Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 1 (3 1/2 lb) chicken
- Goose fat (preferred) Duck Fat (ok) or Peanut or grapeseed oil (acceptable), to coat chicken before applying dry rub
- Touch of liquid smoke – maybe 1/8 teaspoon or so
- ***
- FOR THE MARINADE:
- 1 (12 ounce) can dark beer
- 1/3 cup Dijon mustard
- 1/3 cup soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 medium onion, chopped fine
- 4 cloves garlic, crushed (+ 3 more crushed for use in beer can)
- 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- ***
- FOR THE DRY RUB:
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 2 teaspoons coarse salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon cajun spice blend
- 1/2 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons dried thyme, rubbed between the palms
- 1 tablespoon dried Summer Savory, rubbed between the palms
- 1 large can of dark beer (I prefer Guinness) for inserting into the chicken (see important modification note in text above!)
Instructions
- Make the marinade by combining all marinade ingredients: whisk well to mix.
- Remove and discard any giblets and fat just inside the body and neck cavities.
- Rinse the chicken inside and out under cold running water, then drain and blot dry inside and out with a paper towel.
- Place chicken with the marinade inside a large resealable plastic freezer bag and marinate in the refrigerator at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, turning the bird several times to marinate evenly.
- Make the rub by combining all rub ingredients; set aside.
- Open the beer can and drink half. Just because.
- Remove the chicken from the bag with the marinade.
- Discard marinade.
- Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the dry rub inside the neck cavity of the bird and 2 teaspoons inside the cavity itself.
- Massage the liquid smoke, then the fat or oil all over the outside of the bird – then rub dry rub all over the skin.
- Spoon any remaining dry rub into the half-filled can of beer + 3 remaining crushed cloves of garlic (beer may foam, which is normal).
- Using a church key can opener, make 2 additional holes in the top of the can.
- Hold the bird upright, with the opening of the body cavity at the bottom, and lower it onto the beer can (see above for recipe change!) so the can fits into the body cavity.
- Pull the legs forward to form a tripod, so the bird stands upright (the rear leg of the tripod is the beer can).
- Tuck the tips of the wings behind the chicken’s back.
- Stick the bird inside a pre-heated oven set to Broil for 7 minutes.
- Reduce heat to 350 and cook for a total time of no more than 2 hours. Cook until chicken skin is dark golden brown and the meat is cooked through.
- Use an instant reading meat thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the thigh, not touching bone; chicken is done when the meat thermometer is 165°F If chicken skin starts to brown too much, loosely tent the bird with aluminum foil.
- When done, remove bird and let it rest, standing on a platter at room temperature, about 5 minutes. Lift chicken off the can, taking care not to spill hot beer. To serve, cut chicken in half or quarters.
- Prep Time: 0 hours
- Cook Time: 0 hours
