What is the purpose of the beer can for grilling beer can chicken?

what is the purpose of having a can half full of beer in the cavity of the chicken when you grill? i want to try this out, but what is the purpose of the beer? does it really do anything to the flavor or what?|||a bit of flavor, but mostly for moisture. you get a great grill flavor without ending up with dry meat (which is common in grilled chicken)|||try this recipe. yummy!





Spice Rubbed Beer Can Chicken





Spice Rub:


2 tablespoons garlic powder


1 tablespoon ground cumin


1 tablespoon ground coriander


1 tablespoon paprika


1 tablespoon kosher salt


1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper


1 teaspoon cayenne pepper


1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil


1 lemon, zested


1 (3 1/2 to 4-pound) chicken


1 (12-ounce) can beer





Heat a gas or charcoal grill with a lid big enough to accommodate the bird. Put a drip pan below the grates.


Mix the ingredients for the Spice Rub until they are well blended. (This will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for 1 week.) Rub it all over the chicken, inside and out.





Open the beer and take a big swig or just pour out a couple of ounces. Sit the chicken on the beer can so the legs are at the bottom and the wings are at the top. Stand the beer can on the grates over the drip pan. Put the cover on and cook over indirect heat until the juices run clear, about 1 hour. (If using charcoal, push the coals to 1 side so the chicken is not over direct heat.)





Note: This chicken can also be cooked in a 350 degrees F oven. Just stand the beer can in a shallow roasting pan and cook about 1 hour or until juices run clear.|||Oh beer can chicken is so delicious. The beer does absolutely give the chicken flavor, how it works is you empty the can half way so when the beer starts heating up and expanding it does over flow you just want the beer can to heat up and evaporate the beer, and the chicken catches the fumes. Just make sure the chicken is upright when you do it. It taste so good you will love it.|||It keeps it really moist. It doesn't have to be a beer can. It can be a coke can. Put what you want in the can, beer or wine, broth or whatever. You can inject your chicken before or put a rub on it or just baste it with butter %26amp; spices, BBQ sauce or whatever you feel like.|||it gives it some flavor, but it mostly keeps the chicken moist. and it keeps the chicken off the direct heat of the grill.|||yes the chicken acually does absorb the flavor and the moisture helps to keep the meat juicy my favorite "beer can chicken" is acually made with Dr Pepper instead of beer|||the beer adds flavor and moisture to the inside of the bird. the can conducts heat and cooks the bird from the inside out.|||I heard it keeps the chicken moist and adds great flavor.