Only one competitor brought chicken wings to the competition. Neghae's clever recipe (see below) and his pitmaster skills resulted in tender, juicy wings "with a kick at the end" per the judges. As you'll read below, Neghae owns a multitude of grills and knows how to use them. His meals are outstanding, and I often … Continue reading “Kickin’ Jalapeño Chicken!” by Neghae Mawla
One of the few competitors who cooked on-site, Wasi showed off his pitmaster skills, using a public park grill (the frustrating kind) in windy situations. His wife Muna's recipe (see below) combined with his grilling expertise resulted in tender and juicy chicken with "perfect Asian flavor" per the judges. As part of our ongoing … Continue reading “Korean Thunder Chicken” by Wasi Syed (3rd place 2018 Poultry Competition)
This was the lone non-chicken entry in our poultry competition. Rehan's intricate recipe resulted in one of the most beautiful turkeys I've ever seen. Not just did it look good, the judges loved the flavor and felt it was "cooked to perfection." As part of our ongoing series interviewing the competitors, below are Rehan's answers … Continue reading “Smoked Turkey Rubbed with Turmeric Buffalo Ghee” by Rehan Jaffrey
Our 2nd place champion, Aamer Agha, exhibits an admirable passion for grilling, and is willing to share his wisdom (see below). The judges loved his presentation and the robust flavor of his chicken. Hanif 'Mo' Islam, owner of The Gyro Shop, commented "This was very different. Everything went well together. All the ingredients were phenomenal. My … Continue reading “Momma’s Tandoori BBQ and Dad’s Homemade Hummus” – by Aamer Agha (2nd Place 2018 Halal BBQ Pitmasters Poultry Competition)
The winning dish of this year's Halal BBQ Pitmasters competition was Kamran Rizvi's "Karachi Bam Chicken." It was so good that he nearly got a perfect score from the judges (he lost one point on appearance). One of the judges (Rosie from our favorite halal Thai restaurant Noodle Wave) commented this dish reminded her of the … Continue reading “Karachi Bam Chicken” by Kamran Rizvi (1st Place Winner of our 2018 Poultry Competition)
(Stay tuned to this blog. We'll provide allot more details from the competition - like recipes, cook profiles, and judge profiles) Last year's competition was brisket and was a guys-only event. To change things up, this year we decided to do poultry (chicken, duck, and turkey) and invite entire families. Eleven competitors participated, and almost … Continue reading 2018 Halal BBQ Pitmasters Competition: Poultry
Costco's around the US have been selling Halal lamb for quite some time. Our family has been buying the lamb rack for years. Usually, we sear it then cook it slowly on the grill or in the oven. This time, I decided to cut it into chops, marinade it, and grill it quickly over direct … Continue reading What to do with Costco Halal Lamb: Lamb Chops
