Trash Can Chicken

Trash Can ChickenTrash can chicken, or garbage can chicken is a really simple way of using common household items to cook up some tasty yardbird. I made this recipe years ago as a demo at a Cub Scout campout and the results were pretty good. One of my Scouts remembers it to this day, so it must have been good.

I used a 10 or 11 gallon galvanized trash can that I got at Tractor Supply and a charcoal chimney full of coals.

Get your coals started in the chimney and while they're getting hot prepare the chicken.

I rub the bird down with plain old yellow mustard and then coat pretty liberally with your favorite BBQ rub.

By now the coals should be burning nice and hot. Place a couple sheets of aluminum foil down on the ground, or in your fire ring. Place the chicken on top of a vertical roaster or beer can, soda can or whatever you have that will keep the bird off the ground. You could even use a green apple branch or something that you've removed the bark.

Put the trash can upside down over the chicken and put the hot coals around the base of the can and don't forget to put some coals on top of the can.

I put about a 4 inch layer of coals on the bottom and about 2 layers on top of my can. (Yours may vary depending on the size of your can).

Bake/BBQ the chicken for about 90 minutes. Use welding gloves or something to protect your hands and remove the can to check the internal temperature of the chicken. Make sure it's at about 170 (it will carry-over cook) to 180. OR simply watch for the thighs to get to the point where they're almost falling from the rest of the carcass.

The chicken is very moist and delicious, although doesn't really pick up much flavor from the coals or wood because of the trash can.

Trash Can Chicken