A month of prep time and several iterations of meat to fat to spice ratios led to the below recipe. One of the key distinguishing features of these kebabs is "umami," a difficult-to-describe savory taste traditionally empasized in Japanese dishes. To get umami, I added MSG to the recipe. If you don't like MSG, you … Continue reading Garlic Habanero “Umami” Kebabs
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
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)
(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
Last year, my friends and I started our annual BBQ competition. Six competitors made brisket and our guests served as judges, scoring the meat in categories like appearance (e.g. smoke ring, thickness of slices, bark), taste, and texture. Below are some of the pictures taken during the competition.
