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Stable and safe, it holds the chicken proudly upright. That alone is a huge virtue. And, better yet, it actually produces a very excellent result for very little effort. It is easy to clean, too.
The idea is that you add beer to the container below the spikey thing, and also to the pan area. Fruit juice or any likeable liquid also works very well. So, you can finish off the beer and find something in the fridge that will work just as well. I also add garlic and some rosemary because we have a big bush of it outside the door.
You just slide the chicken on and put the little plug in the other end to trap the steam. Steam must be the secret because otherwise it is just heat like in any oven.
My wife makes a rub with some flour, cornmeal, red pepper, salt, garlic powder and onion powder in variable ratios. Rub some oil on the chicken and then the rub. It comes out very crispy on the outside and amazingly tender on the inside.
I use those Weber coal retainers that keep the coals to the sides of the kettle so there is a place in the middle for the chicken roaster. Keep the coals clear to the sides. If you use a chimney charcoal starter, filling it up will give you more than enough coals. The spikey thing rotates easily, so just give it a 1/4 turn every 15 minutes and you will find it is done in an hour at most.
Using it in an oven would work well also. You wouldn't have to rotate it. I would suggest a high enough heat to make the dry rub work.
This is not a cheap item, but is very much worth it because of the results, no nearly good enough alternative and it is so well made that it should pretty much last forever. It will be on Antique's Roadshow some day, so don't lose the plug.
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Update 8/17/10: Just wanted to add that I've been using this roaster heavily since I bought it back in 2006 (took me a while to write the review, lol) and it's still in marvelous condition. So add durable to its list of attributes.
Original Review:
This is easily the best 'beer can' chicken roaster on the market, but if you're not using it during the off months in the oven, you're missing out!
The roaster is very stable, the liquid well is a little small, but I've had good luck with it. I fill the reservoir about halfway when I use beer because it will foam up when the spices are added. Be sure to use the plug provided in the neck opening, it helps to keep the bird moist. I have used a 6 pound bird with this roaster and it wasn't the least bit wobbly. I use it almost exclusively in the oven, even though it works very well on the grill. The bird will not stick to this roaster, not even a little, which is great when you're trying to lift a hot bird. It slides right off.
I use beer, wine or sometimes just broth in the holder, either my own rub mix or when I'm really feeling lazy, Tony's Cajun Seasoning.
Preheat the oven to 375* and roast for about an hour for a medium bird. The chicken comes out really moist and the skin is crispy and luscious. I rotate it 90* about halfway through the cooking time to achieve even browning.
This is my go-to method for cooking chicken. Friends are amazed at how wonderful and moist a chicken can be. We almost fight over the skin.
Tip: Dry the chicken with paper toweling before seasoning, that will help the skin crisp up. If you have the time, leave the seasoned bird in the fridge, uncovered, for a few hours to let it dry out more. Drier=Crispier skin.
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This is my second purchase of this item--as a gift for my son. Beer can chicken seems too unsanitary to me--do you really want a beer can with all that paint in your chicken? This way you can also use wine and what ever spices or herbs you like, and you are able to collect the gravy from the chicken instead of having it spill all over your grill. Go to the Weber site for slightly different cooking instructions from those included with the product.
Honest reviews on Weber 6408 Style Poultry Roaster
This product is excellent. It makes the best roast chicken I have ever had. I have cooked several chickens in the oven using the poultry roaster and they come out extremely moist and tender. The recipe in the manual for barbequed beer chicken is outstanding!!! I am thinking about buying several more. Clean up is a breeze. Way to go Weber!! Excellent product.
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I read a recipe in Cook's Illustrated about Beer Can Chicken. I'd never heard of it before. Chicken cooked on the BBQ sitting upright on a beer can came out moist and tender. The only problem was getting the darn thing off the beer can. The heat would sear the fat to the can, which was full of boiling hot beer. You can't lie it down; you can't grip the beer can; it's simply a mess.
This Roaster does the same thing, using a teflon rack that catches juices if you want to make gravy. It's easy to transport without spilling all over the patio and kitchen floor, and the chicken comes off the roaster easily. I highly recommend it!
