To make the perfect beer can chicken, a beer can chicken holder is a must-have.
Beer can chicken —commonly known as chicken on a throne, drunken chicken, beer butt chicken, and dancing chicken— is a barbecued chicken dish, grilled upright using a can of beer as the base.
If the main goal is to cook a tender beer can chicken that is moist on the inside and crispy on the outside, choosing a top-styled beer can chicken holder is essential!
The holder is responsible for ensuring the whole chicken is cooked the way it’s supposed to. It comes in a variety of styles, functions, and prices.
This article reviews different types of beer can chicken holders that you can choose from to help you narrow down your choices. This way, finding which beer can chicken holder works best for you is going to be easy-peasy!
In a hurry? Here’s our favorite beer can chicken holder from Amazon.
| Best Beer Can Chicken Holder | Why We Like It |
|---|---|
| 1. Puressent Beer Can Chicken Holder | great for the grill; includes rack, grill basket, and thermometer |
| 2. RUSFOL Beercan Chicken Rack | great for smokers and grills; good for a budget |
| 3. MamAnya’s Useful Things Beer Can Chicken Holder | great for oven, grill, or BBQ; comes with high-quality silicone brush for seasoning |
| 4. only fire Set of 4 Barbecue Grilling Accessory | great for barbecuing; includes beer can holder, skewer set, rib rack, and two thermometers |
| 5. Beer Can Roaster, Stainless Steel Beer Can Chicken Roaster Rack | great for camping; made of non-stick and rust-proof stainless steel |
| 6. The Twiins Beer Can Chicken Holder | great for cooking two chickens or one turkey; built-in handles help you handle cooked food carefully |
| 7. Cook’s Choice Ceramic Steamer Beer Can Roaster | great for infusing chicken with beer, wine, sauces, and more; dishwasher-safe |
| 8. Beer Can Chicken Holder Stainless Steel Roaster Rack | great model with a drip pan; comes with 100% satisfaction guarantee |
| 9. WANRAY Beer Can Chicken Holder Turkey Rack Big Green Egg | great for Big Green Eggs; simple design comes in both large and small sizes |
| 10. Weber 8838 Gourmet Barbeque System Poultry Roaster Insert | great for Weber grills; has two-in-one design to cook chicken and vegetables simultaneously |
Best for the Grill
Puressent Beer Can Chicken Holder
The Puressent beer can chicken holder has the barbecue grill accessories that you need to enable a stress-free grilling experience.
It comes with a two-in-one beer can chicken holder and turkey rack, grill basket, and a digital meat thermometer. This beer can chicken holder also has the following advantages:
- Its stainless steel rack is made to be non-stick and corrosion-free. Its thick design helps the pan to not warp in high temperatures.
- The grill basket can be used for grilling fruits and vegetables.! It prevents cross-contamination of food.
- This beer can chicken holder is a perfect barbeque gift set for your loved ones
Puressent beer can chicken holder has been highly-recommended with lots of positive feedback.
Best for Smokers and Grills
RUSFOL Beercan Chicken Rack
The RUSFOL beer can chicken rack is made of stainless steel, known for its extraordinary strength and durability, and holds 4 to 5-pound whole chicken in an upright position.
The best reasons for choosing this beer can chicken holder are:
- It is easy to use, and it’s perfect for roasting whole chicken, turkey, duck, and medium-sized goose!
- It is marked safe for gas, charcoal grills, and ovens (either gas or electric).
- Its vertical chicken holder can handle extreme temperatures up to 572 degrees Fahrenheit.
This beer can chicken holder has numerous positive comments, yet one review says it is missing something with its stand. The can cannot stand on anything, so there is a need to place the can on a smoker and set the whole chicken on top.
Best for the Oven, Grill, or BBQ
MamAnya’s Useful Things Beer Can Chicken Holder
MamAnya’s beer can chicken holder rack is recommended for those who wish to prevent falling chickens and spilling beer.
It works well with any grills, such as Weber and Traeger. We recommend the MamAnya for the following qualities:
- It is made up of a #430 stainless steel, allowing the chicken to be cooked upright while following the beer can chicken method.
