Beer-Brined barbecued chicken

To brine the chicken, bring the beer, garlic, water and salt to a boil. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Add the thyme and pour the brine into a sealable bag with the chicken. Push out as much air as possible while sealing and refrigerate overnight.

To barbecue the chicken, remove the chicken from the brine 2 hours before cooking and season with a large pinch of cracked black pepper.

Prepare the barbecue with plenty of coal so the chicken keeps a good temperature throughout cooking, and light: when the coals are ready they will be white in colour with no flames. Push the white-hot coals over to one side and place the chicken on the barbecue, breast side up, with the legs towards the coals.

Place the lid on and check the cooking temperature: it should be around 150°C/300°F. Cook until the internal temperature of the legs hits 75°C/150°F which will take approximately 2 hours. Every 20 minutes brush the chicken with olive oil to create a golden brown crispy skin.

To serve, season with a large pinch of sea salt and cracked black pepper, and garnish with the freshly chopped thyme and the lemon zest.

Serve with some roasted sweet potato wedges and a summer salad of green leaves, tomatoes and beetroot drizzled with a fresh vinaigrette.