Veggie Grate for Beer Can Chicken

Love beer can chicken like I do? Love grilled veggies like I do? Love to cook outside like I do?

Hate to have to go inside to start veggies? Hate to heat up the house in the summer when there is a hot grill available?

This solution worked for me - it may work for you as well.

For those beer can chickens in our trusty webers you know that there bird is too tall to use the grate. So adjustments must be made.

I stapled the grate to a some scrap wood - and then clamped the wood to my bench. This insured that the grate stays put when I put the grinder to it.

Lay the grate from your weber on the new grate to mark where the outline needs to be cut. I tried to use a pencil directly on the grate, but it wouldn't make a visible mark so I placed masking tape on the grate so I could see my pencil marks.

Using an angle grinder - and wearing safety glasses - turn the square steel into some round steel.

Once the grate is cut to the same size as the pattern - cut a hole for the bird to stick through. I wanted to offset the bird so I would have a bit more grill when sweet corn season comes around. Make sure the hole for the bird is big enough for your bird. My bird measured about 7 inches... I had a utility bucket that was about 9 inches. So I used the utility bucket to mark my circle.

Use the angle grinder again to cut the bird circle.

I went with 3 veggie packets.

One with some squash and spices

One with asparagus and butter

One with a sweet potato.

The last photo shows the bird on the coals - I started the sweet potato at the same time to make sure it is nice and done.

All in all very pleased with the execution. Had plenty of grill space for 3 veggie packets. No question I can cook some ear corn when sweet corn season comes around.

Sorry I didn't include any pictures of the cooked bird, but the aroma was simply too much, I had to cut the bird and eat.

Only mistake I made was cooking the asparagus way too long. It was on the heat for about 10 minutes - wayyyy too long (made me made because I know better).

Squash was slightly overcooked, sweet potato was about perfect.