Benji's Dad's Barbecue Chicken Recipe Based on the Book

The page numbers of my quotes may be wrong because I used a electronic book of Sag Harbor.

Benji's dad is apparently pretty good at grilling so I wanted to make a barbecue recipe based on the Book.

The first step is inspired by the quote, "He wheeled the Weber to the side of the deck and dumped last week's ashes over the rail" (Whitehead 177). This quote shows that Benji's father used a Weber that was used at least once because he dumped ashes from another time. I think a Weber is a grill brand. Here is the first image of a grill that popped up from a google search of Weber.

Weber Original Kettle 22-Inch Charcoal Grill - Black - 741001 : BBQGuys

Step 1. Use a Weber that has been used at least once.

The next step is inspired by the quote, "Next came the ceremonial scrubbing away of last week's grease from the grill." (Whitehead 177). This quote also shows that the Weber was used at least once because there was grease from a week before and that Benji's father likes scrub away grease from the grill before cooking.

Step 2. Scrub away the grease from the Weber.

The next step is inspired by the quote, "Kingsford charcoal, my father's fuel of choice" (Whitehead 179). This quotes shows how Benji's dad likes to use Kingsford charcoal.

Step 3. Use Kingsford charcoal

The next step is inspired by the quote, "The coals were so thoroughly suffused with lighter fluid that every so often a pile preemptively ignited itself when a matchbook got within thirty yards, choosing to embrace its destiny with honor." (Whitehead 180). This quote shows that Benji's dad used enough lighter fluid so a pile of coals would ignite from a matchbook within thirty yards.

Step 4. Use enough lighter fluid so a pile of coals ignites from a matchbook within thirty yards

The next step is inspired from the quote, "'What do you want? A breast and wing? A bunch of wings? I'll do those first.'" (Whitehead 190). This quotes shows how Benji's dad used chicken breast and wings for barbecue.

Step 5. Use chicken breast and wings.

The next quote is inspired by the quote, "They were charred and shrunken, the lot of them, crumbling into black specks (Whitehead 198). This quote shows that Benji's dad cooked the chicken until charred and shrunken, crumbling into black specks.

Step 6. Cook until charred and shrunken, crumbling into black specks.

The next step is inspired by the quote, "I'm going to put a little on some pieces, because I know people like that" (Whitehead 191). This quote is Benji's dad response to Benji declining to put barbecue sauce on the chicken. This quote shows that Benji's dad puts barbecue sauce on the chicken.

Step 7. Add barbecue sauce.

Benji did not like the recipe, but I think this recipe has potential if you cook the chicken and add barbecue sauce to your preference. What do you think?

Comments

  1. Henry GMay 19, 2026 at 6:16 AM

    Hi Robert, this is definitely the most unique blog I've come across to so far about Sag Harbor. I think that you should try this recipe and bring some for both classes to sample. Perhaps Colson Whitehead snuck in his own barbecue recipe into the book as a little easter egg. Anyways, congrats on graduating and I really like this blog.

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  2. SophieMay 19, 2026 at 10:12 AM

    Hi! I don't know that this recipe should be tried at home... Especially not the plates part after. I do wonder how he barbecued so often, so poorly, and people still thought it was good. Do you think he just gave a bad piece to Benji? Do you think people were pretending? Was Benji too biased?

    ReplyDelete
  3. ElliotthegreatMay 20, 2026 at 2:44 PM

    Hi Robert, I've never seen a blog like this and I respect the fact you decided to branch out from the majority of people who simply discuss this scene or just give their own interpretation of it. Congrats on graduation and I wish you the best on your next chapter in life!

    ReplyDelete
  4. MichaelMay 21, 2026 at 8:03 AM

    Hello Robert. The statement about Benji's father adding enough lighter fluid to make the grill ignite itself whenever a matchbook got within thirty yards of it is definitely an exaggeration, but it is used to emphasize the very peculiar way that Benji's dad grills, and may even provide some subtle foreshadowing towards the end-product: a burnt mess of chicken that makes Benji question everything he once believed about his father's cooking. Anyways, putting all of these steps together helps paint a clearer picture of how intensely (and perhaps wrongfully) methodical Benji's father is about grilling, treating his chicken like his children and his children like chicken (that's a Fun Home joke). Nice post overall!

    ReplyDelete
  5. MitchellMay 21, 2026 at 11:43 AM

    I'm no expert on barbeque, as a vegetarian since age 16, but I do always feel a little dubious when Benji is celebrating his dad's amazing and rarefied technique in this chapter. His description of his dad at work in front of the Weber is funny, but it's hard to tell how seriously to take Benji's praise: the swoon-inducing fumes from the "grotesque" amount of lighter fluid, the refusal to do more than the bare minimum when it comes to sauce (which I've always understood to be somewhat essential to barbeque?), and the fact that his secret spices are basically salt, pepper, and paprika--it doesn't SOUND all that special. And then at the end of the chapter, it's cooked to the point where it resembles charred sand. Mr. Cooper has a rep as a master griller, but this chapter suggests that this reputation is dubious at best, more a matter of tradition, or maybe of his father's projected persona AS the "master griller," than an objective assessment of the food he produces.

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