KUT & KUTX Studios -- Podcasts

KUT and KUTX news and music podcasts for Austin, Texas and beyond

Tacos of Texas

Trailer: Tacos of Texas Season Cinco Coming Soon

The fifth season of The Tacos of Texas podcast premieres on August 19. In Season Cinco, taco journalist Mando Rayo explores whole-hog butchering, the difference between Mexican food and Tex-Mex, how ICE raids are affecting taquerias, Texas’ Latinx Michelin-star honorees, women in BBQ, and kids making their own salsas.

Find it on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts!

If you’d like to support the Tacos of Texas podcast and other podcasts like it from KUT & KUTX in Austin, please visit supportthispodcast.org. Thank you for your support!

For Los Topos, borders and other dividing lines don’t matter in the wake of tragedy

The programming in this bonus episode of the Tacos of Texas podcast was originally aired live on the Texas Standard in July, 2025.

Tacos of Texas host Mando Ray discusses the search and rescue group who came from Mexico to help find victims of the July 4th floods.

In the weeks since the Fourth of July floods hit Central Texas, help has come in many forms. From relief concerts to restaurants donating profits, volunteers have been a huge part of relief efforts – including one trained rescue group from Mexico, which made it a priority to search for flood victims despite current rocky U.S. relations with Mexico.

The group is known as Los Topos Azteca and formed after Mexico City’s devastating 1985 earthquake. Tacos of Texas podcast host Mando Rayo discusses their involvement and the magnitude behind it in this political climate.

If you’d like to support the Tacos of Texas podcast and other podcasts like it from KUT & KUTX in Austin, please visit supportthispodcast.org. Thank you for your support!

The ADA turns 35: What true inclusion looks like

Texas lawmakers hear 12 hours of testimony as they take up what happened before during and after the devastating Hill Country floods.
Repeated plans to improve flood warning systems were repeatedly scuttled in the years leading up to the July 4th weekend. Neena Satija of the Houston Chronicle with what she’s learning about why.
As the Americans with Disabilities Act marks 35 years, advocates say we need to go beyond “accessibility” to build truly inclusive spaces – especially in disaster planning.
Will you soon be watching AI content on Netflix? Why it may not be a question of whether – but when?

You can support our work by becoming a sustaining member at supportthispodcast.org.

Why you’ve seen the Mexican flag at protests


The programming in this bonus episode of the Tacos of Texas podcast was originally aired live on the Texas Standard in June, 2025.

For many in the Latino diaspora in the U.S., the flags of their heritage hold weight and meaning. You’ll see them in homes, restaurants and as many might have noticed recently, protests.

As someone who grew up on the Texas/Mexico border in El Paso, Mando Rayo, host of the Tacos of Texas podcast knows a thing or two about this.

He spoke with Texas Standard on why the Mexican flag is so ubiquitous on this side of the border. Listen to the interview above or read the transcript below.

A new platter of cookbooks lets home chefs unleash Tex-Mex flavors

From South Texas barbecue to a deep dive into the world of salsas, these chefs from the Lone Star State can help up your kitchen game.

This episode of the Tacos of Texas podcast was originally aired live on the Texas Standard on May 1, 2025.

As more folks look to tighten their wallets by forgoing the restaurant and cooking at home instead, there are a handful of cookbooks hitting the shelves.

Taco journalist Mando Rayo says these books will make those home meals a little bit better, with some Tex-Mex flavors for sure.

The Tacos of Texas podcast host joined the Standard with more. Listen to the interview above or read the transcript below.

Farmers in Texas face mounting losses as lawmakers propose relief

An $8 billion funding bill for public schools has passed the Texas House. But is it enough? Where lawmakers stand on education spending.
After a string of weather disasters, a bill could bring financial relief to impacted farmers.
A new book, “Rethinking Medications: Truth, Power, and the Drugs You Take,” examines a shift in trust over federal guidance. Author Dr. Jerry Avorn joins with more.
In the not-too-distant future, iPhones may not be made in China. Omar Gallaga has the latest on talk of a shift in production.
Also: Taco podcaster Mando Rayo shares cookbook picks that put an accent on Tex-Mex flavors.

What is a carne asada and what can you expect if you’re invited?

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!

Trump’s new tariffs could hit Texas businesses hard

One of Texas’ top economists weighs in on the impact of Trump’s tariffs, what looks like the end of a U.S.-led free trade era, and what it could add up to for Texas.
It looks like John Cornyn may have a serious challenger for his seat in the Senate: Attorney General Ken Paxton.
The latest AI trend has users generating images in the style of animator Hayao Miyazaki and his Studio Ghibli works, sparking debates over copyright and artistic integrity.
Our March Madness bracket for the best song about Texas comes right down to the wire. Your vote could decide it all.
And: We’ll hear from Zell Miller III, Austin’s inaugural poet laureate.

Mando Rayo’s Taco Glossary

Mando Rayo walks through some of the terms you need to know if you want to cook tacos in Texas.

You can learn more in the book “The Tacos of Texas.”

The programming in this bonus episode of Tacos of Texas originally aired live on the Texas Standard in 2017.