- It is known for its durability, and its vertical holder can hold up to 572 degrees Fahrenheit.
- The beer can chicken holder comes with a superior quality silicone brush perfect for seasoning.
So far, MamAnya’s product has consistently garnered five-star ratings. However, there might be some challenges in cleaning the beer can chicken holder when the holder gets burned while cooking the juices. Thus, it is best to soak the product in the water first before cleaning.
Best for Barbecuing
only fire Set of 4 Barbecue Grilling Accessory
This barbecue grilling accessory set is the best choice for barbecue grilling. It has the complete package that includes a shish kabob set with a 6-piece skewer, a rib rack, beer can chicken roaster, and two thermometer gauges. Aside from its complete package, this grilling set has the following major advantages:
- It prevents food from sticking to the grate and burn.
- Its rib rack, made of stainless steel, is designed to hold at least 5 rib racks at a time!
- It has a perfect vertical chicken coaster that safely holds the whole chicken or turkey in an upright position while cooking.
The griller set has overall satisfactory ratings, yet it only showed 10 ratings with one positive comment. However, since this is a set, it’s a bit more expensive than others you may find. Those who are looking for a more affordable grilling set might want to think twice.
Best for Camping
Beer Can Roaster, Stainless Steel Beer Can Chicken Roaster Rack
If you are looking for a solid beer can roaster perfect for camping, Kaikaixin is the brand you need.
This model is the best choice for its high-quality, nonstick, rust-proof, kitchen-grade stainless steel. But that’s not all! This product still has more to offer, such as:
- Its ergonomic design enables the fats to drip off the whole chicken through its stand with a drip pan to hold the fats. The base is perfect for the beer or any liquid flavor to give the meat a taste.
- It can be used as a baking tool, as well!
- It is easy to use, and it is well-made for hand washing or dishwasher use.
This beer can roaster has not been rated so far on Amazon, but that does not mean this is not worth trying. However, it is vital to note that there might be slight changes in the picture’s color and the original product due to the screen’s contrast and lighting. The product’s measurements might also have a slight deviation from what is stated.
Best for Cooking Two Chickens or One Turkey
The Twiins Beer Can Chicken Holder
The Twiins beer can chicken holder is the perfect choice for catering to two whole chickens and a turkey!
It helps you produce a delicious, juicy, and well-made beer can chicken you ever want to make. Also, this beer can chicken holder is known for its following benefits:
- It can hold two 12 oz cans, and it is convenient for placing and removing the whole chicken or turkey.
- It has durable built-in handles to easily and safely handle chickens.
- It is made of high-quality plated steel.
This particular beer can chicken holder ooze with great comments, yet one review describes how two big whole chickens would not fit together. Thus, this product is best for smaller chickens to have them fit better.
Best Ceramic Model for Steaming with Wine, Fruit, or Sauces
Cook’s Choice Ceramic Steamer Beer Can Roaster
This award-winning sittin’ chicken steamer calls beer can chicken as remarkable with its perfectly-designed beer can roaster!
It allows whole baked or grilled chicken to be evenly-cooked and flavor-infused, and ideal for wine, fruit, or sauce steaming. Also, this steamer beer can roaster is well-made and perfect for the following:
- Its hollow shaft can be filled with anything you like, such as beer, fruits, sauces, wine, or vegetables.
- It is free from harmful heat-producing toxins.
- It is considered dishwasher safe.
When it comes to reviews, it seems like this award-winning steamer beer can roaster is living up to its name. One notable review states how it broke down on its first use; granted, the beer had boiled away. It is best to read and follow instructions to ensure the safe usage of the product.
Best Model with a Drip Pan
Beer Can Chicken Holder Stainless Steel Roaster Rack
The HomeFavor beer can chicken holder fits the criteria as the best beer can chicken holder for its high-quality, non-chemical, and non-toxic stainless steel.
It is the type of roaster rack that exceeds your expectations because of its following positive features:
- Its beer canister is noted for its large capacity, so it can be easily infused with flavors to achieve a tasty beer chicken.
