If anyone has a serious appetite, Salsa Joe’s in Arlington has some serious beef.
Seriously.
They call it "El Gordo--the Fat One."
With a 5 1/2-pound bun, more than a pound of cheese, and a pound of pickles, it’s the biggest burger available on any menu in Texas.
“It was literally, like, right at 20 pounds,” said Salsa Joe’s owner Jonathan Schiller.
Schiller explained a group called Everything’s Bigger in Texas gave him the idea for a record-breaking burger.
"I was just like, 'Yeah, let’s just do this,'" he said.
"You know how we do food in Texas," said Rick McNeely from Everything’s Bigger in Texas. "Something’s going to have to match our culture and be something big.”
It’s now part of the regular menu, but it takes a day or two to make, so Schiller says they need at least a day’s notice.
“I can’t just go whip one up on a Tuesday morning,” he laughed.
Of course, someone will likely try to make an even bigger burger, but Schiller says he’ll be ready.
“If I have to make a bigger one to beat somebody else, then I’ll just have to make that happen” he explained. “I’ve already got plans on how I’m going to do that.”
This isn’t one of those gimmicks to give away a free, giant burger. Schiller said the 20-pounder isn’t part of any sort of challenge or award, so he recommends bringing a group of friends for anyone who wants to try it.
However, he is planning to make a much “smaller” 10-pound burger that customers can get for free if they can finish the entire thing by themselves.