Barbacoa by Brandon Hurtado – Hardback Cookbook

Barbacoa: The Heart of Tex-Mex Barbecue is a hardback cookbook by Brandon Hurtado, owner and pitmaster of Hurtado Barbecue in Arlington, Texas, with 80 recipes that fuse Texas smoke with Mexican flavour, from brisket birria tacos to al pastor wings. Its publisher bills it as the first book devoted to Mexican and Tex-Mex smoke-cooked barbecue.

Texas smoke, Mexican soul

Hurtado Barbecue sits between Dallas and Fort Worth and has made Texas Monthly's list of the state's 50 best barbecue joints. Brandon built it on the idea that Hispanic barbecue deserves its place alongside Central Texas and Southern traditions, and this book makes the case deliciously. The Wall Street Journal called his recipes as innovative as they are appealing.

What's inside

An introduction traces barbacoa as the original New World barbecue and covers smoking on a smoker or a grill and choosing wood. Then come seven chapters: essential rubs, mops and sauces; antojitos, small plates and street foods; meats and fish straight up; meats and fish al pastor; birrias, burritos, tacos and enchiladas made with smoked things; vegetable mains and sides; and sweet finishes.

Standouts include Barbacoa con Papas, Brisket Birria Tacos, Pork Belly Burnt Ends, Mexican Hot Chicken, Beef Rib Chili and Garlic Habanero Quick Pickles, plus flame-kissed breakfasts like Brisket Benedict and desserts such as Smoked Blueberry Cobbler and Mexican Hot Chocolate Pecan Pie. Jess Pryles of Hardcore Carnivore is among the cooks praising it on the back cover.

Who it's for

Smoker owners who've mastered salt-and-pepper brisket and want new flavour, taco lovers, and anyone cooking for a crowd. The introduction covers both dedicated smokers and grills set up for smoking, so most backyard setups are in.

About Brandon Hurtado

Brandon Hurtado is the owner and chef of Hurtado Barbecue in Arlington, Texas, between Dallas and Fort Worth. The restaurant appears regularly on best-barbecue lists from Texas Monthly, the Dallas Morning News, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and the Dallas Observer, and Brandon lives in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

The Rub Smuggler's Verdict

Off the record, Darryl reckons Tex-Mex is the barbecue tradition most backyard cooks haven't met yet, and Brandon makes a cracking introduction. The Brisket Birria Tacos are the headline act, and the smoked-things chapter around them is where this book earns its keep. Get it and your smoker turns taquería every weekend. Pair it with The Tex-Mex Cookbook by Ford Fry for the classics and Horn Barbecue for Matt Horn's West Coast smoke. Rub your next pork shoulder with The Feedlot Mexicue.

Questions answered

Who wrote Barbacoa?

Barbacoa was written by Brandon Hurtado, owner and pitmaster of Hurtado Barbecue in Arlington, Texas.

How many recipes are in Barbacoa?

There are 80 recipes across seven chapters, from rubs, mops and sauces to tacos, vegetable sides and desserts.

Is Barbacoa good for beginners?

Yes. The introduction explains smoking on a smoker or a grill and choosing wood before the recipes begin.

Is Barbacoa a hardback, and how many pages?

Yes. It's a 240-page hardback published by Harvard Common Press in 2025.

What is Tex-Mex barbecue?

It's Texas-style smoke cooking combined with Mexican flavours and dishes, think brisket birria tacos, al pastor and barbacoa, which Hurtado calls the original New World barbecue.