Soda Can Chicken

I must admit, the concept of Beer Can Chicken has always intrigued me, but I have never tried it.  I decided to give it a try after finding a great sale on whole chickens at my local grocery store.  Instead of beer, I turned to my trusty Dr. Pepper to pinch hit in this recipe and it worked great.  The result was a tender and juicy chicken and the rub gave it just enough of a kick to be a perfect combination.

Printable Recipe

Ingredients
1 whole chicken
1 can Dr. Pepper or other soft drink
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 tablespoon softened butter

Brine:
2 quarts cold water
½ cup kosher salt
½ cup white sugar

Rub:
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons light brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon garlic powder

Directions
In a large container, mix the salt and white sugar in the cold water until completely dissolved. Wash the chicken inside and out and place it in the container with the brine. Place the container in the refrigerator for an hour or two, then remove from the brine, wash again, and pat dry with paper towels. 

Combine the rub ingredients in a small bowl.

Open the soft drink can and either drink or pour out ½ of the soda. Make two additional holes at the top of the can with can opener, and add a 1 teaspoon of the rub to the can of soda.

Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the rub inside of the chicken. Combine softened butter and ½ tsp rub mix and rub under the skin as far as possible.  Holding the chicken upright, gently lower it onto the can.  I used a rack to make things  a little more sturdy.

Brush the chicken all over with the melted butter, and then apply the remaining rub to the outside of the chicken.

Heat smoker to 325° and allow temperature to stabilize. Place the chicken in the smoker and cook until an instant read thermometer reads 180° in thickest part of the thigh (about 2 hrs).


Once chicken is done, use tongs to carefully remove it from the smoker onto a tray or cutting board.  The can and its contents will be extremely hot. Let the chicken rest for 10-15 minutes, then remove the can and carve.