Best for: Slow-grilled chicken halves with a tangy mop — the taste of an 18th-century Virginia gathering.
The record says George Washington’s diaries mention barbecues more than once — barbecues he attended, barbecues he hosted — because in his Virginia, barbecue wasn’t a hobby, it was the machinery of social and political life: whole neighborhoods and half the county’s voters gathered around slow-roasted meats, and a man who wanted to lead them fed them. Washington, who wanted very much to lead them, learned the custom early and never left it.
Our grilled take is the period plate: chicken halves grilled low and slow and mopped with a sharp vinegar baste — no sweet red sauce, which hadn’t been invented for this table yet.
Grill: Indirect medium-low heat (about 325°F). Equipment: Grill set up for indirect cooking, mop brush or cotton mop, instant-read thermometer. Course: Main dish.
Ingredients
Rest: 10 minutes Total: 1 hour 15 minutes
The chicken
- 2 whole chickens (about 3 1/2 pounds each), halved
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
The Virginia mop
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Directions
Season the halves. Rub the chicken halves all over with the salt and pepper and let them stand while the grill heats — dry, seasoned skin is the start of good barbecue chicken.
Warm the mop. Simmer the vinegar, butter, salt, red pepper flakes, and black pepper together until the butter melts, then keep it warm at the grill’s edge.
Grill low and slow. Set the halves skin side up on the indirect side, close the lid, and cook at about 325°F for 30 minutes without lifting the lid — let the smoke and gentle heat do their work.
Mop as it cooks. For the last 20 minutes, mop the chicken every 5 minutes with the warm vinegar baste, turning once. The skin will turn a deep, glossy mahogany.
Cook to the number. The chicken is done when the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F and the juices run clear, about 50 minutes total.
Rest and serve. Rest the halves 10 minutes, then cut each into quarters and serve with one last spoonful of warm mop over the top — sharp, buttery, and smoky.
Grilling tip: Keep the mop warm, always. Cold vinegar on hot chicken stalls the cooking and steams the skin you’ve been building.
