Beer can chicken is a classic grilling recipe. The flavor beer adds, the moisture, and just looking at the chicken standing there on the grill makes this one of the best ways to cook chicken. And it’s beer! But when I learned that they line beer cans with BPA (the stuff that made my wife throw out a bunch of baby bottles we’d just bought), I started looking into alternative ways to cooking beer can chicken than using a BPA-lined beer can. I’m not a scientist, but I’m guessing using a BPA-lined can for cooking isn’t ideal.
This is what I found, a grilling tool from grill master extraordinaire, Steven Raichlen himself: a stainless steel beer can chicken roaster with a drip pan.
Price: about $22 on Amazon
Pros:
- Solid stainless steel construction
- Lots of vents in the top allow the steaming beer to infuse the chicken with flavor
- Easy twist off top make it easy to fill with your choice of beer, spices or other flavorizers (try white wine!)
- Drip pan catches drippings for use in gravy
- More stability than a normal beer can
- BPA-Free!
- If you don’t use an entire can of beer, you can drink what is left over
Cons:
- The handles on the drip pan should be bent up at a higher angle. When you have to use oven mitts to remove the chicken from the grill it’s like trying to play a game of Operation with your grill tongs.
- More expensive than a beer can (but worth the price).
Conclusion:
Even if you only occasionally cook beer can chicken (there are lots of variations), you should seriously consider buying one of these. It is well worth it for the few times you cook a chicken this way.
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