Roasted Chicken

Beer Can Chicken

This is one of the most comical, yet effective, ways to roast a chicken. The liquids from the beer can keep the meat tender & moist, while the outside of the chicken dry roasts. Feel free to experiment with other liquids, including wine or even root beer. One discerning reader (read: a proud Englishman) felt compelled to note that we in fact used a Strongbow cider can for this one, and he is right. But we filled said cider can with Delirium Nocturnum. 

The hardest part of this process is handling the chicken once it is ready - as you can see we used a baking sheet to collect the juices & avoid a mess in our oven from the drippings. But the chicken is precariously balanced on the beer on the baking sheet, making this a two person job. 

ingredients:
1 whole chicken
1 tbsp spice rub (we used one heavy on paprika with a touch of cayenne)
1 beer can, 1/2 filled with beer or wine (or even root beer!)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
1 cardamom pod (optional)
12 whole black peppercorns
dash rice vinegar
salt, to taste

1. pre-heat the oven to 350F

2. remove the innards from the chicken & lightly salt the inside of the chicken

3. rub the outside of the chicken with the spice blend of your choosing

4. combine the garlic, onions, spices & vinegar into the beer can along with whatever liquid you are using

5. now pardon the vulgarity here, but this is the part where you shove the beer can up the chicken's butt. make sure it is snug enough that it can stand upright.

6. cook for about 1.5 hours, depending on the size of your chicken. the skin should be crispy with tender & juicy meat on the inside.