Place chicken in a clean container. Pour over brine, ensuring that the chicken is submerged, then cover the container with plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight.

Remove the chicken from the liquid and dry well with paper towel and place on a wire rack set over a tray.

Preheat the oven to 90ºC (about 70°C, be sure to use an oven thermometer to get an accurate temperature).

Roll and pierce some holes in the lemon, then place it in the cavity of the bird with half of the thyme and bay leaf. Rub some butter on top of the skin. Place the chicken on the rack in a roasting tray and put in the oven. Roast the chicken for about 3–4 hours or until the internal temperature in the thickest part of the breast is 60ºC.

Remove the chicken from the oven and allow to rest for 45 minutes. Turn the oven temperature as high as it will go.

In the meantime, melt the butter in a pan and add the wine and a few sprigs of thyme. Bring to the boil then remove pan from heat and use the melted butter to baste the chicken before and during browning.

Put the chicken back in the roasting tray and return it to the oven for about 10 minutes or until golden brown, be careful it doesn’t burn. Once coloured, remove the chicken from the oven and place on a cooling rack.