- No need to worry about overflowing grease as its drip tray is designed to be extra deep!
- It can be easily cleaned through hand-washing with warm water.
This well-made beer can chicken holder is overflowing with positive reviews, making it an ideal purchase. One user recommended wrapping the bottom part with foil as an easier cleaning technique due to its holes where liquids can get through.
Best for Big Green Egg
WANRAY Beer Can Chicken Holder Turkey Rack Big Green Egg
Wanray’s beer can chicken holder is the best fit for a Big Green Egg.
It comes in two sizes —9.5″ tall (large) and 8″ tall (small)–and it is designed to enable faster cooking of food because of its standard upright position. This beer can chicken holder is known for its following key features:
- It has a simple design with proven durability at an affordable price. Its roaster rack can hold liquids to add moisture and flavor to the chicken.
- It is compatible with ovens, grills, and smokers, as it fits all sizes.
- It is well-made of stainless steel and dishwasher safe.
The Wanray’s beer can chicken holder has been flooded with five-star ratings and positive feedback. Yet, one review emphasized how the beer can does not fit even on a large turkey holder.
Best for Weber Grills
Weber 8838 Gourmet Barbeque System Poultry Roaster Insert
The Weber beer can chicken holder is highly-advantageous for its versatility given its 2-in-1 design. It lets you grill your whole chicken and its sides simultaneously.
This gourmet barbecue system helps you produce a moist and flavor-full chicken while vegetables can be simmered around the rim. It meets the criteria as the best choice for weber grill because of the following:
- It is made out of stainless steel.
- Its removable poultry insert can hold a 12-ounce can of liquid.
- It works well with Gourmet barbecue system grates.
Overall, this beer can chicken holder showed satisfactory ratings from its users. However, a few customers noted how it can be challenging to clean.
How to Use a Beer Can Chicken Holder
To successfully cook chicken using a beer can chicken holder, follow these easy steps:
1. Ensure to season the chicken as you like. You can season the chicken from the inside out using salt, paprika, cumin, thyme, or any of your favorite herbs and spices.
2. Reserve half of the beer for cooking. You can either drink or empty out half of the beer in the can to ensure the can has enough headspace to create steam while the chicken is cooking. You also can use 1/4 cup of the beer to baste the chicken later.
3. Place your beer can chicken in the holder of your choice. Using a beer can chicken holder that works best for you, set the beer can on the holder, and lower the chicken unto the beer. Setting it carefully prevents the possibility of spilling.
4. Cook the chicken. Beer can chicken usually takes about an hour to cook fully. It is essential to set your grill up like an oven to enable slow roasting, and it works quite differently depending on your grill type.
Wrap-Up
With a multitude of choices, finding a particular chicken beer can holder that suits your needs best is possible! Brainstorm by listing down qualities and features you absolutely need in your beer can chicken holder. This way, you can make the right choice to fully maximize the tastiness of the beer can chicken you aspire to make.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good beer for beer can chicken?
Choosing the beer for your beer can chicken depends on the flavor you wish to add to your chicken.
The most preferred beer for this purpose is a lager. Its flavor is best described as a balance of hoppy and bitter.
When it comes to grilling beer can chicken, it is essential to note that the acidity of the beer works to make the meat even more delicious.
How do you get crispy skin on a beer can chicken?
There are two ways you can do to achieve a crispy beer can chicken skin.
First, try to remove the beer can, including its steam liquid, and finish cooking the whole chicken on high heat for an additional 15 minutes.
You can also try brushing your whole chicken with sweet barbecue sauce during cooking to crisp up the skin the way you like it.
Additional Resources
- Food Network: Pat’s Beer Can Grilled Chicken
- YouTube: How to Make Beer Can Chicken
Image credit via Pexels:
Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels
Bryce is not a real professor, but he's real nerdy in the kitchen. He's been barbecuing, chopping, and generally blazing food for many decades. He thinks there's definitely a better spatula or utensil out there that hasn't been invented yet.