Smoked Beer Can Chicken

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Smoked Beer Can Chicken is my new favorite way to cook a whole chicken. This method has been popular with barbecue enthusiasts for quite some time.

Whether you smoke your beer-can chicken in an electric smoker or on a pellet grill like a Traeger, our recipe has been well tested and is basically fool-proof. You’ll love the crispy skin and smoky flavor of the incredibly tender and juicy chicken meat.

Fully cooked Smoked Beer Can Chicken on a white paltter.

I used a cranberry lemon shandy made by one of our local breweries. It added a slightly sweet, lemony flavor that was the perfect complement to the dry rub’s spicy seasoning. The beer adds a subtle flavor to the chicken without being overbearing.

Some recipes suggest dark beers because of their hearty caramel flavor. But the best beer to use is the kind of beer you enjoy drinking. Those are the flavors that will be passed on to the foods you use them to create.

Other names for this recipe are “beer butt chicken” and “beer in the rear chicken.” But, no matter what you call it, our smoked beer can chicken creates moist, tender chicken that your whole family will love.

I used an electric smoker to make this recipe, but you can use a gas grill, pellet grill, or charcoal grill using indirect heat to make our recipe.

Table of Contents:

Ingredients For Smoked Beer Can Chicken

Gather the ingredients needed to make our Smoked Beer Can Chicken recipe. Culinary professionals call this the Mise en Place, which means “Everything in its Place.”

Setting up your ingredients not only helps speed up the cooking process but also helps ensure you have all of the ingredients on hand to make the recipe.

If you’d rather not use beer to cook the chicken, try our Whole Smoked Chicken recipe. If you’re looking for an oven-roasted version, try our easy Roasted Chicken recipe.

Can I use other seasonings in the dry rub?

Absolutely! The key to making delicious dishes you and your family enjoy eating is to cook with the ingredients and seasonings you like.

Feel free to adjust the dry rub seasonings to suit your tastes. For this recipe, you can use a BBQ seasoning blend, jerk seasoning, Cajun seasoning, or lemon pepper.

For a sweeter flavor, add a little brown sugar to the dry rub. If you’re not a fan of heat, leave out the cayenne pepper. You can also add your favorite fresh herbs like rosemary or thyme to the mixture.

How to Make Smoked Beer Can Chicken

In a small bowl, add the kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, sweet paprika, turmeric, and cayenne pepper.
Mix the seasonings together thoroughly to make the dry spice rub.
Pat the whole chicken dry with paper towels. This will help the skin of the chicken get crispy.
Place the chicken in a roasting pan or disposable pan and season the outside of the chicken with dry rub.

After seasoning the entire bird, place an opened can of beer (less two ounces) in the beer can holder, then place the cavity of the chicken over the top of the beer can. It will be a snug fit over the top of the holder, but that will help keep the chicken upright.
Place the chicken directly on the smoker rack with a drip pan underneath to catch the drippings during the cooking process. Place a temperature probe or meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh to monitor the internal temperature.
Smoke the whole bird until it reaches an internal temperature of 150 degrees F. Then, carefully remove it from the smoker and wrap the bottom of the legs with aluminum foil. Return it to the smoker until it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.
*Cooking time can vary. Remember, we are cooking to temperature, not a specific time.
Carefully remove the chicken from the smoker and let it rest for 15 minutes before slicing.

*When removing the chicken from the smoker or grill, hold the beer can base and not just the chicken. The beer will be very hot. Discard any leftover beer.

Serve my smoked beer can chicken with roasted potato wedges, green beans, or any of your favorite side dishes.

Any leftovers should be stored refrigerated in an airtight container for 3-4 days. It can also be kept frozen in a freezer-safe container for 4-6 weeks.

Recipe FAQs

How do you remove the beer can from the beer can chicken?

Hold the chicken with a fork and a pair of tongs (or heat-proof gloves) and carefully pull the can out of the chicken, placing it in the sink. I suggest doing this in the kitchen sink. If any of the hot beer spills, it will go down the drain and away from your body.

Why is my smoked chicken skin rubbery?

Cooking at too low a temperature is the reason this can happen. That is why I suggest smoking chicken at a slightly higher temperature, 275 degrees F.

Can I use other liquids to make beer can chicken?

Yes, you can. You can substitute wine, non-alcoholic beer or Dr. Pepper, root beer, ginger ale, apple cider, or apple juice. It doesn’t even have to be a soda or beer can. You can clean out a vegetable can and add the liquid to that can.

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