This is definately a Saturday or Sunday meal, but so worth the effort. Unfortunately I tried to make this on a Wednesday and we ate at about 9:30 pm. I took the leftovers to work the next day and it was delicious! I thought I could get away with minced garlic, but my gourmet daughter insisted on grating the garlic. I also didn't follow the smoking instructions -- I tried to soak a cedar plank and put the chicken on top, which caught fire. I'll try to actually follow the real instructions next time. These are the instructions for gas grilling.The most delicious part of this is the dipping sauce -- must make the dipping sauce.
1 12 oz. can of beer, divided
1 T. finely grated garlic
2 T. lime juice
2 T. soy sauce
2 t. table salt
2 t. yellow mustard
1 t. pepper
1 t. dried thyme
1 t. ground cumin
1 whole chicken
1 c. wood chips
1 13x9 disposable aluminum roasting pan
Whisk 1/2 c. beer, garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, salt, mustard, pepper, thyme, and cumin together in liquid measuring cup. Refrigerate remaining beer, still in can, until ready to grill. Using your fingers or handle of wooden spoon, gently loosen skin covering chicken breast and leg quarters. Using your paring knife poke 10 to 15 holes in fat deposits on skin of back. Tuck wingtips underneath chicken.
Place chicken in bowl with cavity end facing up Slowly pour marinade between skin and meat and rub marinade inside cavity, outside skin and under skin to distribute. Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours, turning chicken halfway through marinating.
Using a large piece of heavy duty aluminum foil, wrap wood chips in 8 x 4 1/2 inch foil pocket. Make sure chips do not poke holes in packet. Cut 2 evenly spaced 2-inch slits in top of packet.
Place beer can in a large shallow pan (I use a cake pan) Spray can all over with Pam (or whatever non-stick spray you have). Slide chicken over can so drumsticks reach down to bottom of can and chicken stands upright. Set aside at room temperature until grill is ready.
Remove cooking grate and place wood hip packet directly on one of the outside burners. Set grate in place, turn all burners to high; cover and heat grill until hot and wood hips are smoking, about 15 minutes. Turn 2 outside burners to medium and turn off center burner. (The goal is to maintain grill temperature at 350 degrees -- for me that means low)
Put chicken with can to center of cooking grate with wings facing outer burners at 3 and 9 o'clock. Cover grill and ook for 15 minutes. Using tongs and wad of paper towels, rotate bird 90 degrees so wings are at 6 and 12 o'clock. Continue cooking and turning chicken at 15 minute intervals until thickest part of thigh registers 170 degrees, (can take 1 hour to 1 1/4 hour)
With a wad of paper towels in each hand, transfer chicken and can to clean bowl (or pie pan) and let rest for 15 minutes. Don't toss the paper towels, use them to remove the chicken off the can of beer and onto a cutting board.
Serve with Peruvian Yellow Chile Sauce
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1 jalapeno chile, stemmed, seeded and chopped coarse
5 T. minced fresh cilantro
2 T. grated cotija cheese
2 T. lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced
Combine all ingredients in the blender and process until smooth (about 1 minute).
