Beer Can Chicken

This weekend our house was pretty lazy. We have so much coming up the next few weeks, we wanted to take a weekend to just sit around and enjoy each others company. All the things we have coming up are going to be so much and we are so looking forward to them, but it is still nice to have a laid back weekend. Sunday rolled around and after Church I just wanted to relax a little longer, so Hubs took over the kitchen. It was the weekend of the time change so we had lots of extra light in the day which is SO wonderful around our house. We decided to slow cook something on the grill. I love when the Hubs volunteers to grill for me. It is always delicious and healthy.

If you have never had a beer can chicken, you are missing out!! It is super simple and has so much flavor. If you are worried about the alcohol in the beer, I promise it cooks out. You are just using the beer for the flavors. You can use always use non alcoholic beer. If you are worried about the gluten from the beer, you could also use gluten free beer. I don't know if this recipe can be considered gluten free, but I know its delicious :)

Beer Can Chicken
DF

Ingredients:

1 whole bone in chicken

1/4 cup plus 3 T olive oil, divided

1 tsp salt

1/4 t sage

1/4 t parsley

1/4 t garlic powder

1/8 t paprika

5 sprigs fresh rosemary, divided

12 sprigs fresh thyme, divided 

1 can of beer

2 T lemon juice

What to do:

Heat your grill to 375°.

Wash and pat dry the chicken.

Add your chicken to a small baking dish.

Using your hands, smooth 3 T olive oil all over your chicken. This is what gives the chicken that nice golden color.

In a small bowl, mix together your salt, sage, parsley, garlic powder, and paprika.

Chop 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary and 4 sprigs of fresh thyme.

Spread half of the salt mixture over the chicken. Reserving the rest for later in our cooking process. Again using your hands, spread your chopped herbs evenly over the chicken.

This process must be done VERY carefully so you don't cut yourself. Open up the beer and dump 2 tablespoons out of the beer. With a paper towel, press the opening of the beer down to increase the opening.

Add in 2 sprigs fresh rosemary and 4 sprigs fresh thyme. The beer may foam up and that is fine. Just let the foam dissipate on its own. 

Once the foam is gone, add the lemon juice into the beer can. 

Carefully carry the beer and chicken to your grill. Don't try to do this next step inside and carry outside to the grill because you will spill the beer everywhere….I may or may not have done this before :)

Once by your grill, stick the the beer inside the cavity of the chicken.

Place the beer can directly onto the grill and adjust the legs to make sure the chicken stays standing.

While your chicken starts to cook, grab your salt mixture you set aside. Add 1 sprig of chopped rosemary and 4 sprigs chopped thyme.

Pour in 1/4 cup olive oil into your salt mixture. Using a basting brush, carefully stir your herb mixture. You will use this mixture to baste the chicken throughout the cooking process.

Allow the chicken to cook for about an hour. Approximately every 15 minutes, baste the chicken with the olive oil herb mixture. This step is very important as the skin of the chicken can become to try and burn if you do not baste with the olive oil. Be very careful during this step as the olive oil will make the fire flame up. (Yes the Hubs has lost some arm hair during this step before) My advice is to use a basting brush with a long handle.

Once cooked thoroughly, carefully remove from the grill and cut the meat off the bone and enjoy!

Thanks Y'all
-Wise Wife