CHICKEN ON A BEER CAN

Combine all of the rub ingredients into a bowl and mix.

Pour half of the beer over half the wood chips to soak for 30 minutes. Using a church key style can opener, make 2 additional holes in the top of the beer can and set it aside for future use.

To inject the marinade into the chicken, place the chicken stock, brandy, lemon juice, butter and 1 tablespoon of the Cajun rub into a medium sized saucepan. Warm through gently until the butter melts. Remove from the heat and set aside until the mixture comes to room temperature.

Remove the giblets from the chicken and set aside. Remove the fat from just inside the body and neck cavities. Rinse the chicken inside and out and pat dry. Season the cavity of the chicken with 2 tablespoons of the Cajun Rub.

Pull the injector marinade into a large syringe. Inject the sauce into the breasts, thighs and drumsticks of the chicken until plump.

Brush the outside of the bird with some of the melted butter and season with 3 tablespoons of the Cajun rub.

Hold the bird upright with the opening of the body cavity down. Lower the chicken into the upright beer can pull its legs forward to form a tripod allowing the bird to stand upright.

Tuck the wing tips so that they don't burn.

Preheat the grill to high heat (500ºF) on one side (indirect grilling). Place a drip pan on the other side of the grill with no heat underneath.

Squeeze the excess beer from the soaking wood hunks and place in the center of a large piece of foil. Add the hickory wood chunks and fold the foil around the wood to create a sealed package. Using a fork, poke holes in both sides of the wood package and place it directly over the heat source on the grill. Close the lid and wait for smoke.

When smoke is visible, reduce the heat to medium under the wood chip package and leave the other burners off.

Place the chicken upright on the cool side of the grill over the drip pan. Brush with melted butter. Close the lid and cook at 220ºF (110ºC) for 2½ hours until golden brown and the internal temperature has reached 180ºF.

Baste the bird carefully every 45 minutes to an hour with more melted butter. If the bird begins to get excessively browned on the outside, cover it gently with foil.

Remove the finished chicken from the beer can carefully. Do not touch without proper protection as both the can and the liquid will be very hot. Let the chicken rest covered for 5 minutes before carving.

Yield: 6 servings