Hurtado Barbecue's Brandon Hurtado on Tex-Mex BBQ, Festivals, and Cookbook

Tex-Mex Barbecue Innovation

• 💡 Hurtado Barbecue is bringing North Texas flavor to major festivals in Chicago and Arlington.
• 📚 Brandon Hurtado's new cookbook, "Barbacoa: The Heart of Tex-Mex Barbecue," is the first to focus exclusively on this unique culinary fusion.
• 🌮 The cookbook features innovative dishes like banana pudding tacos, blending sweet and savory elements.

The Genesis of Tex-Mex BBQ

• 🍖 Hurtado grew up with a passion for barbecue, influenced by his father's backyard cooking and central Texas traditions.
• 🎯 He explains that combining Tex-Mex cuisine with authentic central Texas-style barbecue creates a distinct and beloved genre.
• 🪵 The secret to their signature flavor is the use of post oak wood for smoking.

Festival Appearances and Offerings

• 🎪 Hurtado Barbecue will participate in the Lone Star Smokeout in Arlington and the Windy City Smokeout in Chicago.
• 🌮 Festival highlights include brisket birria tacos, smash burgers, brisket elote, chicken fajita sausage, and Texas-style pork ribs.
• 🎶 The Windy City Smokeout is a music festival, not a competition, focused on sharing the gospel of barbecue.

Hurtado Barbecue's Growth

• 🚀 The restaurant began as a popup in 2018 and has since expanded to six locations across North Texas.
• ⚾ They are also the official barbecue restaurant inside Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers.