Beer Butt Birds

One of my family's favorite items from the smoker. The Jamison’s refer to it as Chicken on a Throne, my kids simply call it Beer Butt Chicken. But by any other name the meat would still be as sweet. It’s a technique for preparing fowl in the smoker that goes back as long as my South Carolina-based clan can remember, and call it what you wish it’s still the best smoked-on-the-outside, steamed-on-the-inside bird you’ll ever flop your lips over.

Give it a try!

The night before you’re going to smoke the birds rub ‘em down, inside and out, with your favorite dry rub, place them in plastic bags and refrigerate them. Remove the birds from the fridge as you prepare the smoker so that they can warm a bit.  Open yourself a 12 ounce can of beer (one beer for each chicken to be smoked.) Drink one-half, and only one-half, of each beer. Finally use a can opener to remove the top of each one-half beer, and add to each a teaspoon or so of the dry rub used on the birds.

When ready for the smoker insert the beer can into the cavities of the bird, balancing them so that they stand upright in the smoker on the can and their two legs (like a tripod.) The insides will steam and the outsides will smoke.

A three and a half pound chicken will take about 3½ to 4 hours at ~200 degrees. When they are done they will totally convince your guests that you’re not nuts after all (make sure that the guests are around when these puppies are uncovered in the smoker – you won’t believe the comments. “Martha! Come here, you gotta see this!”)

Good luck!