Yesterday (May 28) was National Brisket Day. I know you all know that, and probably spent hours on the phone telling your brisket you love it, sending it cards, and maybe even inviting it over for dinner and serving it, I don’t know, brisket, perhaps? Regardless, Chipotle definitely wasn’t sitting on their hands this National Brisket Day, as they used the occasion to announce that Smoked Brisket is returning to the menu this fall.
First introduced in September of 2021, Smoked Brisket is a very different sort of protein than your run of the mill chicken or beef at the chain – something Chipotle was (and presumably remains) extremely proud of.
"This isn't your standard brisket experience," said Chris Brandt, Chief Marketing Officer via a press release provided at the time. "We've created a differentiated Smoked Brisket recipe that is authentic to our menu and pairs flawlessly with our real ingredients."
So what is the Smoked Brisket all about? Is Chipotle adding a bunch of smokers out back, slowly cooking the meat over the course of the day before slicing it off, juices dripping everywhere as that soft spiced meat melts in your mouth?
Well, not exactly. But it is made with “responsibly raised beef,” aka beef that knows to pick up its clothes off the floor and wash the dishes after dinner. It’s also been smoked, grill charred, and seasoned with “Mexican spices.” The latter includes fire-roasted jalapeños and chipotle chili peppers. To top things off, literally, the brisket is hand-chopped and slathered with a smoky chili pepper brisket sauce.
So yeah, perhaps note exactly the authentic barbecue brisket you might think of when you hear “smoked brisket,” but more of a Chipotle spin on things.
The protein will return this fall on a date TBA, for a limited time, also TBA. TBA stands for “The Brisket? Alright!” by the way. In case you didn’t know.