This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
This smoked beer can chicken is coated in a rich garlic herb butter and cooked low and slow on the Traeger until juicy with perfectly crisp skin. The drippings get turned into a savory beer and garlic butter gravy that’s every bit as good as the chicken itself.
It’s an easy, flavor-packed recipe that works on any smoker or grill. The chicken stays moist, the gravy captures all that smoky richness, and dinner feels like something special. Serve it with fried potatoes and Brussels with carrots.
Smoking a beer can chicken on a pellet grill takes a roasted chicken to a whole new level of deliciousness.
Here is Why This Traeger Beer Can Chicken Recipe Works
Smoky, juicy flavor. Slow cooking at 225°F gives the chicken time to soak up that rich, wood-fired taste while keeping the meat tender and moist.
Crispy skin finish. A quick blast of higher heat at the end crisps the skin and caramelizes the garlic butter.
Built-in basting. As the garlic herb butter melts, it drips down the chicken, keeping it juicy and flavorful from the inside out.
Steam from the can. The beer (or wine) in the can heats up, releasing steam that infuses the chicken with subtle flavor and locks in moisture.
Drippings turned gravy. Those buttery, smoky drippings combine with beer and pan juices to make an easy, flavorful gravy right in the pan.
If you like this recipe, try our roasted turkey breast or baked chicken quarters.
Here is What you Need
Here is a list of the ingredients and supplies you will need for smoking a beer can chicken. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details.
You will need an outdoor grill with a smoker. We used a Traeger pellet grill, but you can use a grill with an offset smoker as we did in our smoked prime rib.
If you don’t have a pellet grill or an offset smoker, you can place a smoke tube on your grill.
It is also helpful (but not necessary) if you have a beer can chicken rack.
Ingredients for the Traeger beer can chicken:
- Whole chicken. Get a chicken that weighs about 4 pounds. This recipe will work with a bigger chicken if your pellet grill is large enough.
- A full beer can. You can also use a wine can.
- Fresh lemon or lime. The fresh citrus compliments the beer or wine and adds excellent flavor to the sauce.
- A few sprigs of fresh herbs. We used sage, rosemary, and thyme.
- A beer can roasting rack. You can smoke the chicken without the rack but the rack makes it much easier and prevents the chicken from falling over.
- Garlic and herb butter. We combined fresh garlic, herbs, butter, and olive oil to rub all over the chicken. The olive oil makes the butter easier to spread.
- Flour and butter. Mash up some flour and butter into a thick paste. The paste is called a Beurre Manie, which we use to thicken the sauce.
How to Make a Smoked Beer Can Chicken
Here is a brief overview to get an idea of what to expect with this pellet grill recipe. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for all the details.
Make the herbed garlic butter. We used fresh herbs, but dried herbs will also work. You can even add dried garlic as we did in our garlic butter sauce.
Smear the garlic butter under the skin and outside of the chicken. Stuff the chicken with herbs and lemon wedges.
Set a roasting rack in a pie dish and pour some beer (or wine) into the dish, then place the beer can (or wine can) in the center of the rack.
Place the chicken over the beer can and transfer it to the pellet grill.
Smoke the chicken over low heat and use the beer and drippings in the pan to baste the chicken.
Slide the smoked chicken off the roasting rack and place the pie dish (with the drippings) in the fridge to solidify the fat. Skim the chilled, fat off the surface of the drippings.
Scrape the fat off the top of the pan of drippings, then pour the juices into a saucepan.
Make a paste with flour and butter. Bring the juices to a simmer and whisk the butter paste into the drippings.
More Grilling Recipes
- Smoked Whole Chicken
- Grilled Chicken Breast
- Sake Marinated Grilled Ribeye Steak
- Cedar Planked Salmon with Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
- 35 Grill Master Traeger Recipes
Recipe Tips
Boost the smoke flavor. For a stronger smoky taste, use a smoke tube or turn on the Super Smoke function if your smoker has it.
Finish hot for crispy skin. Increasing the heat near the end of cooking gives the chicken darker, crispier skin and a caramelized finish.
Adjust for size. Larger chickens take longer to cook. Always go by internal temperature. Remove the bird when the breast reaches 160°F and let carryover cooking finish the rest.
