I have seen it on commercials for weeks now and I have wanted desperately to try it. Arby's rarely disappoints me. It's usually very solid. Well, today my dream finally came to fruition. After enjoying the sweet thrill of victory as the Bengals (WHO DEY) defeated the Lions with a field goal as time expired, the Arby's Smokehouse Brisket at long last made its way into my belly. It appeared on TV to have all the makings of a great sandwich, promising to be both filling and full of flavor. What did I find?
To really understand a sandwich, you must get to know the sandwich, right? Let's start first with Arby's description, which is pulled straight from
their official website:
It’s slow smoked for 13 long hours. Which proves we’re pretty passionate about brisket. Arby’s Smokehouse Brisket is piled high with slow-smoked beef brisket, topped with smoked Gouda cheese, crispy onions, BBQ sauce and mayo, and served on a toasted, bakery-style bun.
I must admit, I have no clue if this was really smoked for 13 hours, but the sandwich did indeed have all of the promised toppings, though the construction looked nothing like it's official headshot. Just compare the shots I took with the one below.
I'll give it a pass though because really, what sandwich ever looks like the one on TV or in print? I was a little hesitant about the onion rings and Gouda cheese which crowned the brisket, and nearly requested they be left off, but how could I truly review the sandwich without giving it a chance at full strength. Plus Justin would be uspet if I didn't. For the record, I did make it a meal with curly fries and a refreshing Sierra Mist. They were delicious as usual.
As far as taste goes, it didn't taste bad, but it didn't taste great either. It was just okay. I was disappointed. The bun was certainly good and I did like it. The BBQ sauce was good enough, but I did find having mayo also on the sandwich to be a bit odd. I couldn't really taste it anyways though. The onion rings and Gouda cheese in the end had no noticeable affect on the flavor of the sandwich in my opinion either.
Now to the real meat of the issue and, yes, the pun is certainly intended; the main event on this sandwich is obviously the brisket. As I said, it was okay, but it really had all the makings of a classic Bill Belichick press conference. That is to say it was rather dry and less than satisfying. In the end, I wound up dousing each of the last few bites with Arby's sauce because I did not find the brisket itself to be all that appealing. My wife agreed. She also ordered two Jr Ham & Cheddar sandwiches and only ate one. I gladly devoured the second one. Score! Also on the bright side, I did have one packet of Arby's sauce left over which I fully intend to use as a condiment on a lunch sandwich to be named later. I'm pretty pumped about that.
Overall, I would say that this sandwich is worth trying just to say you tried it, if you are the type of person who likes to try new things at fast food restaurants. However, if you're in Arby's thinking, "Oh, a quick, tasty brisket sandwich" I'd suggest going elsewhere or at the very least lowering your expectations far below sea level. Just stick with the classic Beef 'n Cheddar or if you want my real recommendation, go with the Angus Three Cheese & Bacon sandwich. It is a solid go-to on the Arby's roster any day of the week.
Final score on the Arby's Smokehouse Brisket: Meh. I'm not inclined to order it again.
