Beer Can Chicken — The Only Thing Better Than Ribs at a Fourth of July Cookout

Fourth of July. Same as last year — home, yard, ribs, family. Some things don't need to change. Some things are perfect in their repetition, like the chorus of a hymn you've sung a hundred times and still feel in your chest.

I made the ribs again — same dry rub, same low and slow on the charcoal grill, same Earl in his lawn chair calling instructions like he's directing air traffic. Denise and Robert came with the kids. Kayla came. Earl Jr. and Carolyn drove down — Marcus and Tasha are on their honeymoon in the Bahamas, which is where young people go when they get married now because apparently Savannah isn't tropical enough. I went to Tybee Island for my honeymoon in 1976 and I thought I was fancy. Different times.

Monique is fourteen now and she asked to help me at the grill. I gave her the tongs and showed her how to check the ribs — you press the meat with your finger and if it gives but doesn't fall apart, it's ready. If it's stiff, it needs more time. If it falls off the bone before you touch it, you've gone too far. She pressed the meat with her finger, careful and precise, and she said, "Like this?" and I said, "Exactly like that." She flipped the ribs. They were perfect. Monique has kitchen hands. She has teaching hands too, because next year she'll be in high school and she still wants to be a teacher, and I believe her because when a child says the same thing for three years running, they mean it.

Andre is eleven and he set off a firework in the driveway that went sideways and hit Mr. Johnson's mailbox. The mailbox is fine. Mr. Johnson is fine. Andre is grounded, though Robert gave him a look that suggested he was also slightly impressed. Boys. I raised two of them and I helped raise one more and I still don't understand how they survive to adulthood. It's a miracle of biology and maternal vigilance.

After the fireworks — the real ones, from downtown, visible over the trees — Earl fell asleep in his chair and I sat beside him and ate watermelon and watched the last sparklers burn down to nothing. The air smelled like gunpowder and charcoal and bug spray, and the neighborhood was noisy with celebration, and I thought: this is America to me. Not the flag. Not the speeches. A yard with ribs and family and a man I love sleeping in a lawn chair. That's my country.

Now go on and feed somebody.

Now, the ribs are my star every Fourth — always have been, always will be — but if you’re feeding a yard full of family, you need more than one act. This Beer Can Chicken has been my second-in-command at every cookout since Denise first brought the idea home from a church potluck years ago. Same charcoal grill, same dry rub philosophy — season it right, cook it slow, and let the smoke do the talking. While Monique was learning the tongs on those ribs, this chicken was sitting right next to them, doing its quiet, beautiful work.

Beer Can Chicken

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken (4 to 5 pounds), giblets removed
• 1 can (12 oz) beer (lager or pale ale works best)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

Instructions

1. Mix the dry rub. In a small bowl, combine paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt, and dried thyme. Stir until evenly blended.
2. Prep the chicken. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Rub olive oil all over the outside and inside of the chicken. Season generously with the dry rub, making sure to get it under the skin of the breast and thighs where you can.
3. Prep the beer can. Open the beer and pour out (or drink) about half of it. Using a can opener, punch two additional holes in the top of the can for extra steam.
4. Set up the grill. Prepare your charcoal grill for indirect heat by banking the coals to one side. You want the temperature to hold steady around 350°F. If using a gas grill, light one side and leave the other off.
5. Mount the chicken. Lower the chicken onto the beer can so the can fits snugly inside the cavity. The chicken should sit upright with the legs forming a tripod with the can for stability.
6. Grill low and slow. Place the chicken (on the can) on the cool side of the grill. Close the lid and cook for 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes, until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F. Do not open the lid more than necessary.
7. Rest and carve. Carefully remove the chicken and can from the grill using tongs and a sturdy spatula — the can and its liquid will be very hot. Let the chicken rest on a cutting board for 10 to 15 minutes before carefully lifting it off the can. Carve and serve.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 380 | Protein: 42g | Fat: 19g | Carbs: 4g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 980mg