Stick with a beer can. A bottle is too tall and won’t allow steam to circulate properly inside the chicken.
No rack? No problem. If you don’t have a beer can roasting rack, prop the chicken up tripod-style on its legs over the can for balance.
Works on any grill. Pellet grills make it easy to manage temperature and smoke, but you can use a gas or charcoal grill with a smoke tube. Aim to keep the temperature around 225°F.
Fresh or dried herbs. If you’re using dried herbs in the garlic butter, use about half the amount called for fresh.
Smoking a beer can chicken is a great way to get evenly cooked, moist, and flavorful chicken every time. Using a Traeger or any pellet grill makes it easy to maintain the temperature and smoke.
The chicken comes out super juicy and full of flavor and the gravy is flavored with smoky chicken drippings, beer, and garlic butter. It’s the perfect finishing touch to this already amazing dish!
Pin this now to find it later!
Pin It
Smoked Beer Can Chicken
If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment.
Ingredients
Garlic Herb Butter
- 8 tablespoons butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 to 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary, or dried
- 1 tablespoon Fresh thyme, or dried
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage, or dried
- 1 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
For the Beer Can Chicken
- 1 whole chicken, 3½ to 4 pounds
- 1 beer can, or use a wine can
- 1 lemon, or lime cut into quarters
- 2 to 3 sprigs of fresh rosemary, or sage, or both
- 1 stainless steel beer can roasting rack
For the Gravy
- 1 cup drippings from the pan
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons butter
Instructions
Make the Garlic Herb Butter
- Preheat the Traeger to 225°F.
- Combine all the ingredients for the garlic herb butter in a small dish.
Make the Beer Can Chicken
- Remove the chicken giblets and any globs of fat from around the cavity and discard them.
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and slide an upside-down spoon under the skin to loosen the skin. Slather half of the garlic butter under the skin, then smear the rest over the chicken's surface.
- Insert a couple of lemon or lime wedges and some herb sprigs inside the main cavity of the chicken. Place a roasting rack in a pie dish and pour 1/3 cup of the beer into the dish. Set the can of beer in the roasting rack and ease the chicken over the can. Insert the remaining lemon or lime quarters in the neck cavity. Tuck the wings behind the back.
- Place the chicken on the grill and close the lid. Cook for 2½ to 3 hours basting the chicken intermittently. When a meat thermometer reads 145°F, turn the grill up to 450°F and continue to cook the chicken until it reads 160°F.
- When the temperature is 160°F, remove the chicken from the Traeger, tent it with foil and let it rest for 10 minutes. The temperature will continue to climb to 165°F.
- Use hot pads to remove the chicken from the rack and slide the beer can out.
Make the Sauce
- Place the pie plate with the drippings in the fridge for 15 to 20 minutes to get the fat to solidify. Scrape the fat layer off the top of the drippings and pour 1 cup of the drippings into a saucepan.
- Smash 3 tablespoons each of butter and flour in a dish until it looks like a smooth, thick paste (this is called a Beurre Manie, and it is a quick way to thicken sauce and gravy).
- Bring the drippings in the pan to a simmer over medium-high heat. Add about half of the flour and butter mixture to the sauce and whisk until it dissolves. Continue stirring for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly. If you like a thicker sauce, add the rest of the Beurre Manie and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
It’s been a long time since I’ve made beer can chicken! This looks terrific — loving the gravy. Good stuff — thanks.
It’s a great idea putting beer can, lemon, fresh herbs, and also wine on your roasted chicken. Your roasted chicken will be tasty as it was. Making a recipe like this will amaze your friends and visitors of what seasonings you put or add to make its taste really good.
Thank you. 🙂
That’s a beautiful chicken. I must get one of those gadgets because I want a chicken that looks that good!
Thank you, Maureen…it was an easy roasting.
I’ve been wanting to do this roasting method. It looks delicious!
Thanks, Norma…it was delicious and really moist. I hope you try it out. 🙂
What a fabulous fun recipe! I’ve heard of beer can chicken but never tried it….didn’t know you had to have a special apparatus for it either! I’m not a beer fan either but wine? Oh ya, I like me some wine!
Oh, yes! Thanks, Kathi, it was a fun one and it was nice and moist with subtle flavors of wine and herbs. I hope you try it.