Discover what makes true authentic Tex Mex BBQ from 2M Smokehouse Pitmaster and co-owner Esaul Ramos Jr. himself. This multiple James Beard Award nominee and frequent visitor of the prestigious Texas Monthly Top 50 list walks you through his restaurant and showcases what real Tex Mex Barbecue is all about.

We met with Esaul when we were in San Antonio visiting the annual San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo Bar-B-Que Cook-Off for our latest BBQ book ‘Brand New BBQ’. We heard a lot about Tex Mex BBQ but never tasted it in its original and authentic form. Esaul gave us a tour around the premisses and overloaded a tray full of his BBQ specialties. After snapping a few pictures for the book we devoured the tray within minutes.

Yes he nailed the BBQ classics such as the Texas style brisket, but this was not what impressed us the most. Along side the succulent beef, juicy pork ribs and moist turkey slices there were his unique Mexican flavour makers that pleased us the most. A juicy smoked sausage with just the right snap filled with a typical Mexican cheese (instead of the so dominant cheddar) pleased us from the first to the last bite. The freshly made tortilla’s that came with the tray made you wish all BBQ joints would abandon their white slices of wonder bread. They were fluffy and still warm from the press and after some pressure Esaul gave up his family secret: beef tallow goes in the tortilla dough to give them that fluffy flavour punch. Various salsa’s, a crunchy pork skin topped mac ‘n cheese, grilled corn salad and pickled cactus completed the tray in true Tex Mex style. It was a true BBQ feast and a breakfast for kings ready to conquer another day.