Beer Can Chicken with B'Cubs® Voodoo Peanut Sauce

Beer can chicken is already one of the best ways to cook a whole bird outdoors. Propped upright over a can of beer, the chicken steams from the inside while the outside gets crispy and flavorful. Coat that bird in B'Cubs® Voodoo Peanut Sauce before it goes on and you have something worth talking about. The sauce builds a rich, caramelized crust over the cook while the beer keeps the meat juicy all the way through.

Because the peanut sauce has natural oils, peanut butter, and sugars, you need indirect heat the whole time. No direct flame under the bird. Keep temps between 325 and 350°F and let it ride.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings | Chicken size: 4 to 5 lbs | Seasoning time: 1 to 12 hours | Cook time: 75 to 105 minutes | Rest time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken (4 to 5 lbs)
• 1 can (12 oz) Shiner Bock or mild lager
• 2 bottles B'Cubs® Voodoo Peanut Sauce, Original, Medium, or Hot (one for the cook, one for the table). Grab the 2-Pack and you are set.

Simple BBQ Rub

• 2 tsp sweet paprika
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 3/4 tsp coarse-ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander

No sugar or cayenne in the rub. The Voodoo Peanut Sauce brings both the sweetness and the heat. Adding sugar to the rub would make the outside more likely to burn.

Best Beer to Use

Shiner Bock is the best fit for this recipe. Its mild, malty flavor complements the peanut sauce and smoke without the sharp bitterness of a heavily hopped IPA. It also keeps the recipe tied to its Texas BBQ roots. Two tablespoons of beer get mixed directly into the first sauce coat, so that malty flavor reaches the chicken.

A light lager, amber lager, or Mexican-style lager also works. Avoid IPAs, strongly flavored craft beers, and heavy stouts.

Instructions

1. Season the chicken: Remove the neck and giblets. Trim any large pieces of loose fat around the cavity and pat the chicken completely dry with paper towels. Do not rinse. Combine all rub ingredients and season the chicken evenly on the outside, inside the cavity, and under the skin over the breasts. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 1 hour, or up to 12 hours for better seasoning and drier skin.
2. Set up the cooker: Preheat to 350°F and maintain between 325 and 350°F throughout the cook.
   • Smoker: Place the chicken where it receives even heat with no direct flame underneath. Pecan is the preferred wood. Apple or cherry also works. Use wood lightly so smoke does not overpower the sauce.
   • Gas grill: Turn off the burner directly beneath the chicken and use the outside burners to maintain temperature.
   • Charcoal grill: Bank coals to one or both sides and place a drip pan in the open area beneath the chicken.
3. Prepare the beer and sauce: Open the beer and pour out about half, leaving 6 oz in the can. Mix 2 tablespoons of the poured beer with 1/4 cup Voodoo Peanut Sauce from the first bottle. This is the thin first coat. Pour about 1/3 cup from the same bottle into a separate clean bowl for the final glaze. Use the second bottle warmed at the table for serving. Use separate brushes for the first coat and the final glaze. Discard anything that touches raw chicken.
4. Apply the first sauce coat: Remove the chicken from the refrigerator while the cooker finishes heating. Brush the outside with a thin, even coat of the beer-thinned sauce. Do not apply a heavy layer or leave thick pockets on the wings or legs. The goal is a light layer of Voodoo flavor set into the skin, not a thick coat that will scorch.
5. Place the chicken on the beer can: Set the half-full beer can in a sturdy beer can chicken holder. Lower the chicken over the can so it fits securely inside the cavity. Pull the legs slightly forward for support and tuck the wing tips behind the back. A purpose-built holder is strongly recommended to keep the chicken and hot beer stable.
6. Cook over indirect heat: Place the upright chicken over the drip pan or indirect zone. Close the lid and maintain 325 to 350°F. Do not open the lid for the first 45 minutes. At 45 minutes, rotate the chicken 180 degrees if one side is browning faster. Begin checking internal temperature at 60 minutes.

   Chicken size	Glaze time	Total cook time
   4 lbs	60 to 70 min	75 to 90 min
   4 1/2 lbs	70 to 80 min	85 to 100 min
   5 lbs	75 to 85 min	90 to 105 min

   Cook time is a guide. Internal temperature determines when the chicken is ready.

7. Add the final glaze: When the breast reaches 150 to 155°F and the thigh reaches 160 to 165°F, brush the chicken generously with the reserved full-strength Voodoo Peanut Sauce. Close the lid and cook another 15 to 20 minutes until the breast hits 165°F and the thigh hits 175°F. If the breast finishes before the thigh, loosely cover the breast with foil and keep cooking. If the glaze gets too dark, tent the whole chicken with foil.
8. Rest and carve: Carefully remove the chicken and holder from the cooker. Let it rest upright for 10 minutes. Wearing heat-resistant gloves, lift the chicken off the holder. The can and remaining beer will be extremely hot. Carve and serve with the second bottle of Voodoo Peanut Sauce warmed separately.

Serve it With

This chicken pairs great alongside our Texas Honey Mustard Slaw or the Sweet Corn and Edamame Skillet for a full backyard spread.

Tips

• Keep the lid closed as much as possible. Every peek adds time.
• Do not let the cooker climb above 350°F. The sauce will scorch.
• Keep the first coat thin. Save the heavy, sticky glaze for the final 15 to 20 minutes.
• For this recipe we recommend Original, Medium, or Hot. All three work great here.
• Pecan smoke gives the chicken a Texas BBQ character without covering up the sauce.
• Always cook to internal temperature, not time alone.
• Serve with grilled corn, smoked potatoes, coleslaw, rice, or roasted vegetables.

One bottle for the cook, one for the table. Grab the B'Cubs® Voodoo Peanut Sauce 2-Pack and you are set.

Getcha Some and Stay Saucy!