Still reading? We appreciate you! And as we gear up for season CINCO of the Tacos of Texas podcast, we want to hear from dedicated listeners like you! Please tell us what you want to hear on the show by taking our listener survey at kut.org/tacosurvey

Thank you.

¡Vamos!

Soup recipes for caldo weather that aren’t caldo

As the weather dips, we’re bringing it to you Tacos of Texas style! Switching it up this soup season with Mando Rayo who shares his favorite Mexican soup recipes for the winter weather (aka caldo weather.)

The programming featured in this bonus episode was originally aired on the Texas Standard on December 11, 2024.

As we gear up for the next season of Tacos of Texas, we want to hear from listeners like you! Head to kut.org/tacosurvey to send us your thoughts and ideas for the upcoming season of the show! And stay tuned for Season CINCO of Tacos of Texas.

¡Vamos!

Why El Paso Mexican food hits different

In this bonus episode of the Tacos of Texas podcast, Mando Rayo, taco journalist joins the Texas Standard, to talk about El Paso’s unique flavors.

The programming featured in this bonus episode was originally aired on the Texas Standard in February, 2024.

As we gear up for the next season of Tacos of Texas, we want to hear from listeners like you! Visit kut.org/tacosurvey to send us your thoughts about what you’d like to hear on the next season of the show. And stay tuned for Season CINCO of Tacos of Texas. 

¡Vamos!

‘It impacts all of us’: A Day Without Immigrants 

Earlier this week, folks in several industries participated in an event called “A Day Without Immigrants.” The focus was to highlight the contributions immigrants make every day, including to the economy. 

Mando Rayo, taco journalist and host of the Tacos of Texas podcast spoke with Texas Standard about the protest and the contributions of the immigrant workforce. Listen to the interview above or read the transcript below.

Texas Senate passes bill creating school voucher-like program

A bill to let families use taxpayer dollars to cover private school tuition was approved by the Texas Senate, but the debate over the bill’s not done. Next stop: the Texas House.
El Paso has still not recovered from government vacancies dating back to the height of COVID, with growing concerns about how that’s affecting basic services in one of Texas’ biggest cities.
The WNBA season may be months away, but teams are making big moves – signing free agents, making trades and shaking up coaching staffs ahead of 2025.
Spring gardening season is around the corner, but experts say now is not the time to trim your oak trees. February marks the start of oak wilt season, a deadly disease that can devastate trees across Texas.

Taking your tacos to the next level in 2025 – BONUS

Mando Rayo shares his “taco hacks” for both restaurants and home cooking in this previously aired segment of the Texas Standard from 2024.

As we gear up for the next season of Tacos of Texas, we want to hear from listeners like you! Visit kut.org/tacosurvey to send us your thoughts about what you’d like to hear on the next season of the show. And stay tuned for Season CINCO of Tacos of Texas.

¡Vamos!

The Best thing I ate in 2024 (Live at El Perrito ATX) — BONUS

We’ll bring El Cuatro, season 4 of the Tacos of Texas Podcast with a live event at El Perrito ATX. We recap some of the best things we ate in 2024 and talk to our special guest from Visit El Paso, Julio Cotto about his identity and favorite taco spots. 

Taco Font, A Latino Art Weekend – Live at The Cathedral ATX — BONUS

Taco Font, a Latino Art Weekend live event in collaboration with The Cathedral Austin and Of Color. Some taco trucks are colorful, some hand-written and painted, and others are inspired by the food they make. In this episode, we’ll capture the most creative taco trucks, the inspiration, and stories behind the art, and eat along the way. Guests include muralist, Ernesto “Cheche” Hernandez and Reyna Vasquez, Veracruz All Natural (Austin) and moderated by Mando Rayo, Taco Journalist.

Big Bend seeks artists to capture park’s rugged beauty

Last night’s chill has many Texans asking how the state’s power grid is looking for the winter. How much has changed since the freeze and blackouts of February 2021? Mose Buchele of KUT News has been keeping tabs.
The Texas legislative session hasn’t even started, yet more than one representative claims to be the de facto speaker-elect of the House. The Texas Newsroom’s Blaise Gainey joins us with the latest.
Calling all creatives: Big Bend National Park is accepting applications for its artist-in-residence program.
And: What’s in your mug? Mando Rayo, host of the Tacos of Texas podcast, has winter tips for cozy sips.

A closer look at the country music Grammy nods

As lawmakers prepare to take up a school voucher-like plan, many state public schools are struggling with more cutbacks.
Gov. Greg Abbott is seeking an extension of a tuition freeze for public colleges and universities.
What the tiny town of Rockdale, Texas, could teach us about the energy transition and rising demand.
Mando Rayo of the Tacos of Texas podcast breaks down the state’s new Michelin-recognized restaurants.
And: What the Grammy nominations tell us about the changing landscape of country music – and why it’s sounding a lot more like an increasingly diverse Texas.

Is that Freddy Fender on my tortilla?

Let’s talk about folklore in Mexican cooking from apparitions of La Virgen or Freddie Fender on a tortilla, good and bad omens to ofrendas for our loved ones. Guest is Ayden Castellanos from the podcast, SUSTO.

×