Marc Murphy's Beer Can Chicken
Ingredients
For the Herb Butter
- 8 tablespoons (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
- 2 tablespoons garlic confit
For the Chicken
- 1 2 1/2- to 3-pound chicken
- 1 12-ounce can pale ale, preferably Porkslap, at room temperature
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Preparation
For the herb butter, mix together all ingredients in a large bowl until thoroughly combined. Reserve at room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Position a rack in the lower third of the oven.
Pour off (or drink!) one-third of the beer. Slide the chicken over the can and carefully stand the beer can–stuffed chicken upright in a shallow roasting pan. (You may also use a beer-can chicken holder to stabilize the beer can and the chicken.) Transfer the chicken to the oven and roast for about 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until cooked through. The skin will be crisp and medium-brown, and the meat should register 165°F on an instant-read thermometer. If the chicken skin is getting too dark, tent it with foil after 45 minutes.
Transfer the chicken, still in the roasting pan, to a wire rack and let sit for 10 minutes. Hold the chicken with a pair of tongs and slide the can our using another pair of tongs. Remove the beer can from the chicken carefully because both will be extremely hot. Let sit for 5 minutes then carve the chicken into quarters and serve.