If you can get over how funny this looks (or weird / wrong depending on your perspective!), this is a fab recipe for delicious, tender chicken: Crispy on the outside, flavoursome and moist on the inside, the beer can turns a simple roast into a bit of a feature with very little effort on your part. My thanks to the lovely Felin Fach Griffin near Hay-on-Wye, for the inspiration, tips and encouragement to try this recipe out!

Beer Can Chicken (Serves 6+)

One large chicken ~ 2.2 kg
One can of beer (with no plastic widget thingy)
1 tsp mixed herbs
Salt & Pepper
Small knob of beef dripping

This is a very simple recipe. I particularly like the second step… :

Mix the herbs, salt and pepper together and rub over the chicken.

Open your beer. Drink half. Yes, drink, share or otherwise use half of that beer.

Place the beer can on a roasting tin and, with whatever comments you feel are appropriate, sit the chicken onto the can so that about half the can is inside the chicken. (You need a bit of gap inside the chicken to create a nice beer steam bath :o)

Sit the beef dripping on top of the chicken, and put into a hot oven 190C, uncovered.

Roast for about 1 hr 50 mins or until cooked (juices run clear.)

Allow to rest for 5-10 minutes. The beer & juices in the can can be incorporated into the gravy, but will probably be pretty strongly beery – depending on size of can and how much you drank – so add to taste.

Carve on the can for added effect. Served with roast potatoes, veg and juices from the pan, this is tasty roast chicken with plenty of humour!

More to…

Mountain Retreats with plenty of space, humour, and cake

Capel-y-ffin