Listen
Tortillas, sides, or a six-pack are a few things on the list of what to bring – just don’t come empty handed!
Enjoying spring weather in Texas before it gets unbearably hot for some means getting outside and throwing something on the grill.
Chargrilling meats and veggies to share with friends, family and neighbors is a longtime tradition that goes by many names in different cultures: “cookout,” “barbecue,”etc.
But for Mando Rayo, it’s the “carne asada.” The Tacos of Texas podcast host spoke with the Texas Standard to dish on what it is and who’s invited. Listen to the interview above or read the transcript below.
The programming in this episode of Tacos of Texas was originally aired live on the Texas Standard on April 3, 2025.
As we gear up for season 5 of Tacos of Texas, we want to hear from listeners like you.
Please visit our listener survey at kut.org/tacosurvey
¡Vamos!
And thank you!
The full transcript of this episode of Tacos of Texas is available on the KUT & KUTX Studio website. The transcript is also available as subtitles or captions on some podcast apps.
Texas Standard: I’ve heard this name before, “carne asada,” in reference to a dish. I always think of it as a bit like the term “barbecue” – multiple meanings here. How do you define it?
Mando Rayo: I mean, literally it is carne asada, grilled steak, but it’s also a party. It’s a backyard party, you know? So like if somebody says, “hey, we’re having a carne asada,” you know what’s going to happen? People are going to throw down on the grill, whether it’s fajitas, a flank steak, or if you want to spend a little more, a ribeye.
So literally carne asada is when you grill your steak over coals. No propane or propane accessories allowed here.
But yeah, so it’s a family get-together, right? And it’s like those things where you’re like, okay, we’re having a carne asada. Make sure you got the good tunes on. You got some cumbias and norteño music and some Tejano music.
And the host can do the carne asada. People bring their own their own meats to grill, the sides… You know, it’s like a family reunion, if you will, every Sunday.
Oh, that’s great. So does everyone bring along something? Like if you don’t have a meat, bring along a side or something like that?
Yeah. Well, you know, it’s kind of like this idea of everybody pitching in like a potluck style. So if I’m hosting, I’m going to make sure I have the steaks that I want to grill, the carnes that I want to grill, but somebody’s going to bring their own style.
And then it’s something to put on the grill, but it’s also the sides: guacamole, beans, rice, the tortillas – both flour and corn, of course. Gotta have the variety, right? And plenty of six-packs to go.
» MORE MANDO: How vaqueros’ history helped shape Texas tacos and taqueros
Sounds a lot like a Texas barbecue to me. I’m sure, though, that there are some specific differences.
No, for sure. But it’s like one of those things where, you know, you invite people and you only put a start time. You never put an end time.
Oh, really? Okay. Well, that makes sense. I mean, the best such gatherings are always the ones that keep on going, right? You’re always looking for a hint of, “okay, well, when is this thing shutting down?” It’s sort of when people decide.
Yeah, that’s right. And also the timing is different.
So if you have the early birds that get there on time, they help with prepping some of the food. So you don’t just come and hang out – we put you to work. Everybody has a role.
And then if you’re early, you could just sit there and watch the fire and the steaks getting grilled and just comment on the grilling.
Is there typically a grill master or does everyone sort of pitch in?
The host is usually the grill master. Sometimes there’s a fight amongst brothers, like who’s the better grill master.
But yeah, so usually there’s one and everybody comes in and then there’s sides… There’s a lot of tradition with that, where the grill master is outside and then inside people are preparing like the beans and the rice and all that – you know, the pico de gallo, all the salsas – and then it comes together. When everything’s ready, we all eat together.
This transcript was transcribed by AI, and lightly edited by a human. Accuracy may vary. This text may be revised in the future.
