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Billy the Kid's Last Meal | Cooking on the Most Dangerous Street in America
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Jul 30, 2025
Recipe below! We're exploring Lincoln, New Mexico, a true Old West Town and cooking up Billy the Kid's favorite New Mexico Enchiladas. Used in this video: Bertha cowboy wood stove https://bit.ly/3AOYB8y Kent's taco seasoning https://www.kentrollins.com/shop Rode wireless Go 2 mic: https://amzn.to/3seAQ7X Cowboy Hat: Chazhatz.com For more suggested products seen in our videos click here: https://www.amazon.com/shop/cowboykentrollins ====================== Printable Recipe: https://kentrollins.com/billy-the-kid-enchiladas/ ====================== Check out our BEST SELLING cookbooks. Get your copy here: https://www.kentrollins.com/shop Also available at bookstores nationwide, and Amazon www.amazon.com/shop/cowboykentrollins
View Video Transcript
0:00
This is Lincoln County, New Mexico. In
0:03
the late 1800s, this street ran red with
0:07
blood. It did. One of the deadliest
0:09
feuds in the American West happened
0:10
here. What was it? The Lincoln County
0:13
War. And right in the thick of it all
0:15
was a young gunman who had become a
0:18
legend. Billy the Kid. Today, we're not
0:21
just cooking up a meal tied to his
0:22
story. We're walking the same ground he
0:25
once ran, fought, and made history on.
0:28
Welcome to the west.
0:31
[Music]
0:49
[Music]
1:06
Welcome to this episode and we're in
1:07
Lincoln, New Mexico. And that may sound
1:10
familiar to you because this is the old
1:12
stomping grounds of Billy the Kid. We
1:14
got the wagon unloaded and we're going
1:16
to retrace some of Billy's last steps
1:18
here in Lincoln and also cook his
1:20
favorite meal, New Mexico enchiladas.
1:23
But Lincoln wasn't just another frontier
1:25
town. It was the heart of a war. In the
1:28
late 1870s, two rival factions were
1:31
fighting for control of cattle,
1:33
commerce, and power in the territory.
1:36
What started as a business dispute
1:38
turned bloody, and the Lincoln County
1:40
War was born. And in the middle of it
1:42
all wrote a wiry young outlaw, William
1:46
H. Bonnie, better known as Billy the
1:48
Kid. Billy was a sharpshooting young man
1:51
with a quick temper and a quicker draw.
1:54
He rode into Lincoln County in the 1870s
1:56
looking for honest work. What he found
1:59
instead was a town on the edge of war.
2:01
One side of the conflict was the Murphy
2:04
Dolan Group. Lawrence Murphy and James
2:07
Dolan operated a powerful business
2:08
monopoly in Lincoln County. They
2:11
controlled the general store, banking,
2:13
and held sway over the local law
2:15
enforcement. And on the other side was
2:17
an Englishman, John Tuntol, a newcomer,
2:21
and his lawyer, Alexander Mcween, trying
2:24
to build a fair business and bring a
2:26
little justice to the territory. And
2:28
tension quickly rose between the two
2:30
groups.
2:34
[Music]
2:36
Folks, before we get started, I got to
2:37
go in here at the general store and get
2:39
some groceries to fix Billy's favorite
2:41
dish. So, let's get in here in the
2:42
Tontol General Store, pick them up.
2:47
Morning, Oscar.
2:48
Morning, Ken.
2:49
Thank you so much for having us.
2:51
Welcome to Lincoln uh and to our
2:53
historic tonsil store.
2:56
[Music]
2:58
Hey, I I would uh love for this thing to
3:00
be able to tell me all the stories it
3:01
held in it, wouldn't you?
3:03
Well, that's what my job is here for.
3:04
There you go. So, if you don't mind,
3:06
Oscar, give me a little history on this
3:07
old store. Well, so this store is was
3:10
created by John Tonstow and Alexander
3:12
Mcween in the early 1870s and it was a
3:15
direct uh competitor to the Dolan Murphy
3:18
store that was kind of the the main
3:20
honchos in this area.
