Ted's Barbecue Chicken

To make the brine, place all ingredients in a large non-corrosive bowl or pot with 2 cups boiling water and stir until the salt has dissolved.

Mix in 4 cups of cold water.

Allow the brine to cool fully — you can place brine in the fridge to speed this process up.

To prepare the chicken, use sharp kitchen scissors to cut down the backbone.

Turn the chicken over, and, using the heel of your hand, press down on the backbone to flatten the chicken and open it up like a butterfly.

Place in the cooled brine and refrigerate for 4–5 hours, turning halfway through if not fully submerged.

Remove and pat dry with paper towels.

If cooking with fire, please refer to our instructions on how to cook with fire.

Alternatively, heat a barbecue to medium heat.

Arrange the chicken on a bed of rosemary and grill over medium heat, turning every 10 or so minutes, until crispy and golden all over (about 45–60 minutes depending on size).

It is ready if the juices run clear when a skewer is inserted into the thickest part of the thigh.

Allow the cooked chicken to rest for 10–15 minutes before carving up and serving on a bed of rocket or lettuce leaves, garnished with lemon cheeks.

Brine is a saltwater mixture infused with aromatics such as herbs, spices, and lemon. Brining is osmosis in action, which Rose still remembers from her year 9 science class – “osmosis is the process by which water is transported from a high concentration to a low concentration through a semi-permeable membrane”. When you brine meat, the brine (low concentration) moves into the cells of the meat (high concentration), making it juicy and moist. Brining is a great way to cook tender, moist meat without fail. If you don’t have room in your fridge (which we often don’t), you can brine the bird in a ziploc bag left inside a chilly bin packed with ice.