Move Over Wings, Wednesdays Are For Burgers!
If you ever heard of Jack’s BBQ, then you know that they know how to barbeque. From their fatty brisket to their billionaire beef bacon, the Seattle BBQ scene has been blessed with Central Texas-style BBQ thanks to Jack Timmons’ amazing team.
Last year, Jack opened his first outside-of-Seattle location in Algona, WA, just off Highway 167, near the Super Mall in Auburn. The space has huge custom-made smokers, averaging 1500 lbs of meat cooked per week - during a freakin pandemic - mind you. The restaurant had its fair share of challenges during the pandemic and statewide shutdown, but if Jack’s BBQ had ninety-nine problems, making Barbeque ain’t one.
To Jazz up the menu, they have introduced two incredibly special burgers as a pop-up menu item made with 100% ground Double R Ranch brisket. The use of brisket in burgers isn’t something new, but you would typically find brisket blends, as in not 100% brisket, mostly due to the cost and richness of the meat itself.
However, Jack’s recipe, created by Vice President of Operations Stew Navarre, makes what I believe to be an ultimate burger patty. I'm talking level OVER 3000 good, yall. They take their meat and season with a signature blend of spices, then ground that perfectly seasoned brisket twice to produce a meaty ground texture that can then be formed into patties ready to be thrown on the flattop for a sizzling sear. I tried to coax the seasoning blend out of Stew, but he didn't fall for my Jedi mind tricks. You'll just have to taste these bad boys to figure it out. Oh, and did I mention these burgers weigh in at about a half-pound?
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As mentioned above, there are two signature burgers that have been added to the Wednesday menu.
The first is the Whatabrisket Burger, which is their twist on the classic texas burger chain. It's topped with a secret sauce (that Stew has yet again created but wouldn't divulge the recipe), lettuce, tomato, onions, and melted American cheese. It looks like the classic, but believe me when I promise you it is BIGGER and BETTER than Whataburger, or any other burger you've tried before. You for sure will get lost in the sauce with this one.
If you love Tex-Mex, then you don't want to sleep on The El Paso Burger. It's Tex-Mex on a bun and comes fully loaded. This burger is stacked with caramelized onions, smoked poblano peppers, sour cream, salsa Rojo, a salad of fresh cilantro, and melted jack cheese. It is topped off with fried pickled jalapenos, which were battered using cornmeal to give it a more unique and crispy texture. Bring a blanket when you go out for this one because you might need to take a nap directly after paying your bill.
And if you didn't think these burgers could get any bigger, you always have the option to add more extras for an additional cost, such as a drool-worthy slice of fatty beef brisket, a formidable pile of pulled pork, or their decedent Billionaire Beef Bacon.
On my recent visit, I tried both burgers and decided to add the bacon and brisket to the What-A-Brisket while keeping the El Paso as-is. I omitted the pulled pork for fear of not being able to finish both burgers, and I hate wasting food. My first bite of the extras-loaded burger was an absolute FLAVOR BOMB. The combination of the brisket patty and fatty brisket was umami overkill but in the best way possible. The bacon’s thick-cut adds a juicy and chewy texture and is everything I want in a bite of bacon, and quite frankly I’d order a plate of that Billionaire Beef Bacon if I could. The Whatabrisket burger's simplicity makes it an ideal canvas for all those meats.
I'm glad I ordered the way I did because the extras would have most certainly been overkill on the El Paso. That burger is perfect how it comes. However, feel free to do you and add whatever you want to on your burger. You only live once, as the kids say.
The Whatabrisket burger is also available at all locations on Wednesdays, while the El Paso burgis only available at their Sodo and Algona restaurants on Wednesdays. If you don't have a preference on location I recommend visiting the Algona location. Its large dining room and outdoor patio provide ample space for social distancing and are perfect for large groups of friends or families. They have a full bar and getting there won't mean suffering from a whole ton of traffic. Their staff is also very friendly and accommodating. If you’re lucky, you even might just meet Jack himself.
Again, these burgers are only available on Wednesdays, and can be ordered in-person, by phone, or online until they are gone, so plan accordingly. Trust me, it’s one burger you won’t regret.