With the introduction of their new Memphis BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich, Burger King now has their own McRib. Actually, to be more accurate, Burger King now has their own limited time only pork sandwich slathered with sauce that’s kind of scary looking when you pull back the bun.
BK’s pulled pork sandwich brings together pulled pork, Memphis BBQ sauce, sliced onions, and a sweet southern sauce on a toasted artisan-style bun.
To be honest, I’ve never experienced Memphis barbecue because I’ve never been to the great state of…(double-checking on Wikipedia) Tennessee. So my digestive system hasn’t had the pleasure of eating at fine Memphis BBQ establishments like…(checks Google) Central, Neely’s, Corky’s, Payne’s, The Bar-B-Q Shop, and the G’town Commissary. Since my taste buds have never tasted Memphis barbecue, I can’t determine how offended Memphians (I hope that’s correct) should be or if they should feel offended at all.
As you can see in the photo above, the BK Memphis BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich comes with a lot of pulled pork. Although, the pulled pork looks more like finely shredded pork. Perhaps, too finely shredded, because when I pulled back the artisan-style bun, the amalgamation of pork looked like clumped wet cat hair. So if you purchase this sandwich, DO NOT TAKE IT APART! Also, DO NOT LOOK AT THE SANDWICH WHILE EATING IT OR ELSE YOU WILL SEE THIS:
I know fast food in promotional photos never look like that in real life, but there was a major difference between BK’s photos of the sandwich and what mine looked like. While the beautifully photographed sandwich had pulled pork drenched in sauce, my pulled pork was just topped with sauce.
Because the pork wasn’t soaked in sauce, I noticed the pork was a bit dry and with some bites it was slightly tough. It had a mild pork flavor that doesn’t get completely overwhelmed by the sauces.
Wait. Now that I think about it, maybe it’s good the pork wasn’t drenched in sauce because the two sauces that top this sandwich made it extremely messy. I think I used three napkins to clean my hands. The BBQ sauce had a wonderful sweet and smoky flavor. Because there’s no spiciness to it, it’s slightly different from the usual barbecue sauce BK uses. The sweet southern sauce was also tasty, although its pastel yellow color looked a little weird. It gave the sandwich a little tanginess. The onions added crunch and complemented the pork and two sauces.
Even though it’s probably not comparable to a pulled pork sandwich from a Memphis barbecue joint and the pork is a little dry and looks like clumped wet cat hair, I think the Burger King Memphis BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich is surprisingly decent, thanks to the two sauces. It’s also on the smallish side, but I think it’s a better tasting pork sandwich than the McDonald’s McRib*.
*I don’t really care for the McRib.
(Nutrition Facts – 1 sandwich – 470 calories, 140 calories from fat, 16 grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 80 milligrams of cholesterol, 1,420 milligrams of sodium, 61 grams of carbohydrates, 1 grams of fiber, 29 grams of sugar, and 27 grams of protein.)
Other Memphis BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich reviews:
Grub Grade
Item: Burger King Memphis BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich
Purchased Price: $4.99 (sandwich only)*
Size: N/A
Purchased at: Burger King
Rating: 6 out of 10
Pros: Surprisingly decent. Tasty sauces. Lots of pulled pork. Onions were a nice addition. Bun held together despite absorbing lots of sauce.
Cons: On the smallish side. Pork not drenched in sauce. Pork looks like clumped wet cat hair. Hella messy. Sweet southern sauce has a weird yellow color. McRib.
*Prices will vary. I will pay more than most of you because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.