Why Your Beer Can Chicken May Be A Big Disappointment

You've probably heard of beer can chicken, which is affectionately known by other names as well, such as "beer in the rear," "chicken on a throne," and "beer butt chicken." They aren't sophisticated names, but they do make it clear what you are about to eat. Beer can chicken is simply a whole chicken with a partially filled can of beer stuck in its backside while the chicken roasts vertically on a grill. The point is for the beer to steam from the heat, thereby passing on the flavor of beer and moist steam to the chicken.

No one is exactly sure of the history of beer can chicken, but it's thought to have likely gotten its start somewhere in the south. Although, one can't help but imagine it was just a couple of buddies on a Friday night having a good laugh as they placed a can of beer inside a chicken and gave it a go. 

Although some swear by this method of embarrassing your chicken with a beer in the rear, others say it's a waste of time — and possibly dangerous.

You should enjoy your beer and your chicken separately, unless you are interested in showing off your vertical chicken roasting skills. Basically, there is no way for the beer to evaporate while inserted in the chicken, due to the way it's positioned, plus your chicken won't get the steam bath that everyone assumes will happen from the moisture of the beer. The reality is that the beer is inserted into a cool, moist chicken, and never has the opportunity to get hot enough to create steam, even while the chicken is cooking. If the end result is a moist chicken, it's because you cooked a good chicken, not because of the beer. There is also concern that the beer can may explode (if you fail to open it) and cause injuries.

In conclusion, you're better off taking the time to cook a chicken as you normally would with your favorite rubs, marinades, and injections, to achieve moist results, and saving your beer for drinking.