For a long while now, I’ve wanted to find or adapt the perfect beer can chicken recipe. Why? I have absolutely no idea. There’s something about it that seemed so fun, hilarious, tacky and adventurous at the same time.

Copyright 2014 Siiri Sampson. All Rights Reserved.

Not wanting to start from complete scratch on this endeavor, I happened to skim across Food52’s daily at just the right time and found a trustworthy place to start. Their Beer Can Chicken recipe from Cara Nicoletti had lots of promise to point me in the right direction. The recipe doesn’t have any faults in it, and I have nothing bad to say about it, truly. I just realized I don’t want to spend that much time cooking chicken, wasting propane, or taking that many steps. I just actually do not care enough to make it again.

Copyright 2014 Siiri Sampson. All Rights Reserved.

Maybe because I have a tried and true, special roasted chicken recipe that has never failed me and is just as flavorful. The beer can chicken was extremely moist, for the obvious reason of having a beer stuff in it. The skin was very flavorful and crispy, but no more so than my oven roasted one.

Copyright 2014 Siiri Sampson. All Rights Reserved.

We served it with a light summer salad of herb field greens, and these luscious avocados and Easter egg radishes.

Copyright 2014 Siiri Sampson. All Rights Reserved.

It was delicious, but I was underwhelmed. I had anticipated being blown away, and wasn’t. That’s the thing about having expectations you guys, they’re RARELY fulfilled. But then, while you’re waiting well into hour 2 on the rooftop, something incredibly magical happens and you know you may have missed it if you weren’t waiting for the slowest chicken. So, I suppose it was worth it.

Copyright 2014 Siiri Sampson. All Rights Reserved.

Besides, I got to spend time with my favorite newlyweds and use their man hands to help surgically remove said chicken from the grill. See?