Wednesday, April 10, 2013

I ATE THE ARBY'S SMOKEHOUSE SANDWICH SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO

So this irresistible commercial came on the tv the other day about a new brisket sandwich that is slow smoked with hickory for 16 hours.

Who am I to turn down 16 hour hickory smoked meat?

So I jump in the truck and get ready to make the long 2 minute drive to the nearest Arby's.

[SCREECHING TIRES SOUND EFFECTS]

 Did I really just say I went to Arby's to eat meat that had been smoked for 16 hours? Yep. I sure did. I ate the whole thing so you don't have to. Well, unless you just want to.

According to the commercial for the Smoke House Brisket Sandwich. Arby's smokes every brisket with hickory for 16 hours. As if 16 hours is some kind of magical number to make moist and succulent brisket.

They even have the BBQ expert who says "That's longer than I smoke my meat."

Of course those of us in the know. Know that brisket is done when it is done. So I'm going to call shenanigans on this so called BBQ expert. I also didn't see a smoker nor smell any hickory at this Arby's

I pulled up to the menu board and ordered my sandwich. I didn't need any sides or any of that other monkey business. I was there to get that magnificent 16 hour smoked sandwich you see on the menu board below.

The young man working the drive-thru window asked if I had tried the Smoke House Brisket Sandwich and when I told him no he gave it very high praise.

Boy oh boy! After that picture and the thumbs up from the enthusiastic employee I couldn't wait to get home and take a bite out of 16 hours of smoky goodness!
Even the bag my Smoke House Brisket Sandwich came in offered up encouraging words about the magnificent sandwich I was about to consume.

So I get home and remove my Smoke House Brisket Sandwich from the bag. My taste buds quivering in anticipation of the first bite of this magnificent 16 hour hickory smoked sandwich.
When you open the box you get......... Well....uhm..... Yeah, it's not so magnificent looking in person.

You remember how you felt on Christmas morning when you thought the box that had a cool remote control car in it turned out to be clothes? No? That never happened to you?

Well I didn't quite feel that level of disappointment but I have to say I was a little... well, a lot, underwhelmed.
At this point I'm hoping that after I eat this sandwich. It will safely pass through my digestive system and do what the above sign says without any kind of spectacularly explosive projectile display.

So I take the first bite and.......... Well, for a sandwich...... it wasn't half bad!

I thought it was better than one of Arby's roast beef sandwiches and if I was in the mood for fast food. I'd eat it again. Despite the false advertising on the menu board.

So maybe Arby's is on to something with this magical 16 hour hickory smoking thing..... Or maybe this is my late April Fools joke since I spared all of you the obligatory "I'm turning vegan" joke on April Fools Day.

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18 comments:

  1. I almost tried one today but instead, got my usual French Dip n' Swiss.

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  2. I tried one at Balboa Park & it was to die for..........I mean REALLY! Although, I was one of the paid actors. I do much better bbq than Arby's can ever do. 16 hrs? Maybe with liquid smoke......YUK!

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  3. I had one today and asked that it be put on a sesame sead bun.
    It was excellent!

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    Susan Shank

    Westlake Ace Hardware

    sshank@mprg.biz

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the offer but I'm going to have to decline. I'm not doing this to get free stuff

      I am a regular customer of Westlake Ace Hardware and I can't walk through one without passing through the smoking/grilling section and checking things out.

      Delete
    2. Guess SUSAN likes to SPAM other peoples web sites.

      Delete
  5. Do you think Arby's starts with raw beef for any of their sandwiches?? C' mon use your noodle! their beef brisket is smoked at a facility then packed and shipped at each store. They reheat it on the line. Arbys is not a BBQ joint it's a fast food restaurant.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. No.... I'm guessing you skipped over the part where I mentioned April Fools?

      Delete
  6. Just had one today and it was delicious!!!! I will be going back for this !

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  7. I tried one and I was disappointed. The entire thing was cold and I expected a warm sandwhich. At over $5 I expected more to the sandwhich. The onion strings were not crispy and were cold. The bacon was way undercooked - raw almost - and when I asked for better bacon they brought me some in their bare hands and tried to make excuses. What they should have done was make me a new sandwhich. There was not much brisket on the sandwhich. The cheese was good. The mayo is unnecessary. The bbq sause wasn't enough and when I asked for more they gave me a packet of the bbq they hand out with chicken nuggets. Not worth over $5 and a disappointment. My suggestion - pass on this and get the regular beef sandwhiches that they offer. Combo meal will run you $7+ and for that I can go to a regular restaurant.

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  8. I just finished one and it was( IMO) very good. I eat regular Arby's roast beef wiches occasionally, now I think I'll order the brisket exclusively. I was not expecting much, but I got a pleasant surprise. Mine was actually quite tasty. Is $5 too much to pay for this...just a bit...but I don't feel it's way out of line. Helicopter Ben’s “New Bucks” don’t buy much anywhere... anymore.

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  9. OMG! I am so sick of you whiners "oh I opened the box and it didn't look like the picture" "it was 5 inches shorter than advertised" what the hell?? There ain't anything you buy that looks as good or tastes as good as the advertising! We'll except maybe cars. grin... you don't like it? take up the Ace hardware lady on her offer and smoke your own!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm guessing you missed the April Fools part too

      Delete
  10. I really enjoy this sandwich! I'm glad that it is given some credit on this post, because for an Arby's sandwich it can hold it's own against legitimate BBQ joints sandwiches.

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  11. Go to the Rib Crib and get the chopped brisket sandwich, thats a true smoked brisket

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  12. I'm confused by this review. Was it good or not? Reference to April's Fool??

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  13. This is one for the First Report Trust Factor Series. It's all about sandwiches in the U.S. For an overview of the ten Trust Factors, see this post.


    Arby’s Feedback Survey

    ReplyDelete

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