0 from 12 votes
Smoked Beer Can Chicken
Smoked Beer Can Chicken is tender, juicy, perfectly seasoned, and has a wonderful smoky flavor.
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs 10 mins
Total Time
2 hrs 40 mins
Servings: 8
Calories: 493 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
American
Ingredients
- 6 pounds whole chicken refrigerated or thawed
- 12 ounces Canned Beer
- ½ cup butter (1 stick) melted
- 2 tablespoons coarse salt
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 325 degrees.
- Remove about half the beer from the can and secure the can inside the chicken throne.
- Place the brownsugar, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Whick until thoroughly combined.
- Pat the chicken dry and pour half the seasoning over the top of it. Rub the seasoning all over the chicken.
- Place the chicken on the throne. This may take a little adjusting for it to sit right, but you want it sitting as upright as possible.
- Add the melted butter to the remaining seasonings and stir well.
- Inject the butter/seasoning mixture into each shoulder area of the chicken until it plumps up each side. Be careful to not suck up too much of the seasoning that has settled to the bottom of the bowl as it may clog your injector.
- Place the chicken in the smoker and baste it with the leftover butter/seasoning mixture.
- Smoke for 2½ hours or until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees in the breast and 175 degrees in the thigh. Baste periodically throughout the 2½ hours, about every hour, or until you’re out of the baste.
- Remove the chicken from the smoker.
- Allow the chicken to rest for 10 minutes before slicing.
Cup of Yum
Notes
- You can use another rub if desired, however, this is an amazing homemade rub recipe with the perfect flavor for chicken.
- You can use whatever beer you like. I used Miller Light. You can even use soda and not beer. It’s basically just a source of liquid for the chicken.
- You can smoke more than one of these chickens at a time if you have a big crowd. However many you can fit on in your smoker without being overcrowded.
- You can use any flavor wood pellet you prefer, I used hickory as it offers the best flavor in my opinion.
- If you don't have an injector or aren’t confident with that step, you can skip it. It will still turn out with amazing flavor. I mean, not as amazing as if you injected it, but definitely still tasty.
Nutrition Information
Calories
493kcal
(25%)
Carbohydrates
7g
(2%)
Protein
31g
(62%)
Fat
36g
(55%)
Saturated Fat
14g
(70%)
Trans Fat
1g
Cholesterol
153mg
(51%)
Sodium
1964mg
(82%)
Potassium
390mg
(11%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
3g
(6%)
Vitamin A
1449IU
(29%)
Vitamin C
3mg
(3%)
Calcium
35mg
(4%)
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 8Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 493
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 493kcal | 25% |
| Carbohydrates | 7g | 2% |
| Protein | 31g | 62% |
| Fat | 36g | 55% |
| Saturated Fat | 14g | 70% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 153mg | 51% |
| Sodium | 1964mg | 82% |
| Potassium | 390mg | 8% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 1449IU | 29% |
| Vitamin C | 3mg | 3% |
| Calcium | 35mg | 4% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.