Smoked Beer Can Chicken

Servings: servings

Calories: 569cal

Preheat smoker to 300 F.
In a bowl, whisk together oil, garlic salt, onion powder, and black pepper.
2 Tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon garlic salt, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Rub mixture all over the chicken.
4 pound whole chicken
Pour out (or drink) half of the beer. If using a holder, place can into it.
12 ounce can of beer
Open the cavity between the legs and place it on top of the beer can. If not using the holder, place the beer can onto a baking sheet.
TIP - It’s best to be close to your smoker when you place the chicken onto the beer can. The less distance you have to travel the better.
Place holder and chicken into the smoker and close the lid. Smoke for 2 hours, or until an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh (not touching bone) reads 165°F. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of your chicken and your smoker, so always cook to temperature rather than the clock.
Remove from smoker and holder, then place chicken on a cutting board. Tent with foil and let rest for 10-15 minutes before carving and serving.

Author: Chef Antoine Davis

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Light lagers are the most common choice because they don’t overpower the chicken’s natural flavors. However, some may argue that you don’t get much flavor from the beer at all. I would suggest using your favorite affordable beer for this recipe.
You can swap the beer out for non-alcoholic beer or opt for a cola such as coke, pepsi, or root beer instead.
We used a basic combination of seasoning for this smoked recipe, as opposed to a brown sugar and garlic base when we made beer can chicken in the oven. You can certainly use the seasoning from that recipe or any of your favorite bottled seasonings.
For wood smokers, I would suggest using a mild wood for chicken such as apple, maple, cherry, or pecan.

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Prep Time10

Cook Time2

Total Time2 10