beer can

Beer Can Cornish Hen

Cornish Hens

brown sugar

tbsp salt

tbsp ancho chile powder

tbsp hot smoked paprika

tsp cumin

garlic powder

onion powder

8 oz or 12 oz beer

The remainder of the beer after cooking the hens

butter

tsp ancho chile powder

tbsp minced cilantro

tsp fresh squeezed lime juice

salt and pepper

Add all dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir with a wire whisk to evenly combine.  Coat each game hen evenly with the dry rub inside and out, making sure to push rub into any crevices and openings in the hens. Allow the game hens to brine in the refrigerator for 24 hours before cooking.Pop the top of each beer can, pour out about half of the beer and place the game hens aboard.  Cook in a 350 degree oven for 40 - 50 minutes, until the hens reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees.  Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

You can make the sauce two ways.  If you are using a mild beer you can add the butter and lime juice through the beer can opening shaking a little to combine, then pour over the hens and serve topped with cilantro.  I used a pretty strong pilsner and it was a little bitter to my liking for a sauce, so I poured the remaining beer content into a skillet, reduced it by about half to get rid of the bitterness, added the butter and lime juice then  poured that over each hen before serving.

Smoked beer can chicken is even better when stuffed with fresh herbs to flavor the bird from the inside out.

Guinness Smoked Beer Can Chicken

chicken

Guinness beer

tbsp Chicken rub

herbs (rosemary, sage, oregano, parsley)

Vegetable oil

heat grill

Heat Grill: Heat the smoker to 225F degrees with an indirect heat zone with hickory and apple wood chips or pellets.

prep can

Prep Can: Empty a soda or beer can. Refill it with Guinness. Place the can in a beer can chicken roaster rack.

season

Season: Remove the chicken from the packaging. Remove the inner organs. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with the rub. Place the chicken cavity over the can. Fill the can with stems of fresh herbs.

smoke

Smoke: Smoke over indirect heat for about 3 hours or until the thigh meat reaches an internal temperature of 155F degrees.

crisp

Crisp: Increase the grill temperature to 325F degrees. Brush the bird with vegetable oil. Continue cooking until the skin gets crispy and the meat registers at 170F degrees.

serve

Serve: Remove from the grill. Rest for 10-15 minutes. Slice and serve.

Top 2 beer can recipes from across the web

The most viewed beer can recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Beer Can Cornish Hen

Guinness Smoked Beer Can Chicken

Top 2 beer can recipes from across the web

The most viewed beer can recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Beer Can Cornish Hen

Guinness Smoked Beer Can Chicken

The most viewed beer can recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine