North Texas halal barbecue competition returns in 2024 with ‘Grill for Gaza’ fundraiser

The annual halal barbecue competition hosted by North Texas group Halal BBQ Pitmasters is returning for its sixth year.

The competition will take place April 28, 2024 at Green Vine Market, a halal grocery store in Plano. This year, all proceeds for the “Grill for Gaza” event will go to supporting humanitarian efforts in Gaza, organizers said.

“We believe in using our passion for barbecue to make a positive difference in the world,” said Zahid Ahmad, one of the founders of Halal BBQ Pitmasters. “By coming together as a community, we can support those in need and make a real difference in their lives.”

Pitmasters from across Texas participate in the competition, which is comprised of three categories: Texas-style brisket, a dish featuring brisket or brisket trimmings, and skewered meat “grocery games,” where contestants choose from a selection of meats and other ingredients and come up with a skewer on-the-fly.

This year’s competition categories “represent the diversity of the word ‘BBQ,’ spanning from traditional Texas style brisket to Eastern hot and fast grilling over charcoal,” organizers said in a release.

Lauded Sabar Barbecue, a Pakistani-inspired barbecue food truck in Fort Worth, is one of the teams competing this year, owner Zain Shafi told The Dallas Morning News.

The competition first started among a group of friends who love to make barbecue and do so following Islamic halal standards for how meat should be prepared. Their small group soon ballooned to hundreds of like-minded Texans with spinoff groups in Southern California, The United Kingdom and South Africa.

Tickets to attend the competition are $100 and include access to cooking demonstrations and an artisanal market.

The 2024 Halal BBQ Pitmasters competition will take place 2-4 p.m. April 28 at Green Vine Market, located at 1804 K Ave., Plano. halalbbqpitmasters.com.

Senior food reporter Sarah Blaskovich contributed to this story.