Beer makes for a better roast bird

Just in time for last Thanksgiving, my grandmother slipped me her secret for the perfect ham: a can of Sprite slipped into the pan. She's not the only one, either; lots of recipes call for a can of beer or soda in order to keep a little more moisture in the mix. The real problem has been poultry, though--it would benefit from the added moisture, but a bird can just be awkward to work with.

Camp Chef has come out with the Keg Roaster to provide your roast chicken with that added kick. The design is fairly simple: Inside the roaster itself is a stand that can be loaded with a can of your favorite beverage--still in the can, mind you. The stand then slides into the bird's cavity for fairly simple roasting. As Camp Chef's marketing materials claim, "It's just like cooking in a keg!"

Beyond the idea of beer-roasted turkey, I'm liking the thought of roasting a turkey without either heating up the oven for hours on end or having to drive myself to the ER after attempting to deep-fry a bird. The Keg Roaster is an outdoor sort of cooking implement, perfect for summer time, and doesn't require a warning about the harm the cook can do to himself or others.

The Keg Roaster comes in at just under $100--not bad when you consider the love and care some people lavish on their grilling implements. But, while Camp Chef's Web site seems to indicate that you can't get their roaster even at full price right now, you can pick it up for significantly less at Amazon.