Preperation Time 45 Minutes Ingredients: 2 cups hickory or oak chips 2 (12-ounce cans beer plus additional, if needed 1/2 cup of your favorite barbecue rub 2 (3 1/2 to 4-pound) chickens, fat removed washed and blotted dry Place wood chips in bowl. Pop tab of each beer can, and make 2 additional holes in each top, using a church-key opener. Pour half the beer from each can over the chips. Add additional beer or water to cover the chips, soak them for 1 hour and drain. Set up grill for indirect grilling. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon barbeue rub in neck cavity and 2 teaspoons in main cavity of each chicken. Add 1 tablespoon rub to each open, half-full can of beer. (Dont worry if it foams up.) Season outside of each bird with 2 tablespoons rub. Stand beer cans on work surface. Holding each chicken upright, lower it over can so that can goes into main cavity. Pull chicken legs forward to form a sort of tripod. The chicken should sit upright over the can. Carefully transfer chickens to grill in this same position, placeing them in center over drip pan away from heat. If useing charcoal, toss half the wood chips on each mound of coals. If using gas, place chips in smoker box.Barbecue chickens until nicely bowned and cooked through, About 1 1/2 hours, keeping tempature about 350 degres F. (If useing charcoal, replenish coals as needed.) The internal temerature of the birds (taken in thickest part of thigh) should be 165 F. Carefully transfer birds to platter in same position. To carve lift bird off of can, and discard can. ***You can use any seasoning on the birds and other flavorful liquids - not just beer in the can. You can usee a can of Coke or Sprite. Soda is more intersting than you might imagine. Just be sure you open the can first. Makes 4 servings. |