Skip to content

The Reviews Are In and Chipotle's New Item Has One Major Flaw

While many loved it, others agreed the texture of the meat was an issue.

Chipotle's new Smoked Brisket has been on the menu since last week. And based on the buzz the new item has generated in a matter of days, it seems that America simply couldn't wait to try it.

Chalk it up to our love for the tender cut of beef or to Chipotle's rare menu updates, but the Smoked Brisket is the most talked-about fast-food item in America right now. Many of those who have tried it in Chipotle's burritos, bowls, and tacos, approve of the new protein.

RELATED: Chipotle Is Now Serving This New Long-Awaited Meat Option

However, there are also those who have criticized the chain's efforts on several points. The most common misgiving about the brisket? It's too dry.

Food writers and critics have tended to agree. Paul Kita, a Kansas City Barbecue Society judge, tried his in a burrito and contended the texture of the meat was "all off," and that it was missing one crucial element: "that rich, flavorful fat that butter-ifies every bite."

"Instead of the super-tender, slide-your-teeth-through-it tenderness of competition BBQ brisket, Chipotle's version tasted not tough, but charred and a touch too dry," Kita wrote in a review for Men's Health.

A review in The Takeout agrees with Kita on the dryness. "Unfortunately, the Chipotle brisket does suffer from one key detraction: it's tough and chewy, exactly as I feared," writes Dennis Lee. (However, he notes seeing some fat on his brisket pieces.)

If you still haven't tried or made up your mind about your own final verdict on the fast-casual's latest menu addition, here's an idea: try the brisket in the newly launched Quesabrisket (brisket quesadilla). It'll be on the menus through October.

For more, check out:

And don't forget to sign up for our newsletter to get the latest restaurant news delivered straight to your inbox.

Mura Dominko
Mura is ETNT's Executive Editor, leading the coverage of America's favorite restaurant chains, grocery stores, and viral food moments. Read more about Mura