The Best Smoked Beer Can Chicken (Homemade BBQ Rub)
Are you ready for the juiciest chicken of your life? This Smoked Beer Can Chicken is one tender, flavorful chicken! A simple homemade rub and a short smoke time will turn a whole chicken into a juicy masterpiece.
My Dad is the master of the grill! I grew up eating his grilled delicacies like these delicious grilled pork steaks and this absolutely delicious beer can chicken recipe.
He almost always prepares his beer can chicken on the grill over low heat, but when I have time, I like to make it on the smoker for a bit of extra smoky flavor!
Whichever way you prepare your beer can chicken recipe, you can count on tender, flavorful meat. Why?
Well, smoking the chicken with the beer can inside adds so much moisture to the bird. Even the breast meat will have super moist meat!
Breast meat is low in fat (and normally lacking moisture), but it will be absolutely dripping with juice when it’s done.
I add apple juice to the beer to add just a touch of sweetness! It’s a bit reminiscent of an apple mop sauce. You do not have to add the apple juice to the beer can, though.
You can choose to stick with just having 100% beer in the can if you’d like. It’s up to you.
This recipe reminds me a bit of a smoked rotisserie chicken, because it is just so juicy! It has tender flavorful meat from the beer steam, the relatively indirect heat of the smoker and the low cooking temperatures.
Sidenote: Since you only need half of the beer, you can drink half of the beer! Or pour it out. You do you!
What kind of beer should I use for beer can chicken?
Well, this is up to you. We used Busch Light, because that’s what my Dad has been using for years! I think the best beer is the canned beer you have on hand.
Any light beer or lager will work great. Or, you can get adventurous and experiment with different types of beers. I personally think a bock style would be delish.
What wood chips should I use for beer can chicken?
Your choice of wood chips is up to you! We used hickory wood chips for this beer butt chicken.
Apple and cherry wood or mesquite wood chips would also work nicely!
Hickory is good, classic choice for smoked chicken or any smoked meat.
Recipe Adaptations
Consider adding apple juice or fresh herbs to the water pan for extra aromatics.
If you’d like to add more herbs in the dry rub, try adding a pinch of sage, poultry seasoning, cumin or coriander.
After patting the chicken dry with paper towels, you can brush the chicken with extra virgin olive oil to help the spice rub stick. Totally optional!
Make this on the charcoal grill or gas grill over low, indirect heat. Or, in a roasting pan in the oven!
How do I get crispy skin?
For my crispy skin lovers: As you probably know, it’s hard to achieve crispy skin when smoking a chicken. But, since this recipe calls for higher temperatures, the skin on this chicken is not too rubbery. The texture of the skin may to your liking without any extra steps.
But, if you want to crisp the skin up, prepare a grill and finish the chicken for 2-3 minutes per side over high heat.
You can also stick the chicken under your oven broiler for 2 minutes. Then, enjoy that crispy smoky flavored skin. Yum!
Serving Suggestions for Smoked Beer Can Chicken
I love to serve my smoked beer can chicken with Smoked Mac and Cheese, Smoked Corn on the Cob or Smoked Hasselback Potatoes. All of these smoked side dishes come together quickly on the smoker!
If you don’t feel like using your smoker for the side dishes, try my sweet and tangy Radish and Apple Cole Slaw. It’s colorful and delicious! For dessert, I recommend these beautiful, summery Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes, this Honey Bun Cake recipe or a classic Cherry Cake Mix Cobbler.
If you have leftover chicken, you can dice or pull it and use it in my fantastic Chicken Stuffing Casserole or Crack Chicken Noodle Soup.
The Best Smoked Beer Can Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 pounds whole chicken, giblets removed
- 6 ounces light beer, keep in can
- 6 ounces apple juice
- 1 cup barbecue sauce, use your favorite
- a handful of hickory wood chunks
For the Spice Rub
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat your smoker to 325° Fahrenheit.
- In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the spice rub. Mix well.
- Prepare the chicken by patting the chicken dry with paper towels.
- Apply the chicken rub. Rub the spice rub evenly over the chicken skin and in the chicken cavity.
- Open the top of the beer with a can opener and pour out half of the beer. Add apple juice into the can of beer.
- Place the cavity of the chicken on top of the can to stand the chicken upright.
- Add 3-4 wood chunks of your choice to the hot coals for smoking, then place chicken in the smoker. Smoke for 1 hour.
- Brush the chicken with barbecue sauce, then continue to smoke until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit with an instant read thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh, about 30 additional minutes.
- Let the chicken rest for 15 minutes before slicing into it.
