Grilled Ginger-Beer Chicken

Directions

1. 1
   Rinse the chicken and pat dry.
2. 2
   Toss the ginger with 2 tablespoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper.
3. 3
   Sprinkle half of the mixture on the chicken; reserve the rest.
4. 4
   Refrigerate the chicken, uncovered, at least 2 hours.
5. 5
   Meanwhile, make the sauce: Pour the ginger beer into a wide skillet; cover and bring to a boil.
6. 6
   Uncover and cook over high heat until reduced by half, about 30 minutes.
7. 7
   Remove from the heat, add the tea bags and steep 10 minutes; discard the tea bags.
8. 8
   Add the onion, tomatoes, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar and thyme.
9. 9
   Return to high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 50 minutes, using a potato masher to crush the tomatoes during the last 5 minutes.
10. 10
    Remove the thyme.
11. 11
    Set aside half of the sauce for serving.
12. 12
    Bring the chicken to room temperature about 30 minutes before grilling.
13. 13
    Preheat a grill to medium with indirect heat: On a charcoal grill, bank the coals to one side; on a gas grill, turn off half of the burners.
14. 14
    Brush the chicken with some of the butter and sprinkle with some of the remaining ground ginger mixture.
15. 15
    Place skin-side up on the cooler side of the grill; cover and cook until it starts browning, about 18 minutes, basting with more butter and sprinkling with more ground ginger mixture halfway through.
16. 16
    Brush the chicken with a thick layer of sauce.
17. 17
    Cover and cook until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 160 degrees F, about 20 minutes, basting with more sauce halfway through.
18. 18
    Brush the chicken with more butter, then turn skin-side down and place on the hotter side of the grill (over direct heat).
19. 19
    Cook, uncovered, until marked, about 2 minutes.
20. 20
    Rotate the chicken to make crisscross grill marks and cook 2 more minutes.
21. 21
    Transfer to a board and let rest about 10 minutes.
22. 22
    Season with salt and serve with the reserved sauce.
23. 23
    Photograph by Con Poulos