January 24, 2025

Beer Butt Chicken

Beer Butt Chicken (also known as beer can chicken) is a mouthwatering dish. It is a favorite in Ohio. It’s guaranteed to impress your guests at any backyard BBQ. The recipe is simple but delivers big on flavor, combining the juicy tenderness of roast chicken with a subtle infusion of beer and herbs.

The magic happens when a can of beer is placed inside the chicken’s cavity, creating a vertical roasting method. As the chicken cooks, the beer steams from the inside, keeping the meat incredibly moist. It infuses it with a smoky, rich flavor. The result is a perfectly crisp skin on the outside with tender, juicy meat on the inside.

What’s even better? You can customize the flavor profile by adding spices, marinades, and your favorite seasonings to the chicken. Whether you prefer a smoky barbecue rub, a zesty lemon herb seasoning, or a spicy Cajun kick, Beer Butt Chicken is endlessly adaptable.

It’s not just about the taste either—this dish is a showstopper! The sight of a chicken sitting upright on a beer can makes for an eye-catching centerpiece. Pair it with grilled veggies, mashed potatoes, or a fresh salad, and you’ve got a complete meal that will have everyone coming back for seconds!

Beer Butt Chicken

Beer Butt Chicken (also known as beer can chicken) is a quirky yet mouthwatering dish that’s guaranteed to impress your guests at any backyard BBQ.

Print Recipe

Prep Time 40

Cook Time 2

1 20

Total Time 4 30

Servings: 8 people

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

2 2 Lb. Whole Chickens (2 whole chickens)
1 Tsp Sugar
1 Tsp Cayenne Pepper
1 Tsp Paprika
1 Tsp Onion Powder
1 Tsp Dry Mustard
1 Tbl Salt
1 Cup Apple Cider
1 Tbl Balsamic Vinegar
2 12-ounce cans Beer

Equipment

1 Gas Grill

Method

Wash, dry, and chickens.
Create a rub with the dry ingredients. Season chickens generously inside and out with rub. Work mixture well into skin and under breast skin as much as possible. Cover and set aside at room temperature for an hour.
Drink 1/2 the beer in each can. Place the can with remaining 1/2 inside, upright on smoker or grill, and lower chicken body cavity onto can (make sure can is covered with aluminum foil just on the outside only); the steam from the beer helps cook and keep the chicken tender.
Cook for 2–2 1/2 hours on slow, low heat. Meat thermometer should read 180° to be thoroughly done. We used our gas grill and cooked on lowest setting. Cooked 2 fryer chickens for 2 hours. Remove cans with mitts. Let rest for 30 minutes tented with foil.

Notes

You can use most any choice of liquid or seasoning. You can customize the flavor profile by adding spices, marinades, and your favorite seasonings to the chicken. You can use any beverage of your choice. Whether you prefer a smoky barbecue rub, a zesty lemon herb seasoning, or a spicy Cajun kick, Beer Butt Chicken is endlessly adaptable.

Author: Mr. Sam

Filed Under: American, Chicken, Grilling, Poultry

Tags: delicious, favorite, Tasty, tender

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Ah, summer—the season when the days stretch long and lazy, the grill becomes an altar, and the air is thick with the scent of sunscreen, fresh basil, and someone else’s barbecue. It’s the time of year when appetites grow bold, drinks get colder, and every meal seems to demand to be eaten outdoors, preferably under twinkle lights with good company and a second helping. Summer is when the farmer’s market transforms into a parade of juicy abundance: tomatoes so ripe they barely hold themselves together, corn sweet enough to eat raw, and peaches that drip down your wrist and don’t care who sees. It’s a time when cooking often means not cooking—just slicing, sprinkling, and assembling, because why mess with perfection? This is the season of rosé in sweating glasses, of smoky ribs and chilled melon, of big leafy salads that crunch like applause. It’s when even the most devout homebodies suddenly rediscover the pleasures of the picnic, and when dessert somehow always seems to include berries or a scoop of something frozen. But summer is more than just a menu—it’s a mood. It’s the clink of ice in a tall glass, the flutter of a linen napkin in a breeze, and the sound of laughter drifting over a garden wall. It’s the sweet ache of nostalgia mixed with sunscreen and sea salt, and the knowledge that some of life’s best moments are the simplest ones. Here on The Amiable Gourmand, summer means celebrating all that: the flavors, the feelings, and the stories we tell around the table. So pull up a chair, pour something fizzy, and let’s savor the season together.