You make beer can chicken, right? Of course, you do. Everyone does. And, if you don’t for some strange reason, say you do. An admission otherwise will earn you a one-way ticket to ridicule and rejection.

We at G@H won’t lecture you on how you should make the dish. But, kindly allow us to share our gentlemanly secrets for grilling better beer can chicken.

1. Ditch the can.

We’re coming out of the gate with potential blasphemy. We will likely offend purists. But, whatever, they can keep their can. We use the Rösle Chicken Roaster. It’s sturdily constructed with a wide base. Unlike an aluminum can, this devise will not crumple or tip. It has a removable handle, which eases transport but does not monopolize precious grill space.

2. Caramelize the skin

You probably have a go-to barbecue rub. Perhaps, you make your own. We enjoy many, but for beer can chicken, we use The Squeal Hog Rub by Cowtown BBQ. It’s a sweet rub. As the chicken cooks, the sugar caramelizes on the skin, providing a lustful combination of sweet, savory and spicy.

3. Use indirect heat

Have you ever checked on your bird only to find it engulfed in flames? The tragedy! Dripping fat can ignite and trail up to your masterpiece. There’s an easy fix, though. Don’t put your bird directly over the flame or hot coals. Instead, position it to side of the heat source.

4. Neglect not what’s under the skin

An external rubbing, while essential, isn’t enough. The skin acts as a barrier preventing the seasoning from reaching the meat. You need to get the seasoning under the skin. But, you also must preserve the skin’s integrity because the barrier works both ways. It’s what locks in the the juices. Solution? We’re not doctors. Legally speaking, we cannot administer shots to humans. Dead poultry, though, is a different story. Using the Rösle Marinade Injector and a marinade of chicken stock and barbeque spices, our bird gets a dose before cooking and every 30 minutes while on the grill.

5. Leftovers make the best chicken salad

We delight in eating. It’s great. And, we appreciate a nice chicken salad sandwich. Beer can chicken is moist and flavorful, and it makes a superb chicken salad. Debone your leftover chicken. Chop it into bite-size chucks. Add minced celery and onion. Toss in mayonnaise with a little mustard. We like slipping in dried cranberries. Or halved grapes. Or crushed cashews. So good.

We at G@H thank Rösle for providing several sample products.