Beer Can Chicken

Beer Can Chicken

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients
1 4-pound whole chicken
2 Tbsp olive oil or other vegetable oil
1 opened, half-full can of beer, room temperature
1 Tbsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp chopped thyme
1 Tbsp chopped rosemary
1 Tbsp black pepper

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350F

Remove neck and giblets from cavity of chicken, if the chicken came with them. Rub the chicken all over with olive oil. Mix the salt, pepper, thyme, rosemary in a little bowl, then sprinkle it all over the chicken.

Make sure the beer can is open, and only half-filled with beer. If you want, you can put a sprig of thyme or rosemary in the beer can. Lower the chicken on to the open can, so that the chicken is sitting upright, with the can in its cavity. Place the chicken in a roasting pan.

Cook 1 hour. After an hour, check the chicken every 15 minutes or so, until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 160°F - 165°F. The total cooking time will vary depending on the size of your chicken. A 4 lb chicken will usually take around 1 1/2 hours. If you don't have a meat thermometer, a way to tell if the chicken is done is to poke it deeply with a knife (the thigh is a good place to do this), if the juices run clear, not pink, the chicken is done.

Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes. Carefully lift the chicken off of the can. If it gets stuck, lay the chicken on its side, and pull out the can with tongs.