Beer-can chicken in the stove with ceramic deep-dish cooker

Beer-can chicken, no can required.

(Credit: Solutions)

If you've ever had beer can chicken you know how good it can be. Normally made on the grill, the chicken literally rests on top of an open beer can. The steam generated by the heated beer flavors and moistens the chicken, while the fat drips off. Your guests gather round and watch as the whole contraption cooks away. So, it's dinner and a show.

For those times when the whole can process seems like too much, there's an alternative. This deep-dish chicken cooker replicates the method, albeit not the experience. Sometimes the simple and easy way is more than just an elegant solution. This ceramic dish may not provide entertainment for your friends and neighbors, but when the meal is brought to the table, nobody is going to complain.

The chicken rests upon a reservoir, which can be filled with whatever you want (and you may want beer, you traditionalist, you). Wine, water, juice, or even bourbon will flavor your chicken from the inside out as it bakes in the oven. Add broth for an extra kick of chicken goodness. As the chicken roasts, the fat drips away into the surrounding deep dish. Fill the rest of the cooker, surrounding the chicken, up with potatoes (or any other hearty vegetable or fruit), and a delicious side dish will be done with your chicken.

While there may be no substitute for drinking beer while gawking at a chicken sitting on a beer slowly steaming on a BBQ, your friends will never know what they missed when this presentation hits the table.