Smoked Beer Can Chicken

Every backyard BBQ’er needs to know how to do the classic smoked beer can chicken. But smoking the chicken this way is more than novelty. It’s a great way to keep your bird super juicy while adding extra flavor from the beer and aromatics cooking right up inside the chicken as it smokes.

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Toss some herbs, garlic, onion, or whatever you like into the can and let the smoker do its thing. The result is tender meat, crispy skin, and one heck of a good-looking bird coming off the smoker.

Ingredients Needed

All you need for this recipe is a whole chicken (or two, or 5) and your favorite rub. Some kosher salt for an overnight dry brine will also guarantee crispy skin. A little olive oil helps the rub stick to the chicken.

Optionally, you can add some aromatics, but we’ll discuss this later.

We made our own rub for this recipe, and it works fantastically if you want to try it. See the recipe card for the full ingredients and amounts.

This homemade BBQ rub brings the perfect balance of smoky, savory, slightly sweet, and just enough heat to build a deep crust and bold flavor on the chicken as it smokes.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

This smoked beer can chicken turns out incredibly juicy with crispy skin and deep smoky flavor all the way around. The overnight dry brine helps dry the skin out so it actually crisps up on the smoker instead of turning rubbery, while the beer and aromatics steam inside the bird as it cooks.

• Crispy, flavorful skin with a deep smoky crust
• Super juicy chicken thanks to the beer can method
• Easy backyard BBQ recipe that looks impressive
• The dry brine helps season the meat all the way through
• Fresh herbs, garlic, and lemon add extra flavor while smoking
• Great for weekend cookouts, parties, and summer BBQs
• Works on pellet grills, charcoal smokers, or gas smokers
• Makes incredible leftovers for sandwiches, wraps, and salads

You’re gonna need some classic sides with this banger. Macaroni Salad, Summer Succotash, Mixed Melon Fruit Salad, or our barbecue baked beans would go great with this chicken!

How To Make Smoked Beer Can Chicken

This is one of those cooks that looks impressive but is actually really straightforward once you get everything prepped. The overnight dry brine helps dry the skin out for better texture, while the beer and aromatics slowly steam inside the chicken as it smokes. Start low for smoke flavor, then crank the heat up at the end for crispy skin.

Step 1 – Dry Brine the Chickens

Pat the chickens dry and season them all over with kosher salt. Place them on a wire rack over a baking sheet and refrigerate uncovered overnight. This helps dry the skin out and seasons the meat all the way through.

Step 2 – Mix the BBQ Rub

While the chickens are resting, combine all of the rub ingredients in a bowl and whisk until evenly mixed.

Step 3 – Prep the Beer Cans and Aromatics

Remove the tops from the beer cans with a can opener, not just the tabs. Pour out (drink) about a 1/4 of the beer. This gives you a much larger opening to add garlic, rosemary, parsley, lemon, and any other aromatics you want. It also helps more steam and flavor work its way up through the chicken as it smokes. Let the beer come closer to room temperature while you prep the chickens.

Step 4 – Oil and Season the Chickens

Lightly coat the chickens with olive oil, then apply the rub generously all over the birds, making sure to cover every side.

Step 5 – Mount the Chickens on the Beer Can Stands

Place the beer cans into the stands, then carefully lower the chickens over the cans so they sit upright and stable.

Step 6 – Add the Lemon and Place on the Smoker

Tuck a lemon wedge into the top cavity and place the chickens onto a smoker running at 225 degrees F. Insert temperature probes into the thickest part of the breast if using.

Step 7 – Smoke Low, Then Finish Hot

Smoke the chickens at 225 degrees F for about 1 hour to build smoky flavor. Increase the smoker temperature to 350 degrees F and continue cooking until the breast meat reaches 165 degrees F and the skin is crispy and deeply browned.

Step 8 – Rest

Remove the chickens from the smoker and let them rest for about 15 minutes, then carefully remove them from the stands.

Step 9 – Slice And Serve

After 15 minutes, go ahead and carve it up and serve.

This smoked beer can chicken comes off the smoker looking absolutely incredible, with that deep mahogany color and crispy skin, but the real payoff is how juicy the meat stays.

And honestly, if you’re already firing up the smoker, go ahead and do two birds. The leftovers are fantastic for meal prep, sandwiches, wraps, salads, or just grabbing straight from the fridge the next day.

Tips

• Dry brine the chicken overnight for the best skin. Leaving the birds uncovered in the fridge helps dry the skin out so it crisps up much better on the smoker.
• Let the chicken sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before smoking. Taking the chill off helps it cook more evenly.
• Don’t put cold beer straight onto the smoker. Let the beer warm up a bit first so the cooking process starts more evenly inside the bird.
• Remove the tops from the beer cans completely with a can opener. It makes it much easier to add herbs and aromatics, plus it allows more steam and flavor to move through the chicken.
• Start low, then finish hot. The lower temperature gives the chicken time to pick up smoke flavor, while the higher finishing temperature helps render the skin crispy instead of rubbery.
• Use a thermometer in the breast meat. Pull the chicken once it reaches 165 degrees F in the thickest part of the breast.
• Let the chicken rest before removing it from the stand. The birds are extremely hot straight off the smoker, and resting helps keep the juices inside the meat.
• If you’re cooking on a pellet smoker, use a stronger wood like hickory for a more pronounced smoke flavor. Apple and cherry work great, too, if you want something a little milder. I used cherry for this cook.

Variations

• Swap the beer for another liquid. Apple cider, hard cider, cola, chicken broth, or even Dr. Pepper all work well here and add different flavor profiles.
• Change up the aromatics. Try thyme, sage, onion, jalapeño, citrus slices, or even a little hot sauce added to the can.
• Use your favorite BBQ rub. This recipe works great with sweeter Kansas City-style rubs, spicy Cajun blends, or pepper-heavy Texas-style seasonings.
• Add BBQ sauce at the end. Brush the chickens lightly with your favorite barbecue sauce during the last 10-15 minutes for a sticky, glazed finish.
• Make it spicier. Increase the cayenne or add chipotle powder to the rub for extra heat and smoky flavor.
• Use different wood pellets or chunks. Hickory gives a stronger smoke flavor, while apple, cherry, or pecan gives a slightly sweeter smoke profile.
• Add compound butter under the skin. Garlic herb butter under the breast skin adds even more flavor and richness.

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