Smoked Beer Can Chicken on a Gas Grill
This smoked beer can chicken is a simple, reliable way to cook a whole bird on a gas grill without drying it out. A two-zone setup and a small amount of wood give you steady heat and light smoke, while the upright cook helps it stay juicy and cook evenly. It’s an easy method that works whether you’re cooking for a couple people or a small group.
Equipment
- Gas grill
- Charcoal tray insert smoke box/tube, or foil packet
- Meat Thermometer
- Beer can holder optional
- Carving Knife
- cutting board
Ingredients
- 1 3-5 lbs. whole chicken
- Pam spray or other oil substitute as needed
- Favorite BBQ or chicken rub to taste
- 1 C BBQ sauce
- ½ beer
- Fresh Herbs I used a storebought poultry mix of thyme, sage, and rosemary
Instructions
- Set the grill to two-zone cooking by putting the burners on one side of the grill to medium-low heat and the other side completely off. Meanwhile, take out your chicken and spray it liberally with Pam spray or your oil of choice then season well on all sides.
- Next, pop open a beer can and pour out half of the liquid. Stuff the herbs into the can and place the chicken on top of it so that the open cavity on the bottom side of the chicken (nearest the legs) slides directly over the beer can (I used a beer can chicken holder for this, which I’ll link here. It makes it easier but is not necessary if you don’t have one).
- Once the grill registers side 350-400 degrees, add the prepared beer can chicken to the indirect heat side of the grill and allow it to cook (the chicken will never be over direct heat). Look at the chicken every 20 minutes or so and rotate the chicken as needed if one side starts to brown more than another (I find I need to do this a few times throughout the cooking process for even browning across the entire chicken).
- Once the chicken registers ~150 degrees, brush on the BBQ sauce (if desired) so that it can tack on. Once the Chicken registers ~160-162 degrees, remove it from the grill. I do this so that carryover cooking will take it to 165 degrees from there without drying out the breast meat.
- Allow the chicken to rest for ~10-15 minutes, then carve and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
If you’d like to smoke the chicken like I did, place chicken wood chunks over charcoal on the heated side of the grill (or place wood chips in a smoke box over direct heat).