Meat:

Perdue Young Chicken

Dry Rub:

Traeger Garlic/Chili Pepper

Wood: 

Hickory Pellets

Paired with:

Willett Straight Family Release Small Batch Rye

109.8 proof

One of my absolute smokin staples is Beer Can Chicken. Best part, it only takes a couple of hours from start to finish. For anyone reading who hasn’t tried this method of cooking chicken, it’s extremely simple, take a 5-7 pound whole young chicken, pull out the giblets bag, drink half a beer of your choice and insert the chicken onto said beer can. I’ll serve this two ways: Traditionally where I slice it into individual cuts (breast, wing, thigh & leg) or pulled chicken style. If I’m doing traditional I’ll usually inject with a combo of butter and chicken stock to add flavor and moisture thoughout the meat. If I’m doing pulled chicken, after I pull all the meat off the bone, I will add extra rub and butter then mix it all together. 

I went traditional this round and paired with Willett Small Batch Rye. I loved this pairing! The spicy cherry and rye flavors I got from the Willett really complimented the mellowness of the buttery and hickory smoke taste of the meat. The spicy nature of the rye whiskey with the smoke took the finish to the next level! It’s still lingering as I write this. Honestly I thought, what would go better with beer can chicken than beer? Well, I think I found a new favorite. Cheers!

Photo Courtesy of Matthew Kohorst