Big Rock Beer Butt Chicken

This delicious chicken dish is called beer butt chicken. The method involves placing a can of beer up into the cavity of the chicken, then roasting. The liquid inside the can boils forcing flavour up and through the meat. You can purchase a special can stand to make the bird more stable if you want.

Prep Time: 10 minutes………..Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 can of your favorite Big Rock beer
• 1 chicken (31/2 to 4 pounds)
• 2 tablespoons of your favorite  Bar~B~Q rub
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Preparation:

Pop the tab off a can of you favorite Big Rock beer and pour half of it over 2 cups of wood chips (preferably hickory or cherry), then swallow the remainder of the can to keep your fluid levels up. You do not want to dehydrate while cooking. Soak chips for 1 hour, then drain. Open another can of Big Rock and take a good long sip. Using a church key-style can opener, make 2 additional holes in its top. Set that can of beer aside.

Remove the packet of giblets from the body cavity of the chicken, then remove and discard the fat just inside the body and neck cavities. Rinse the chicken inside and out, under cold running water and then drain and blot dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the rub inside the body cavity and 1/2 teaspoon inside the neck cavity of the chicken. Drizzle some oil over the outside of the bird and rub or brush it all over the skin. Sprinkle the outside of the bird with 1 tablespoon of rub and rub it all over the skin. Spoon the remaining 1-1/2 teaspoons of rub into the Big Rock beer can through one of the holes in the top. Don't worry if the beer foams up: This is normal.

Hold the bird upright, with the opening of the body cavity at the bottom and lower it onto the Big Rock beer can so the can fits into the cavity. Pull the chicken legs forward to form a sort of tripod, so the bird stands upright. The rear leg of the tripod is the beer can.

Tuck the tips of the wings behind the chicken’s back. Set up the grill for indirect grilling and preheat to medium. Place all the wood chips in the smoker box or in a smoker pouch and preheat on high until you see smoke, then reduce the heat to medium.

When ready to cook, stand the chicken up in the center of the hot grate, over a drip pan and away from the heat. Close the lid on the grill and cook the chicken until the skin is a dark golden brown and very crisp and the meat is cooked through (about 180 degrees F. on an instant-read meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh, but not touching the bone), about 1-1/4 to 1-1/2 hours. If the chicken skin starts to brown too much, loosely tent the bird with aluminum foil.

Using tongs, hold the bird by the can and carefully transfer it in an upright position to a platter.

Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes, then carefully lift it off its support. Take care not to spill the hot beer. Halve, quarter, or carve the chicken and serve.

Yield: 2 to 4 servings

The Bix Mix Boys personal experience tip of the month: It’s probably a good idea to have some clothes on when handling a hot barbeque, hot beer and chicken grease.