Posted on 09/06/2026 4:02:10 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
FORT WORTH, Texas (RNS) — At 9 a.m. on a scorching summer Saturday, nearly 100 people were already lined up outside Goldee's BBQ, a small, wooden-shack restaurant.
First in line was 30-year-old Thanh Huynh, who had been sitting in a lawn chair on the joint's rustic porch since 6:30 a.m.
"I have, like, a whole list, and I'm going to spend lots of money here. It'll be worth it," he said, laughing while rattling off a long order of meats and sides from his phone's Notes app as a sweet, smoky scent from nearby pits hung in the air.
Opened in 2020 by a group of his friends, the restaurant was named the No. 1 barbecue spot in the state by Texas Monthly a year later, and then won a Bib Gourmand award from the prestigious Michelin Guide, given for "great food at a great value."
The restaurant serves classic Texas barbecue like craft pork belly, sausage and ribs. But it also offers halal brisket, turkey and lamb — meat raised and butchered in accordance with Islamic guidelines.
At a time when Republican leaders are increasingly targeting the state's growing Muslim communities, barbecue joints like Goldee's that offer halal options are thriving in Texas. Across the state, Muslim pitmasters are gaining recognition for putting their own spin on one of Texas' most iconic culinary traditions.
At least a dozen barbecue spots now serve halal meats, including Yearby's Barbecue & Waterice, run by Black Muslim couple CJ and Sabrina Henley, soon-to-be in Plano, and Levant Mediterranean BBQ, a restaurant with locations in Houston and Frisco and whose all-beef menu includes a brisket shawarma sandwich.
"Now there are so many options, and for us to have highly rated barbecue, it's a blessing," said Haris Ghaffar, who drove an hour from Celina and stood in 90-degree weather for nearly two hours with a friend for the halal options at Goldee's.
Growing up in the 1990s, Ghaffar said a McDonald's Filet-O-Fish sandwich was one of the few halal meals he could eat while dining out. Back then, halal food was seen as serving a small community. Today, it's a multibillion-dollar industry that's part of the American culinary mainstream, said food writer Farhan Mustafa, who wrote about the rise of American halal barbecue for Bon Appétit magazine in 2025.
"Halal food is American food," said Mustafa. "It belongs on your plate. It belongs in the casual chat. It belongs in hip-hop tracks. It's the most American thing there is."
Mustafa said Muslims are part of a growing list of communities putting their stamp on Texas barbecue. "Whether they're first, second or third-generation Muslims or Muslim Americans or just Americans, they're bringing what they know and what excites them," he said.
Texas barbecue is typically defined by salt-and-pepper brisket and pork ribs, but this new crop of halal pitmasters is adding inventive twists, often based on their own family heritages.
Zain Shafi, a pitmaster and co-owner of Goldee's, previously ran Sabar Barbecue, a food truck that offered Pakistani-infused halal dishes, such as brisket with rub that included spices like bay leaf and coriander. He brought tandoori smoked turkey to Goldee's menu. And sourcing halal cuts, he said, was a natural choice because they are "the highest quality" meats.
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More at the link...but I'm pretty sure that FReeper Texan BBQ Masters have already read enough. ;)
A lot of companies go halal without your permission and it’s against some religions
I’ve had more believable BS from propositioning high school wanna be ‘boyfriends’
Going back in time slaughtering animals , cruelty to animals , where’s PETA
No mention of how many infidels at the gathering were assaulted (or worse) for violating Shariah Law.
Oh, wait. There probably weren’t any assaults. Sociologist Dr. Peter Hammond did a study on this. He said Muslims behave as peaceful neighbors until they reach about 5% of the population. Then they start to demand things, including application of Shariah Law.
Texas isn’t there, yet.
A long time ago, I read that an animal downed on the line can be considered halal if blessed by the correct cleric.I believe that Americans use downed animals only in animal feed. Don’t recall the source.
EQUAL TIME: This is what is allowed in kosher food. “Kosher food” refers to
food items that conform to the Jewish Dietary Restrictions outlined in the Torah.
Allowed Foods (Permitted Categories)
Meat (Fleishig): Mammals that chew their cud and have split hooves; cows, sheep, goats, and deer.
Poultry: Permitted birds that are not birds of prey or
scavengers, primarily chicken, turkey, duck, and goose.
Seafood: Only fish that possess both visible fins
and scales (e.g., salmon, tuna, tilapia, herring).
Separation of Meat and Dairy: Meat and dairy products cannot be cooked or eaten together. Utensils and cookware must also be kept strictly separate for meat and dairy.
Forbidden Animals: Pork, rabbit, camel, rodents, reptiles, insects, and shellfish (like shrimp, crab, and lobster) are completely prohibited.
Slaughter and Blood: Permitted mammals and birds must undergo a specific ritual slaughter process (shechita), and all blood must be completely drained before preparation.
Produce: Fresh fruits and vegetables are naturally
kosher, but must be carefully inspected for insects.
It’s always different.
Consistency is not something people look for anymore.
Truth rests in consistency.
“Produce: Fresh fruits and vegetables are naturally
kosher, but must be carefully inspected for insects.”
So, if I accidentally eat a bug, I’m screwed? LOL!
Yup....../s.
LOL!
These people need to go back to their countries and leave us alone.
I don’t know what the rules are, but unless I butchered it myself, or ran it over with my truck and had permission from the owner, I ain’t eating it!
We once had a, ‘Three Deer and A Steer’ year. Beau hit two deer with his F350 truck while commuting to work. The cops let him take both of them ‘at the scene of the crime.’ ;) Another guy he worked with hit one too, threw it in the truck bed and gave it to Beau at work that day.
Then, a few days later, Beau hit a steer that had wandered onto the road and since it was insured, the owner said for Beau to take it.
We had a full freezer for FREE that year and lots of good eating. ;)
I hve caught a lot of flaming arrows predicting Texas will become a democrat s hole.
Please. Prove me wrong.
Prepare accordingly. We are Fd,
AMEN to that! :)
We need to remove all muslims from America as soon as possible.
Uhhhhhhh, yyyeahhh....about that whole halal pork thing.....
Diana in Wisconsin wrote: “Then, a few days later, Beau hit a steer that had wandered onto the road and since it was insured, the owner said for Beau to take it.”
Glenn hit a deer. When his brother called, he didn’t ask if Glenn was ok or if Glenn’s truck was damaged, he just wanted to know if he could have the deer. Glenn wanted it for himself.
I’m sure the goal is to have only halal food available and to have pork completely banned.
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