The new
BBQ Brisket Whopper
from
Burger King
is delicious. That should not be a surprise. It’s a
Whopper
with brisket and crispy onions on it.
But when I first ordered it, I thought the person who made it had screwed up.
When I unwrapped my Whopper, I was disappointed to see that there didn’t seem to be any brisket on the burger. All the other ingredients were there: the pickles, the crispy onions, the cheese.
I even posted this photo to my coworkers expressing my disappointment. Just like me, they looked at it and asked, “They forgot the brisket?”
It turns out, no. They didn’t. It was just hiding out of sight.
In my defense, promotional photos from Burger King show the new limited-edition Whopper with ample pulled brisket pouring out the sides.
My Whopper had no such thing. All I saw were onions, pickles and cheese on top of the patty.
So, hoping to conduct an accurate review, I went to get another Whopper.
This time, I made sure to check my order before leaving the restaurant.
Quick examination: Yup, there’s the brisket poking out of the side.
But looking closer, I noticed something. The brisket was poking out from under the cheese.
It was clearly on there and visible on the outside of the burger. But clearly, the bulk of it was placed under the cheese.
Wait.
Does that mean my first burger actually had brisket on it the whole time?
I grabbed a fork and began dissecting my neglected first Whopper.
There it was: Under the cheese, I managed to reveal a layer of brisket, pulling it up like a layer of fresh sod on the front lawn – just grosser.
As mad as I am at this burger, I have to admit it. This thing is delicious.
The BBQ flavor is strong, coming through with a tangy sweetness that serves as a distinctive highlight to the alternative Whopper. Flavor-wise, it’s similar to what you often get with a sweet, saucey dollop of pulled pork.
Outside of the BBQ, you still get the typical meatiness from the burger patty, which carries the usual smoky, savory flavors of the Whopper.
The sauce and pickles keep the whole thing from being too heavy, breaking up the elements to make the individual components pop.
This easily could have been a big mess – like a sloppy Joe. But the ingredients are allocated in a way that prevents it from being too moist and messy.
Honestly, that’s probably due to the brisket being encased under the water-tight cheese barrier. Looking back, it’s a great idea in terms of the eating experience.
At the same time, it definitely dulls the presentation. I want to see the brisket.
I was confused at first. But if I’d just bitten down into the burger right away, I would have discovered that it was delicious and filled with the brisket I’d thought was missing.
I may owe Burger King an apology.
Although, to be fair, Burger King has owed me an apology for years after the
atrocity that was the Black Whopper
.
I’d say we’re even now.
The release of the BBQ Brisket Whopper is a part of Burger King’s “Whopper by You” promotion. The chain is inviting the hungry burger hordes to send in suggestions for what they think would make a cool Whopper.
You can submit your own burger schematics at
bk.com/wby
. I’d hate to be the poor soul at Burger King corporate HQ who has to sort through that inbox.
Unfortunately for that poor soul, they have to look at the burger I submitted. I call it the “Impossibly Cheesy Whopper.” It’s an Impossible Whopper topped with American Cheese, Swiss Cheese, Cheddar Cheese and Mozzarella Sticks.
There are also onions and mayonnaise because I’m a maniac.
I also made “The Burger That Isn’t Yours: The Nacho Whopper.” It’s topped with nachos, salsa, guacamole and sour cream.
The website doesn’t actually give you the option to name your burger. But it can’t stop me from picking one myself.
Burger King will not be making either of my creations, so I’m not too worried about it.
—
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“I ate it so you don’t have to” is a regular food column about off-beat eats, both good and bad. I picked the name years ago and now we’re sort of stuck with it.
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