Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions

Combine all rub ingredients in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.

Ingredients: 

• 1 tablespoon chilli powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients and store in airtight container.
2. When ready to use, add 1/2 cup of your spice rub to the can and give it a quick stir.
3. Take the other half of your spice rub and apply it to the chicken. Don't worry too much about getting it on the skin. Skin won't let flavour reach the meat, so try to work your spice rub in under the skin as much as possible. Get it inside the chicken as well. Just because you put rub in the beer doesn't mean that it will season the inside too much. The spice in the can adds flavour but not like direct contact.

In case you are looking for the perfect rub for your beer can chicken

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup paprika
• 1 tablespoon firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon celery salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 to 3 teaspoons cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 can of beer (or alcohol free beer)
• 1 large whole chicken (4 to 5 pounds)

Combine all the ingredients in a jar, twist the lid on airtight, and shake to mix. Store away from heat or light for up to six months. Makes about 1/2 cup.

Directions

1. Take three tablespoon of rub and set aside.  Remove and discard the fat just inside the body cavities of the chicken. Remove the package of giblets, and set aside for another use. Rinse the chicken, inside and out, under cold running water, then drain and blot dry, inside and out, with paper towels. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the rub inside the body and neck cavities, the rub another 1 tablespoon all over the skin of the bird. If you wish, rub another 1/2 tablespoon of the mixture between the flesh and the skin. Cover and refrigerate the chicken while you preheat the grill.
2. Set up the grill for indirect grilling placing a drip pan in the center. If using a charcoal grill, preheat it to medium.
3. If using a gas grill, place all the wood chips in the smoker box and preheat the grill to high; then, when smoke appears, lower the heat to medium.
4. Pop the tab on the beer can. Using a church key style can opener, make 6 or 7 holes in the top of the can. Pour out the top inch of beer, then spoon the remaining dry rub through the holes into the beer. Holding the chicken upright, with the opening of the body cavity down, insert the beer can into the cavity.
5. When ready to cook, if using charcoal, toss half the wood chips on the coals. Oil the grill grate. Stand the chicken up in the center of the hot grate, over the drip pan. Spread out the legs to form a sort of tripod, to support the bird.
6. Cover the grill and cook the chicken until fall-off-the-bone tender, 2 hours. If using charcoal, add 10 to 12 fresh coals per side and the remaining wood chips after 1 hour.
7. Using tongs, lift the bird to a cutting board or platter, holding the metal spatula underneath the beer can for support. (Have the board or platter right next to the bird to make the move shorter. Be careful not to spill hot beer on yourself.) Let stand for 5 minutes before carving the meat off the upright carcass. (Toss the beer can out along with the carcass.)

We are a big fan of beer can chicken around here but as this New York Times writer found, it’s easier said than done.

I’m an ardent fan of roast chickens, and this seemed like the perfect way to cook a chicken on a hot day when I didn’t want to turn on the oven and heat up the house. The bird could cook outside with the mosquitoes while I stayed inside with the air-conditioner.

But my grilling skills back then were sorely lacking. My chicken ended up a pale, rubbery mess, probably a result of not adding enough coals as they burned down.

It was so disappointing that I might never have tried beer-can chicken again. But then I got a gas grill, which can provide consistent heat, making the recipe less prone to human error.

So I picked up a can of beer and a chicken, game for another round.

One of the other problems I had last time was a very dry bird. I tried to think of a way to avoid relying on the steam from the beer to keep the chicken moist. I decided to bring out the big guns — a tub of mayonnaise, perfect for preventing the flesh from drying out. It could also act as a vehicle for adding spices (and color).

I could have used any spice mix, either purchased or homemade, but chose Madras curry because I love its earthy, intense flavor. A squirt of hot sauce gave the mixture a happy jolt. I slathered it all over the bird, including inside the cavity, and plopped it on the grill.

It’s May Long Weekend (Victoria Day Weekend for you monarchists out there) and I have been busy putting together recipes for our weekend with friends and family at the lake and since many of them came from The Cooking Blog, I thought I would post them here.

• First of all, you need to learn how to grill the perfect steak.
• Grilled Steak and Blue Cheese Sandwich Recipe
• Barbecue Beef Tenderloin Recipe
• Fried Bannock Recipe
• BBQ Poppers Recipe
• The Original Tommy’s Burger Recipe
• The World’s Best Pancake Recipe
• Beer Barbecued Chicken Recipe
• Chocolate Cherry Brownies (@ 101 Cookbooks)
• Coffee rub for whatever you are planning to grill this weekend
• Beer Can Chicken Recipe :: You can use near beer, a can of grapefruit pop full of spices, or just water and spices as well.
• Grilled Corn on the Cob with Dill Butter Recipe
• Cheesy Barbecue Corn on the Cob Recipe
• Cattle Boyz Burgers Recipe
• Classic Chef's Salad
• Thai Steak Salad Recipe 
• The Shake Shack Burger Recipe 
• Grilled Pizza Recipe :: A great meal on a warm night that doesn’t require adding any more heat to the cabin.
• Quiche Lorraine Recipe :: A favorite breakfast at the cabin and pretty easy to make.
• Parmesan Potato Skin Chips Recipe
• Seven Layer Salad Recipe

Let me know how your weekend turned out in the comments below!  Also, if you have any favorite summer recipes that I am missing, send them to me and I will add them to the site.

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken
• 1 tbs. vegetable oil
• 1/3 cup spice rub
• 1 can (12 oz.) beer

1. Rub oil all over chicken. Sprinkle half the spice rub in cavity, the rest over bird.
2. Drink half of beer.
3. Lower chicken cavity onto beer can (if using roaster, empty beer into cone; fit chicken cavity over top of cone).
4. Heat gas grill to medium, or burn coals till covered with ash.
5. Place chicken on grill and cover. Cook till thermometer reads 170 degrees F in breast, 180 in thigh.
6. Remove from heat. Let rest 10 minutes before lifting it off can. Dig in!

If you need a great beer can chicken roaster, you can find them for $30 at Williams Sonoma