3:22
They had everything in here from dry
3:23
goods to feed to clothing.
3:25
Yes, sir.
3:25
I figured they did. This old building is
3:28
still just the same it was back then,
3:30
right?
3:30
Yeah. So, one of the things that we do
3:32
with uh with the historic sites is that
3:34
we do preservation in kind. So if you
3:36
ever see any of the buildings here or
3:38
throughout any of our historic sites, uh
3:40
the buildings and the materials are used
3:42
are either from the same building itself
3:43
or as close to what they were done.
3:46
So estimates of population here uh from
3:48
its inception were about 50 people and
3:51
into the 1870s and 1880s, we had about
3:55
1500 people plus living in this area.
3:57
Okay. So we're going to be walking over
3:59
here. So during the days that started
4:02
the county war, um there was a an
4:05
altercation between Sheriff Brady and
4:08
the regulators.
4:09
Yeah.
4:10
What started the the county war here in
4:12
particular was uh the ambush of Sheriff
4:15
Brady and one and his men in retaliation
4:18
for the killing of John Tonstow. And so
4:21
in that altercation, one of the
4:23
regulators was shot and he actually hid
4:26
underneath the floorboards here. And we
4:28
can see an example where exactly they
4:30
were staying at
4:31
and uh and we actually have items that
4:33
they have been that have been found that
4:36
were uh here when they were uh eating
4:39
well yeah while the uh the heat was
4:41
still going on. This is a place to cool
4:43
down.
4:43
Yeah.
4:43
I will tell you one of our other
4:45
buildings that we do operate the Montano
4:47
store. Yeah. So you know the Montano's
4:49
it's a very Hispanic name and I will be
4:51
completely honest with you those were
4:53
the original founders of Lincoln itself.
4:55
The town itself actually the original
4:57
name was La Placito de Rio Bonito and uh
5:00
this is an interesting place because as
5:03
uh Anglo and are coming in from the east
5:06
coast into this area, it's a perfect
5:08
marriage where uh both sides are are
5:11
kind of intermaring and having big
5:13
families are they're kind of mixed
5:14
together.
5:17
Well, I did pick me up a few groceries
5:19
while I was in there at the Tontol
5:20
store. some corn tortillas,
5:23
but also some canned beans. Now, I know
5:26
back during Billy's time, they would
5:27
have probably had dried beans and made
5:29
this, but folks, I'm fixing to show you
5:30
how to transform these canned beans.
5:32
It's an easy trick to make them taste
5:34
authentic. Get you a mixing bowl, dump
5:37
them beans in there, and find you a
5:39
tater masher cuz we need to incorporate
5:41
them beans well. Make sure they're all
5:43
loosened up in there. And next comes a
5:45
little mayonnaise and a little sour
5:47
cream. Now, to give these beans a more
5:50
authentic homemade flavor and not right
5:52
out of the can taste, we're going to add
5:54
some smoked paprika, our taco seasoning,
5:56
and some garlic powder. So, give that a
5:59
good mashing and mix all them seasonings
6:00
in really well. Now, we're going to dump
6:02
these beans in a 12-in Dutch oven and
6:04
just warm them thoroughly all the way
6:06
throughout. I think Billy would really
6:08
enjoy these reffried beans with a
6:09
helping of them homemade enchiladas. But
6:12
in 1878, things hit a fever pitch. Some
6:15
of the Murphy Dolan men ambushed and
6:17
killed John Tonsl. Now Billy took it
6:20
personal. He had been working for Tonsl
6:22
and saw him as a mentor and he vowed
6:24
revenge. Billy and a group of the ranch
6:27
hands got together and formed the
6:28
regulators. They took up arms and headed
6:31
into Lincoln. Tonsl's death is the spark
6:34
that ignites the Lincoln County War.
