Arby’s Big Game Burger Contains Elk, Venison, and a Cry for Attention
MAN, IT'S A tough time to be a burger right now.
First there was the whole plant-based burger craze, which—if Beyond Meat's flatlined stock valuations are any indication—might be drawing to a close. Then came the smash-burger craze, which—judging by bar menus across the country and Beyond's desperate urge to stay relevant—we're still going through.
So if you're like me, the kind of burger lover who just wants a normal, juicy, full-flavored, real-meat, medium-rare-done, un-smashed patty topped with nothing more than some mayo, a few pickles, and some LTO, you're kind of out of luck.
Because Big Fast Food seems to be over-correcting for plant-based pandemic mania, entering a world where beef patties are topped with white truffle or jalapeños two-ways or, fuck it, nachos.
Let's call these burgers what they are: Thirst Burgers.
Like your Mark Consuelos or Ricky Martin, but of the burger world, these fast food menu items are here to tempt you into thinking of something you haven't thought of in a while. Burgers that try too hard. Burgers in need of attention.
And, right now, I would argue that there is no Thirst Burger thirstier than Arby's Big Game burger, a combination of game meat, onion rings, cheese, pickles, and a sweet cherry sauce. The burger even has a whole marketing campaign that's sending people on a hike in the Colorado Rockies for some reason and merchandise (socks! hats! anorak jackets!) and water bottles because why the hell not and is the burger even any good?
Here's the full review.
What is an Arby's Big Game Burger?
The limited-time-only Big Game Burger (available nationwide starting September 12, 2023) is "an elevated, innovative twist on the traditional burger and shows off Arby’s meat expertise," according to Arby's press materials.
More specifically (because what does that even mean?): It's "a blend of venison, elk and ground beef topped with crispy onions, tangy pickles, melty Swiss cheese and a dark cherry steak sauce," Arby's also says.
And even more specifically, the burger patty contains 34 percent venison, 33 percent elk, and 33 percent ground beef and it's all served on a brioche roll.
What are the ingredients in an Arby's Big Game Burger?
Not entirely sure.
Beyond what Arby's lists in press release, there's not a full ingredients list available even on the "Ingredients & Allergens" section of the menu item on the website. This is often the case with fast food limited time offers, which the Big Game Burger is.
What is the nutrition of an Arby's Big Game Burger?
Arby's has divulged this.
From its website, per burger: 718 calories, 48 grams (g) protein, 52g carbohydrates (3g fiber, 15g sugar), 35g fat
Protein-wise, the Big Game Burger is strong—way above the 30 grams of protein our nutrition advisors and research has long recommended to encourage muscle building and promote satiety.
Calorie-wise, its in-line with what the active male should eat at mealtime for their daily caloric goals.
Carbohydrate-wise, there are only three grams of fiber in this burger (we recommend at least 10 at mealtime), and then 15 grams of sugar coming from the brioche bun and dark cherry steak sauce. For comparison, that's roughly the sugar equivalent of three Oreo cookies.
Fat-wise its nothing too wild (heh) and also fat fat is fat.
How much is an Arby's Big Game Burger?
"Starting at $8.79," according to press materials.
More like Big Money Burger, am I right?
What does the Arby's Big Game Burger taste like?
Let's do this in two parts: the burger patty and everything surrounding the burger patty.
The burger patty itself is actually really delicious. It's substantive and just about an inch thick—an inverse of too-thin smash-burgers spatula-flattened on the griddle. It's flavorful, too, in a way that all those protein facsimiles tried so damn hard to recreate: It's wonderfully, beautifully, deeply meaty.
If we lived in a fast food universe where Arby's could cook their burgers medium-rare, this patty would be juicier and more tender and it would be Thor. Instead the meat is a little dry, and a little chewy, but otherwise kind of great.
But then there's everything surrounding the burger patty. The Swiss cheese is that member of a boy band who everyone forgets the name of. The onion rings give a little bite and the pickles are pickles, but the cherry steak sauce is too sweet and syrupy and kind of ruins things.
If you love your burger patties deeply meaty but everything else way too sweet (?) then Arby's Big Game Burger is for you!
The Bottom Line
The Arby's Big Game Burger is a valiant attempt to reclaim novelty meat-based burgers on fast food menus. It's not atrocious in terms of nutrition, and the protein count is high, and the patty satisfies. It's just unnecessarily sugary and a little much—like most thirst traps tend to be.
If I were to have another of these again, I'd ask for mayo instead of the cherry steak sauce, swap in thinly sliced raw onion for the fried ones, skip the Swiss, keep the pickle, and add LTO.
I know doing all that would no longer make it a Big Game Burger, but who needs to go big when it comes to burgers, anyway?
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