Chicken On-A-Can w/smoke
Summary:
I’ve added a Brine option (Bobby Flay). Doing this first really helps keep the breast meat moist with the added benefit of very moist meat on day two for leftovers. 4-6 hours brine followed by 4 hours resting in fridge on a rack for the skin to dry a bit.
About the can: it really doesn’t do much, if any, in the way of adding flavor. The key is getting the bird to stand up. These days, I just use the holder and forget the can entirely.
Ingredients:
Brine:
1/2 cup kosher salt
6 cups water
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup clover honey
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
8 large sprigs fresh rosemary
4 cloves garlic, smashed
4 cups ice cubes
Rub:
2 tsp kosher salt, OMIT IF BRINED
2 tsp paprika, I use Hungarian
2 tsp rosemary, finely chopped
2 tsp thyme, dried (usually use powdered)
1 whole lemon zest - very important don't leave out, zest the whole lemon
1 tsp black pepper, coarsely ground
Ingredients:
4 1/2 lb whole chicken
2 tsp olive oil
What's in the Can: if you must.... we don't anymore
1/2 can beer
2 sprigs rosemary
1 tsp thyme - ground or powdered
1 juice of whole lemon
2 cloves garlic - smashed
1/2 tbs red pepper flakes
Directions:
1. If you must, prepare the can. I use a wire holder that will also hold a can. I won’t really say using the can is necessary. I’ve done it without and its fine.
2. Rub Prep Place the ingredients in a small bowl and mix - double the recipe if doing two chickens.
3. Light a smoker tube to get it going with enough pellets to keep burning 1 hour and place on grill in the indirect heated area. Light the grill and wait until it reaches 350º.
4. Chicken Prep: Dissolve all the brine ingredients thoroughly in a 2.5 gal zip-lok bag, place the chicken in it and brine the bird for 4-6 hours in the fridge. Next remove the chicken, rinse well, pat dry and place a wire rack in a pan to dry in the fridge for 4 hours. Remove from fridge. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat. Lightly rub the outside of the chicken all over with olive oil. Rub the spice mixture under loosened skin, in the body cavity and over the skin. Tuck the wing tips behind the chicken's back. Holding chicken upright with the body cavity facing down, either insert onto an upright holder.
5. Make a square tray with sides out of aluminum foil to contain the drippings (saves the grill) and place the chicken on it in a pre-heated grill (325-350º) - indirect heat method (not directly over a lit burner). Cover and grill until juices run clear and the internal temperature registers 165º in the breast and 175º in the thickest part of the thigh, usually about 1 hour to 1hr-20m, but depends on the size of the bird.
NOTE: Keep grill temp at 325-350ºƒ. Make sure to start checking the chicken IT at 45 minutes.
6. Lift chicken slightly using tongs, place spatula under it. Carefully lift chicken and holder, place on a cutting board. Gently lift chicken using tongs or insulated rubber gloves; remove holder from cavity and discard the can if used. Let stand 5-10 minutes before carving.
Summary:
I’ve added a Brine option (Bobby Flay). Doing this first really helps keep the breast meat moist with the added benefit of very moist meat on day two for leftovers. 4-6 hours brine followed by 4 hours resting in fridge on a rack for the skin to dry a bit.
About the can: it really doesn’t do much, if any, in the way of adding flavor. The key is getting the bird to stand up. These days, I just use the holder and forget the can entirely.
Ingredients:
Brine:
1/2 cup kosher salt
6 cups water
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup clover honey
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
8 large sprigs fresh rosemary
4 cloves garlic, smashed
4 cups ice cubes
Rub:
2 tsp kosher salt, OMIT IF BRINED
2 tsp paprika, I use Hungarian
2 tsp rosemary, finely chopped
2 tsp thyme, dried (usually use powdered)
1 whole lemon zest - very important don't leave out, zest the whole lemon
1 tsp black pepper, coarsely ground
Ingredients:
4 1/2 lb whole chicken
2 tsp olive oil
What's in the Can: if you must.... we don't anymore
1/2 can beer
2 sprigs rosemary
1 tsp thyme - ground or powdered
1 juice of whole lemon
2 cloves garlic - smashed
1/2 tbs red pepper flakes
Directions:
1. If you must, prepare the can. I use a wire holder that will also hold a can. I won’t really say using the can is necessary. I’ve done it without and its fine.
2. Rub Prep Place the ingredients in a small bowl and mix - double the recipe if doing two chickens.
3. Light a smoker tube to get it going with enough pellets to keep burning 1 hour and place on grill in the indirect heated area. Light the grill and wait until it reaches 350º.
4. Chicken Prep: Dissolve all the brine ingredients thoroughly in a 2.5 gal zip-lok bag, place the chicken in it and brine the bird for 4-6 hours in the fridge. Next remove the chicken, rinse well, pat dry and place a wire rack in a pan to dry in the fridge for 4 hours. Remove from fridge. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breast and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat. Lightly rub the outside of the chicken all over with olive oil. Rub the spice mixture under loosened skin, in the body cavity and over the skin. Tuck the wing tips behind the chicken's back. Holding chicken upright with the body cavity facing down, either insert onto an upright holder.
5. Make a square tray with sides out of aluminum foil to contain the drippings (saves the grill) and place the chicken on it in a pre-heated grill (325-350º) - indirect heat method (not directly over a lit burner). Cover and grill until juices run clear and the internal temperature registers 165º in the breast and 175º in the thickest part of the thigh, usually about 1 hour to 1hr-20m, but depends on the size of the bird.
NOTE: Keep grill temp at 325-350ºƒ. Make sure to start checking the chicken IT at 45 minutes.
6. Lift chicken slightly using tongs, place spatula under it. Carefully lift chicken and holder, place on a cutting board. Gently lift chicken using tongs or insulated rubber gloves; remove holder from cavity and discard the can if used. Let stand 5-10 minutes before carving.
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