"Beer Can" Chicken . . . right in my oven!

Like most people who love cooking, I bet you are always eager to try different or new things in the kitchen—that North African hot chilli sauce you just read about on the latest issue of your favorite cooking mag . . . those new dip chiller/warmer bowls that would be, oh, so fabulous for your next party . . . or that cute "ex" knives holder . . .

. . . and if you are anything like me, you actually end up buying some of that stuff and just keep storing it in your already cram-packed tiny kitchen! lol

Well, one of those things I bought—a vertical chicken ceramic roaster—has been sitting on my kitchen counter for some three or so years!

Instructions on the box said: "For wonderfully moist chicken, pour beer, wine, fruit juice or marinade in the center tube of the Vertical Chicken Roaster. Then stand your chicken over the tube, place some vegetables or potatoes in the roasting pan, and place the Vertical Chicken Roaster in your oven. The heat causes the marinade to seep into the chicken, soaking it with flavor. With this all-in-one Vertical Chicken Roaster, you'll have a delicious and complete meal in no time."

So . . . I had been thinking this week about finally getting to use the roaster and, last night, when I was doing my grocery shopping online—hey, a girl needs to be resourceful when she doesn't drive!—I ordered a whole chicken.

I've seen cooking tv shows about the famous "Beer Can Chicken" and read some recipes, so all I needed now was to put my shoulders to the wheel! :)

I felt confident enough to do my own version without checking again for recipes.  Basically, you need beer, a rub for the chicken and some potatoes or veggies (optional).  I can't tell you exact measures, but I can tell you what I made my rub with:  minced garlic, kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder and thyme.  First I massaged the bird with some olive oil, so that the rub would stick to it.  I poured beer (Sam Adams Boston Lager) in the center tube of the roaster and added some minced garlic and thyme.  Finally, I cut some potatoes and a couple of tomatoes (rubbed them with olive oil and thyme) and put them in the roaster, around the chicken.

It's 4:30 p.m. and my chicken is now sitting in the oven (400 F for the first half hour and then I have to lower the heat to 350 F) and should be cooked in 1.5-2 hours, considering that it is a 4.5 lb bird!

And . . . voilà . . . it's 6:15 p.m. . . . here is the final product! :)

"Beer Can" Chicken . . . right in my oven!