Beer-Butt Chicken (BaconSalt Style)

This one's from Gerard, down in Brighton. A "Baconey" version of an old favourite.

BaconSalt Beer-Butt Chicken

This is an amazing BBQ idea and really encapsulates the BBQ mentality of the southern states of the USA. Its designed to be cooked in a covered BBQ, but an oven is just as good, especially as it's not summer yet.

1 medium chicken
1 can beer - I used Budweiser
1 lemon
BaconSalt Original
Korean Red Pepper
Szechuan Pepper
Cumin powder
Coriander powder
Garlic
Butter

Take the zest off the lemon and slide it under the breast skin of the chicken
Rub all spices over chicken
Rub BaconSalt all over chicken, until it is orange - really get it in there
Open beer, drink 1/4 of the can
Using a normal can opener, remove the top of the can or spike extra holes in it
Add mashed garlic cloves, lemon, butter and BaconSalt to the remaining 3/4 can of beer - it will fizz.

Sit the whole chicken upright over the can - it should stand like a tripod, using the can and its two legs. You may want to refer to the picture for this.
Keeping it standing upright - place it in your oven at around 200 degrees and cook for 1.5 hours or more, depending on taste - i like it extra crispy

The joy of this recipe is that no matter how long you cook it, it wont go dry, as the can is providing hot flavoured steam on the inside, whilst the skin just gets crisper and crisper on the outside. The can's contents will boil and steam, the outside remains super crispy.

When it's done, just switch off the oven and leave it in there for 20 mins or so to rest. To remove the can, simply lift the chicken off of it, it will slide out easily but will be very hot. The skin will be crisp and bacony, the meat will be lovely and moist and even the thickest part of the chicken will taste of beer and bacon as it's been cooked by the flavoured steam.