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–+ servings
Beer can chicken with golden crispy skin and seasoning cooking upright on a barbecue grill grate

Injected Beer Can Chicken

Injected beer can chicken built around a beer-butter marinade for juicy, deeply seasoned meat with crispy mahogany skin. Cooked upright at 350°F until 165°F internal.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Resting Time 10 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 5 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, BBQ
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

The Bird
  • 1 whole chicken 4–5 lbs
  • poultry seasoning your favorite, enough to coat
The Can
  • 8 oz beer remaining in the can, for steam
Beer Butter Injection
  • 8 oz beer the other half of the can
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp chipotle powder

Equipment

  • Meat Injector
  • Smoker or grill
  • Instant-Read Thermometer
  • Small Saucepan
  • Aluminum Drip Pan

Method
 

Phase 1 — Injection & Prep
  1. Combine 8 oz beer, butter, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and chipotle powder in a small saucepan over low heat. Warm until the butter fully melts and ingredients are incorporated. Cool to warm, not hot.
  2. Load the warm injection into a meat injector. Inject the chicken evenly through both breasts, thighs, and drumsticks. Hit each muscle group from multiple angles so the marinade spreads throughout the meat.
  3. Season the entire exterior generously with poultry seasoning. Cover the breasts, thighs, drumsticks, and back. Press the rub gently into the skin so it sticks during the cook.
Phase 2 — Cook & Rest
  1. Open the beer can with the remaining 8 oz still inside and stand it upright. Slide the chicken cavity over the can so the bird forms a tripod with the two drumsticks.
  2. Set the smoker or grill for indirect heat at 350°F. Place the chicken upright on the grates. Cook until the thickest part of the breast reaches 165°F internal, about 1.5 to 2 hours.
  3. Carefully transfer the bird to a tray and rest at least 10 minutes before carving. The rest keeps the injected juices in the meat instead of on the cutting board.

Notes

Inject Cold: Pull the chicken straight from the fridge to inject. Cold flesh holds the marinade; warm meat lets it leak back out.
Probe Both Sides: Check the breast and the thigh joint. Breast at 165°F, thigh joint at 170–175°F for fully rendered dark meat.
Indirect Heat Only: Direct flame under the bird burns the bottom before the top is rendered. Run a two-zone setup.

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