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Brined Grill-Roasted Chicken

4 servings

• 1 (3 1/2 to 4-pound) fryer chicken, neck and giblets removed
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted

BRINE

• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 2/3 cup kosher salt
• 3 quarts cold water
• 1 bay leaf, torn into pieces
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 allspice berries, crushed
• 1 teaspoon peppercorns

For brine: In a large bowl or pot, mix the sugar and salt into 1 quart of the water until dissolved. Add the bay leaf, thyme, garlic, allspice and peppercorns and mix well.

For chicken: Clean chicken; remove excess fat. Add chicken to bowl, submerging it in brine, and pour remaining 2 quarts of water over the top. Make sure chicken is covered. If it's not, weigh it down with a plate. Cover and refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.

Twenty minutes before you are ready to begin cooking, preheat grill. If using charcoal, spread hot coals onto either side of the grill, leaving the middle empty. If you are using a gas grill, heat one or two sections to medium-high, leaving the third off.

For either type of grill, fill an aluminum pan one-quarter full of water, and place under the grate of the unheated portion of the grill to catch drips from the chicken. Remove the chicken from the brine, drain and dry it completely.

Season with pepper.

Test the temperature of the grill before beginning. For charcoal, place your hand a few inches over the grate. The grill is ready if you can count to 3 before pulling your hand away; on gas, the temperature should be between 350 and 375 degrees.

Place chicken breast-side up on the unheated portion of the grill. Cover the grill and cook for 2 hours, or until a thermometer inserted into the thigh reaches 165. In the last half hour of cooking, baste the bird every 10 minutes with melted butter. Remove the chicken from the grill, and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

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