6:36
Over the next few months, several
6:38
shootouts and killings occurred between
6:40
both factions. The territory was in near
6:43
anarchy with violence spilling into the
6:45
ranches, roads, and even the town
6:47
center. The climax of the war occurred
6:50
from July 15th to the 19th, 1878,
6:53
the 5-day war. Tonsl's lawyer, Mween,
6:57
and his supporters, including Billy the
6:59
Kid, were surrounded in his home by the
7:00
Murphy Dolan forces. After several days
7:03
of gunfire and siege, the house was set
7:06
on fire. Mween, while fleeing his
7:08
burning house, was killed. Billy escaped
7:11
through gunfire. Oscar, this is a pretty
7:14
interesting site here to see. What What
7:16
is this?
7:16
Oh, so this is the oldest building in
7:18
town. It's actually built in the 1850s.
7:21
This is called the Torion. And if you
7:23
are in northern New Mexico, you'll see
7:24
this sprinkled throughout all the area.
7:26
So, originally, this was a defense
7:28
tower. So during the early settlements
7:31
of this town, they would have been uh
7:33
had a protection from uh groups that
7:36
were trying to raid or or or do damage
7:39
to the area.
7:40
So Oscar, what role did this play with
7:42
Billy the Kid?
7:43
Yes. So this building itself, like I
7:45
mentioned, defensive tower on top, the
7:47
Murphy man would have been up there and
7:49
they were actually kind of keeping the
7:51
middle grounds between the further parts
7:53
of the Montiosur where the regulators
7:55
were at and the uh Maxween home and the
7:59
courthouse, which would have been the
8:00
the Dolan stronghold at that point.
8:03
Let's picture and imagine how history
8:05
was at that point. During the the
8:07
five-day battle, we have people shooting
8:09
at each other from across the the whole
8:11
entire town. Uh we have uh accounts of
8:14
people shooting from the high mountains
8:16
down to the courthouse. Um to the point
8:19
where where these this this bastion
8:21
right here would have been a stronghold
8:23
for the the the Murphy men just trying
8:25
to just keep alive while the regulars
8:28
were trying to push into the area.
8:30
The war left dozens dead and the town in
8:32
ruins. The Murphy Dolan faction regained
8:35
control, but the public opinion began to
8:38
shift after all the dust from the
8:40
Lincoln County War settled. Billy the
8:42
Kid kept on running. He was wanted for
8:44
several killings, including the murder
8:46
of Sheriff Brady. And the law wasn't far
8:49
behind. In the winter of 1880, Sheriff
8:52
Pat Garrett, a once friend of Billy's
8:54
and turned lawman, was given a job of
8:57
bringing Billy in. Garrett finally
8:59
tracked him across the New Mexico
9:01
territory through snow, plains, and
9:03
mountain passes. Garrett tracked him
9:05
down outside of Lincoln near Fort Sumner
9:08
just before dawn and surrounded the
9:11
small cabin Billy was hiding in. Billy
9:14
was taken to Santa Fe, then brought back
9:16
here to Lincoln to stand trial and he
9:18
was sentenced to Hayne. But the kid had
9:21
other plans. Right behind me is the
9:23
courthouse. But this wasn't always a
9:25
place of law and order. This was once
9:27
the Murphy Dolan store. But in 1881,
9:30
this became the sight of one of the most
9:32
daring jail escapes the West had ever
9:35
seen. But before we headed into the
9:36
courthouse, I'm getting a little hungry.
9:38
So, let's go back over here at the wagon
9:39
and fix up them New Mexico and
9:41
enchiladas.
9:43
[Music]
9:58
So the first thing we're going to do is
10:00
create a enchilada sauce. Now let's go
10:02
back to the era in which Billy was here
10:04
in big Mexican influence and they
10:06
probably used a lot of dried chilies in
10:09
whatever they was cooking. Now I have
10:10
done this in the past to make an
10:12
enchilada sauce with guilo chili, dried
10:15
ancho chili, cascale bring all that
10:17
flavor about, but I wanted to throw
10:19
something in there that was quick and
10:20
easy, but we're not going to lose that
10:22
taste of really good enchilada sauce.
