How to Make Beer Can Chicken

Beer can chicken, also known as “dancing chicken”, is a bit of a barbecue novelty. The original concept was fairly simple. Plop a chicken upright onto a half-empty can of beer and use as a vertical roaster on the barbecue. The chicken looked like it was dancing over the flames.

Because of safety concerns, ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen doesn’t recommend using a beer can or other beverage container. However, a wide variety of vertical roasters have been designed to make beer can chicken without the can. These roasters have a cylinder that holds beer or other liquid while keeping the chicken stable and in an upright position. This method of cooking leaves the skin exposed, making it extra crisp, similar to a rotisserie chicken. In addition, the liquid in the holder heats up and creates steam, resulting in succulent, tender meat.

For extra flavour, use either a seasoning rub or a marinade before cooking a chicken on a vertical roaster. A thin marinade may also be used as the liquid in the holder of the roaster.