Southern Drunk Chicken
Whatever you call it — Beer Butt Chicken, Beer Can Chicken or Southern Drunk Chicken — this cooking method creates a moist and memorable meal.
Servings
4 to 6people
Servings
4 to 6people
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Make a paste by mixing all ingredients (except chicken, oil and beer) together in a small bowl.
  2. Wash the chicken and pat dry. Remove giblets. Pour the oil all over the chicken (both inside and out), making sure to get it under skin wherever possible. Then add the paste in the same manner as the oil, rubbing it in thoroughly.
  3. Prep the charcoal grill for indirect cooking at medium heat (approximately 350° F degrees). Place a drip pan underneath the area where the chicken will be placed. Insert the can of beer into the chicken so it sits with legs down and wings up. Tuck the wing tips back to prevent excessive burning.
  4. Place the chicken on the cooking grate, allowing it to stand straight up using beer and ends of legs to form a tripod. Cover the grill and cook for approximately 1 hour or until the internal temperature reaches 165° F degrees (if you don’t have a thermometer, poke a thigh and if the juices run clear, you are done.) If the skin is getting too crispy, place a tin foil tent on the deeply cooked areas. Rotate the chicken every 15 to 20 minutes during cook time. Keep covered otherwise.
  5. Use heavy oven mitts to remove the chicken from the grill, and be careful removing the beer can so not to spill the boiling beer. Allow the chicken to rest for about 10 minutes before carving.