Page 113 - Barbecue Chicken Made Easy

Think about this: You've never seen a fine dining restaurant serve Beer Can Chicken, have you? That's because professional chefs know this is clearly not the best way to roast a chicken.
What beer can chicken gets right
The “recommended” procedure is to use room temperature beer, drink half the can, and punch holes in the top. Some folks put herbs and spices in the can. You fold back the wings so they don't burn, the can is inserted in the cavity and the whole apparatus sits on three points, the can and the two drumsticks. It is placed
over indirect heat in a 2-zone system so it can cook by convection heat. Do it right, and when you are done you have a nice roast chicken. This means:
1| Crackly skin. Do it right and you'll always have crunchy, crackly, tasty skin, and the vertical orientation drains fat well.
2| Even exterior browning. Beer Can Chicken doesn't tie the legs together as is done in the classic French method, so the crotch area browns better than when the meat is trussed and the legs and breasts cook to the proper temperatures.
3| Major curb appeal. Beer Can Chicken is an impressive presentation having that little humanoid standing there in the middle of the table, legs splayed in a come hither look, and arms wide beckoning you. But....
What beer can chicken gets wrong
Alas, many rookies make the mistake of placing it directly over the coals or flame and this inevitably results in cremated legs since fat drips out the bottom, creating flareups in the grill and leaving the breast undercooked.