10:25
So, to get this started, we're going to
10:27
add some olive oil. I'm doubling this
10:30
recipe today, but we got to have
10:32
something that's going to make that
10:34
sauce thicken up. And what's that's
10:35
going to be is flour. Allpurpose flour.
10:39
We'll start with about that much. We can
10:40
always thin with more olive oil or
10:42
thicken with more flour. Now, we're just
10:45
using regular old chili powder today.
10:49
And y'all know me, I don't measure too
10:51
much. So, we're going with about six
10:53
tablespoons. And I'd say was pretty
10:55
close to that. Next, onion powder. Now,
10:58
we're going to have some garlic powder,
11:00
a little bit of salt, some dried
11:03
oregano, and I also added in a little
11:06
cumin. So, to that, some chicken broth.
11:08
Now, we're going to add the whole box,
11:10
which is four cups,
11:13
but also tomato paste.
11:24
And we're going to stir all that up. And
11:26
then we're going to add in what I think
11:29
is some good smoky spicy flavor.
11:35
My most favorite ingredient in the whole
11:37
world, chipotle peppers and adobo sauce.
11:40
Now, I'm just going to try to get in
11:42
here and get some of the sauce out with
11:43
not so much of the pepper. And then I'm
11:45
going to taste it here in a minute to
11:47
see if it's got enough flavor. And if it
11:50
doesn't, we'll just go to dicing up some
11:52
of them chipotle peppers.
11:57
We are so close. But I'll tell you what
12:00
I'm going to do just cuz I like y'all.
12:02
If I can find a cutting board. Hang on,
12:05
Sh. I'm going to make some racket.
12:07
We're going to go ahead and get us about
12:09
I'd say four of them out of there.
12:14
Take our hash knife and just dice them
12:16
up really well.
12:19
Now remember, if we was doing this from
12:20
scratch, that ancho chili would have
12:22
give us that smoky flavor. We'd have
12:25
probably even ended up putting a chili
12:28
there ball in there to give us a little
12:29
heat.
12:32
[Music]
12:36
All right, got it like I want it. Take
12:37
it over an old Bertha and I'm going to
12:38
put it on a simmer inside there. And
12:40
when it comes to a good simmer, then
12:42
we'll just move it off, put a lid on it,
12:44
keep it warm for them.
12:48
[Music]
13:05
[Music]
13:15
Well, I took me some hamburger meat over
13:17
at a Bertha. Browned it up a little.
13:19
Then I added me a whole white onion that
13:21
we had diced up in there. Seasoned it
13:22
with some of our taco seasoning and just
13:25
let it cook down. Now, I did have to
13:26
drain a little grease out of this
13:28
depending on the meat you're getting.
13:29
But our enchilada sauce thickened up. We
13:32
started out with just a layer here in
13:34
the bottom. Now, I do love me some
13:37
tortillas. I do. But if I'm having
13:39
enchiladas, I like to combine them both.
13:42
So, we're just going to take the
13:44
paintbrush here, give this a little
13:46
coating.
13:49
I don't know if there is a bad way to
13:51
enchiladas or how to make them. A lot of
13:54
people say you have to use corn. Some
13:56
people say no, you got to use flour. So,
13:59
it depends on how you want to make them.
14:02
So, we need to give that a little
14:03
sprinkling of cheese right down the
14:05
center.
14:07
And then it's time to go to adding the
14:09
meat.
14:11
And you want it right down the center as
14:13
well.
14:18
A little more sprinkling of cheese.
14:22
And then we're going to actually see if
14:23
we can roll all this up.
14:26
Now, when you roll, remember tuck and
14:27
roll.
14:29
And then always make sure that the seam
14:32
side is down to keep everything together
14:35
in there. So, we'll repeat that process
14:37
until we get it plum full.
