Beer Can Chicken         

A couple notes:  This is not a last minute dish.  You will need to start working on it about 4 hours before you intend to eat.  The nice thing is, once the chicken is in the grill you can pretty much forget about it for the next 3 hours.

This will only work with grills that have 2 or more burners.  I think you could do it in the oven in a pinch, probably setting the temperature at about 250.  You will have to do without the smoke in that case.

This is good even if you don’t use the wood chips.

1 Tablespoon each:

            Salt

            Pepper

            Sugar

            Paprika

1 can beer

1 whole chicken

Wood chips for smoking (mesquite, hickory)

Foil pie pan (the disposable kind from the store) for wood chips OR an old aluminum pie pan that you don’t mind ruining

Prepare about 2 cups of wood chips by soaking in water for an hour before starting the grill.  Drain the water off and fill the pie pan with the chips.  Place under the grates of the grill so the pan is directly on the coals.  Light the grill ONLY on the side that the pie plate is on.  Turn on low.

Combine seasonings in a small bowl to make the spice rub.  Rub 1 tablespoon of it inside the chicken; pour 1 tablespoon into the beer can (do this a little at a time as it will foam and overflow the can;) rub the remaining over the surface of the chicken, putting some under the breast skin.

Insert the can of beer into the chicken cavity.  Set the chicken (on its beer can pedestal) on the OPPOSITE side of the grill from the wood chips.  Shut the lid and grill for about 3 hours or until the meat reaches a temperature of 178.  Let rest about 15 minutes before carving.