Beer-brine chicken grilled on a beer can

Ingredients:

Brine

• 1 can of 0.33 l beer (preferably lager or pale ale)
• 0.5 cup brown sugar
• 0.5 cup coarse salt
• 2 wide strips of orange zest (removed with a vegetable peeler)
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• 3 cardamom pods

Chicken

• 1 roasting chicken weighing 1.8-2.2 kg, gutted
• 1 tbsp. l. olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 tbsp. l. brown sugar
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 tsp ground allspice
• 1 can of 0.33 l beer (preferably lager or pale ale), room temperature

Preparation:

1. Prepare the brine: In a bowl, combine beer, brown sugar, salt, orange zest, orange juice, and cardamom pods; stir until sugar and salt dissolve.
2. Place the chicken in a 4-quart zip-lock plastic bag with the brine; seal the bag and refrigerate for 2 hours.
3. Preheat the grill: For a charcoal grill: Place 3-4 pounds (1.3-1.8 kg) of charcoal briquettes in the grill, light, and let the coals burn down. For a gas grill: Preheat to high heat.
4. Prepare the chicken: Remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry; set aside the orange zest and cardamom. Rub the entire surface of the chicken with olive oil. Lift the skin on the breast and legs with your fingers and rub 1 clove of garlic under the skin and on the surface. Mix brown sugar, coriander, cumin, paprika, allspice, 1.5 teaspoons of salt and a pinch of pepper; rub the mixture all over the chicken, under the skin, and inside the carcass.
5. Pour half of the remaining can of beer into a 20cm (8-inch) disposable tray. Add the orange zest. Using a knife, poke 3-4 holes in the top half of the beer can. Add the remaining 3 crushed garlic cloves and the reserved cardamom.
6. If you are cooking on a charcoal grill, stack the coals in two piles on either side of the grill, place a tray of beer between them, and place the grate on top.
7. If you are cooking on a gas grill, reduce heat to medium on one side and turn off the burners on the other; place a drip tray under the grate on the cool side.
8. Thread the chicken onto a beer can, inserting the can into the cavity so that 1 inch (2.5 cm) of the can is visible from the bottom. Place the can on the grill grates over a drip tray, supporting the chicken on the can and legs like a tripod. Cover the grill and cook until the chicken is browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165°F (74°C). If using charcoal, this will take about 1 hour 20 minutes; add a handful of briquettes to each pile of coals every 30 minutes to maintain heat. On a gas grill, this will take about 1 hour 5 minutes; carefully flip the chicken halfway through.
9. Remove the chicken from the grill, discard the can, and place the chicken on a cutting board. Let it rest for 10 minutes before carving.