14:40
[Music]
14:55
[Music]
15:09
[Music]
15:24
[Music]
15:31
Billy the kid had been captured was
15:33
being held right here under guard. guard
15:36
awaiting execution for the murder of
15:38
Sheriff William Brady. He was just 21
15:41
years old. They chained him up in a room
15:43
upstairs and posted two deputies to keep
15:46
an eye on him.
15:47
Well, yeah. Originally, this was uh the
15:49
Murphy Dolan store. So, a little bit of
15:51
time between that. So, this building was
15:53
built in 1874
15:55
and was the main food supplier in the
15:57
area. Uh, and this was a big problem for
16:00
anybody else that was trying to set up
16:01
shop here in the area. And this is kind
16:04
of what leads up to the main conflict
16:06
that is the old Lincoln County War. So
16:09
Kent, this used to be Murphy and Dolan's
16:11
living quarters. If you can imagine,
16:12
this room is actually divided in
16:14
different uh walls. Uh later on after
16:17
the county war happened and the building
16:19
was sold to the county, uh they
16:21
remodeled it to be the courthouse that
16:23
we see now. Yeah. So uh here uh we are
16:25
standing where uh trials would have been
16:27
held off and uh this was the the main
16:30
center of of uh all law that was
16:32
happening in that area. So you would
16:34
imagine how many trials were happening
16:35
that day.
16:36
It was upstairs where Billy was being
16:38
held. There was no actual jail cell at
16:40
the time. So he was chained to the floor
16:42
in the corner of the room. So how did he
16:46
make his escape? Now he was being
16:48
escorted by officer Bale to the
16:51
outhouse. He wrestles with Bale, breaks
16:53
free, and then he runs back into the
16:56
courthouse, runs upstairs, and grabs a
16:58
gun from the armory. As Bale runs around
17:00
him, Billy shoots him at the bottom of
17:03
the stairs. Bail stumbles outside and
17:06
falls dead.
17:07
Yeah, Ken. So, we just came from the top
17:09
of the second floor, and as you we come
17:11
down the steps, we see this bully hole
17:13
right here. And this is the remnants of
17:14
when Billy shot Belle. Hearing the
17:17
gunshot, the officer on duty, Robert
17:20
Olinger, runs to the side of the
17:21
courthouse. Billy runs to the second
17:24
story window and with his gun aim
17:27
steady, he shoots Aller dead. So after
17:30
Billy's great escape, he was hiding out
17:32
near Fort Sumar and his one-time friend
17:34
Pat Garrett ambushed him and killed him
17:37
there. But hey, there's a lot of
17:39
speculation that's been going on for
17:40
years and years. Did Billy really get
17:43
killed there, or did he escape? What's
17:45
your thoughts? Leave me a comment.
17:48
[Music]
18:01
[Music]
18:26
This escape made Billy a legend. Now, as
18:30
things were still hostile in this little
18:32
town, the flag still flew over our great
18:35
nation. And it is with pride, honor, and
18:38
privilege that I tip my hat to all the
18:40
servicemen and women and all the
18:41
veterans that have kept that old flag of
18:42
flying above camp.
18:48
[Music]
18:54
This road, it may look quiet now, but it
18:57
once ran with blood and guns smoke.
19:00
Cattle barons, corrupt politicians,
19:02
hired guns, and a few good men caught in
19:04
the middle. And in that firestorm, a
19:06
legend was forged. Billy the Kid. The
19:10
Lincoln County War didn't just shape one
19:12
man's story. It shaped the West itself.
19:15
The courthouse still stands. The Tonl
19:17
store, the old Murphy Dolan buildings,
19:20
the bullet holes in the wall, they're
19:22
still here. Time has passed, but the
19:25
stories haven't left. Lincoln is still
19:27
one of the preserved places on the map
19:29
where you can visit history and hear the
19:31
stories these old buildings hold.
19:34
And maybe if the wind hits just right,
19:38
you'll hear the echo of hoof beatats
19:40
down the street. So come out to Lincoln,
19:43
walk the same streets that the kid did,
19:46
relive the history that's here, be a
19:48
part of the Old West.
19:53
[Music]
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