Cooking beer can chicken on your grill or smoker is a great way to make a tasty and juicy roasted chicken. However getting crispy skin can be tricky when using the beer can method. With a few simple tricks, you can get a beautifully browned and crispy skin on your beer can chicken every time.
Why Getting Crispy Skin Can Be Difficult
Normally when roasting a whole chicken, the hot dry air of the oven helps crisp up and brown the skin. However, with beer can chicken, the chicken is sitting upright on the can over indirect heat. This means that the skin isn’t directly exposed to the high heat necessary to crisp it up.
Additionally, the steam from the beer in the can helps keep the meat very moist and juicy. But unfortunately, this moisture makes getting super crispy skin even more challenging.
Elevate the Chicken Above the Can
One of the best things you can do is elevate the chicken up off the beer can a bit. This allows more hot air to circulate completely around the bird and helps dry out and crisp up the skin better.
Use a poultry stand, a vegetable grill rack, or even crumple up some aluminum foil to sit the chicken upright on the can. Raising it just an inch or two makes a big difference in allowing the skin to crisp up.
Pat the Skin Completely Dry
Before seasoning and cooking your chicken, make sure to pat the skin completely dry with paper towels Any excess moisture on the skin will steam and prevent it from getting crispy Pay extra attention to drying the skin on the underside of the chicken since that area tends to collect moisture.
Use Baking Powder
Baking powder is magical when it comes to getting chicken skin extra crispy. Simply sprinkle a light coating all over the skin before applying any oil or seasoning. Let it sit for up to an hour before grilling. The baking powder will help dehydrate the skin so it gets super crispy.
Oil the Skin Generously
Rubbing the skin all over with oil helps promote browning and crisping. Use a high smoke point oil like avocado, peanut, or grapeseed oil. The oil helps transfer heat efficiently to the skin and also seals in moisture under the skin. Avoid using too much oil though, as excess oil can make the skin soggy.
Grill Uncovered First
Try grilling your beer can chicken over direct heat uncovered for the first 20-30 minutes. This high initial heat helps render excess fat under the skin and dries the skin out.
Make sure to keep the breast meat facing the hotter side of the grill so it crisps up well. After the initial crisping, you can move it over indirect heat to finish cooking.
Finish Over Direct Heat
If after indirect cooking the skin still isn’t as crispy as you’d like, move the chicken over direct heat for the last 5-10 minutes of cooking. Watch it carefully to avoid burning. This final blast of heat helps further brown and crisp the skin right before serving.
Remove the Skin While Cooking
If you just can’t seem to get the skin crispy on the grill, you can carefully remove the entire skin once the meat reaches an internal temperature of 140°F.
Place the removed skin directly over the heat on a hot grill grate or pan to crisp up. Then return it to the chicken after cooking for serving.
Use a Poultry Shears
Poultry shears are great for getting into all the nooks and crannies when removing the skin from the meat. The sharper the shears, the cleaner you can cut the skin away without tearing the meat.
Make sure to thoroughly sanitize the shears after using to avoid cross-contamination. And be extremely careful when handling very hot chicken skin straight off the grill.
Let It Rest Before Serving
Be sure to let your chicken rest at least 5-10 minutes once removed from the heat. This allows moisture to redistribute so you don’t lose those delicious juices when carving.
Resting also allows the skin to continue crisping up a bit more after cooking. Just be sure not to let it sit too long or the skin can start to soften.
Use a Crisping Basket
Specialty crisping baskets or racks can help ensure a super crispy skin all over. The mesh design allows for maximum airflow and heat transfer to the skin’s surface.
Simply place the chicken in the basket upright over the beer can on the grill. These baskets can be used along with all the other crisping methods for best results.
Maintain High Grill Temps
Getting the skin crispy requires high, sustained heat on the grill. Make sure to preheat your grill or smoker fully to achieve temperatures between 375-450°F. Use an instant read thermometer to check the actual temps.
Opening the grill repeatedly causes heat loss so try to peek only when necessary. Burning extra wood, charcoal, or turning up the heat on a gas grill can help compensate when needed.
Don’t Use Too Much Beer
While the beer in the can adds lots of flavor, too much can make the skin soggy. Only fill the can about halfway with beer or omit it altogether. Replacing it with wine, broth, or just using an empty can works great.
Apply a Dry Rub
Using a dry seasoning rub all over the skin helps draw out moisture for improved crispiness. Look for rubs without much sugar, which can lead to burning or skin sticking to the grill grate.
Simple dried herbs and spices like garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, and chili powder work wonderfully.
Spray With Oil and Vinegar
Misting the skin periodically while grilling with an equal parts oil and vinegar spray helps promote even browning and crisping. The vinegar helps break down the skin while the oil crisps it up.
Use high smoke point oils like avocado, grapeseed or olive oil. And be sure to spray just a light coating to avoid overly soggy skin.
Deep Frying for Maximum Crispness
Nothing gets skin crispier than deep frying! If you just can’t seem to get the skin crispy enough with other methods, you can actually deep fry the chicken skin after removing it from the meat.
Fry small pieces at around 375°F just until crispy, about 2-3 minutes. Drain on paper towels before enjoying these irresistibly crunchy chicken cracklings.
Getting beautifully browned, crunchy skin on your beer can chicken just takes a little extra effort. Allowing for maximum air circulation, drying the skin well, using baking powder, and cranking up the heat are all effective ways to crisp up the skin. With the right techniques, you’ll have the best of both worlds – tender, juicy meat and an insanely crispy skin.
What is the best beer for beer can chicken recipes?
I like to keep it light and cheap when it comes to a beer can chicken recipe. Some people like to use Miller Light or Budweiser, but I am partial to my favorite inexpensive cans of beer like Montucky Cold Snack or PBR. Try to avoid beer with special flavorings like seasonal pumpkin beers or anything you wouldn’t want imparting its flavor on the chicken.
Beer Can Chicken Variations
- Change up the rub: The beer is really the star of the show here, so take the rub in any direction you want. Use a simple rub of brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and pepper. Change it up with other spices like cumin, coriander or turmeric, or add chopped fresh herbs like parsley, tarragon or oregano.
- Use a different beverage: You can still make this beer can chicken recipe on the grill without the beer itself! Try it with a cider, which goes great with chicken, or canned white wine. Or, use a nonalcoholic beer or another nonalcoholic beverage like coke, ginger ale or apple juice.
The Best Smoked Beer Can Chicken with Crispy Skin.
FAQ
How to get super crispy roast chicken skin?
- Dry the bird with paper towels, then roast.
- Rub with baking powder mixture.
- Air-dry for 24 hours.
- Air-dry and baste during roasting.
What is a good rub for beer can chicken?
Mix together brown sugar, dry mustard, granulated onion, paprika, kosher salt, garlic powder, coriander, cumin, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl until well combined. Store in an airtight container if not using right away.
Why didn’t my chicken skin get crispy?
The reason a chicken will come out of a roasting with rubbery skin is because of the moisture of the skin/chicken. The key is to managing the moisture before placing it in the oven. Too much (or any) moisture will steam the chicken instead of roasting it.