Remove your chicken from the packaging and pat dry with a paper towel.  Check the body cavity for a package with the giblets or the neck.  Discard these parts, unless you’re planning to make chicken stock. 

Open your can of beer and pour ¼ to ½ of the can into a cup.

Using a sharp knife, kitchen shears, or a can cutter, carefully cut open the top of your can.  Once the top has been cut open, I put 2-3 slices of lemon and a couple of cloves of garlic in the can, and a dash or two of your chicken rub.

There are beer-can chicken holders available, but for this cook I didn’t use any special equipment, just using an 8” cast iron skillet. 

Place the opened can of beer in the middle of the cast iron skillet, then gently place the chicken over the can in the large cavity opening. The bird should sit upright over the can. 

Once the chicken is in place, spray with cooking oil, and then season the chicken with your rub of choice. 

I cooked my chicken on our Kamado-style grill, heated to 400o F, with a few chunks of oak added to the charcoal for some smoke flavor to the chicken. 

Approximately every 20-30 minutes, spritz the chicken with a mixture of the leftover beer with some water added to thin it out. 

The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165o F. 

Allow your chicken to rest for 15-20 minutes to keep the meat moist.

Remove from the cast iron skillet after the rest, and carve your chicken into individual cuts. 

Enjoy hot, or cold at a picnic or backyard BBQ!