
4 oz gourmet warehouse key lime marinade (for injection)*
salt & pepper
6 garlic cloves
olive oil
lemon pepper
can of your favorite beer (preferably warm)
fresh rosemary sprigs
1 lemon
spray butter

For the Smoker

hickory chips
spray bottle with lemon water
chopped fruit (apples, oranges,e tc.), optional
rosemary, optional

1. Pour out half of the beer (this is NOT alcohol abuse because the beer is warm!) or add it to the water pan. The can needs to be half empty to allow the beer to boil and steam. Add to the beer can: 4 chopped garlic cloves quarter chopped onion lemon pepper rosemary garlic salt

2. Gently slide your hand between the skin and the meat to separate them. Work your hand all the way down and around wings and legs. This is where you’ll put your marinade.

3. Add all of the marinade ingredients to your food processor. Pulse until thickened then taste and adjust seasonings, if needed. Pour marinade between skin and meat, and carefully rub it all around wings, legs, and breast… of the bird, that is. Coat the outside of the bird in olive oil. This’ll help the marinade stick to the bird. Coat the bird with spray butter (so it gets nice and brown in the smoker), then season with salt, pepper, garlic salt, and lemon pepper. Inject the lime marinade, and the bird should plump right up. Place it over the beer can, and use toothpicks to seal it up to keep the moisture inside the bird chamber. We want that steam from the beer to slow cook the bird.

   

4. Prepare your smoker. Set the smoker temp to 230 degrees, and add your hickory chips. Add water and beer to the water pan. I also add fruit and rosemary to the water pan if I have some hanging around the fridge. This’ll give the steam a fruity tone for the bird. If I have them, I’ll also add a mixture of Tabasco chips (for a slight spicy note) and pecan chips. Place an internal thermometer into the thickest portion of the bird but away from the bone because the bone will give a false reading. Cook at 230 degrees until the meat reaches an internal temp of 165 degrees. Remember… SLOOOW and LOOOW. Every 45 minutes, open the smoker and spritz the bird with room temp lemon water to keep it moist. A dab will do ya’. After the first hour, spray the bird with butter. When the bird reaches 165 degrees, take it out of the smoker and CAREFULLY remove the beer can because it is HOT; I learned the hard way. Save the juice inside the beer can. Wrap the bird in heavy duty foil for 30 minutes (NO LESS) to allow the juices to return to the meat.

5. After 30 minutes, you can use two forks to shred the meat or use your fingers to “chunk” it. Your bird should be dripping moist. Put all the meat into a bowl, and pour the juices from bottom of the foil, along with some of the beer can juice, onto the bird meat, and mix. Season with a little salt, pepper, and lemon pepper. Crack open a COLD BEER, and enjoy with friends and the fam!