Bottom Line: While not as hot as advertised, the Jalapeno Pepper Jack Cheeseburger from Braum’s is a first-rate fast food burger that pairs perfectly with one of their shakes.
I was just recently in Oklahoma City visiting my son at college and had to stop at a Braum’s while I was there. If you are not familiar with the name, that is an ice cream and dairy store based in Oklahoma that also sells burgers, fries, and other fast food standards. We don’t have one here in San Antonio because Braum’s locations have to be within a 330-mile radius of the processing plant, and we are too far away (the closest one is in Waco).
I have visited Braum’s several times while traveling through north Texas and Oklahoma, and I have learned that they are one of the best places to get a burger and a shake. So while I was there, I got the Jalapeno Pepper Jack Cheeseburger to have an excuse to write about the chain on this site. Here’s what Braum’s has to say about the burger:
Can you say hot and spicy? You will after one bite of Braum’s Jalapeño Pepper Jack Cheeseburger. It’s a 100% pure beef patty, with two large slices of pepper jack cheese, plenty of jalapeños, mayo and all the fresh fixings. It’s served on a sesame seed bun from Braum’s own bakery! Our Jalapeño Pepper Jack Cheeseburger packs just the right amount of punch.
The pattie is thin as you expect from a fast food joint, but it is plenty beefy and takes things to the next level for the drive thru. (They pride themselves in high-quality ingredients.) The melted pepper jack adds good creaminess with just a touch of sharpness, but there is not much kick from the peppers. The lettuce and tomato add some freshness and the pickle adds a bit of tang, and I thought I detected some sweetness there as well. The jalapenos bring some more tang and a nice pop. I forgot to tell them to hold the mayonnaise (which has no business on a burger) and their peppery special sauce would have been a much better option.
The bites with jalapenos brought some heat, but overall this was barely above the Mild heat level and not nearly as spicy as they claim. But that is standard in the drive thru, and this is more about having a great fast food burger. It might have been nice if the pepper jack cheese brought some heat, and if I had subbed mustard or their special sauce for the mayo, that likely would have worked well with those jalapenos to bump up the heat. But even though this is not a particularly hot burger, it ranks as one of the best in the drive thru industry and kicking it up with a little heat is just a nice perk.
And of course, I had to get a chocolate shake to go with burger, made with real ice cream from their dairy farms. (No powdered milkshake mix blended with ice here like you get from some fast food joints! I’m looking at you McDonald’s.) The shake is rich, creamy, and thick with just the right amount of chocolate added and it goes perfectly with that excellent burger. Their crinkle-cut fries are pretty good as well, and the special sauce (which is at the condiment station) is perfect to dip these in.
Calorie-wise, the burger comes in at 640 cals and the small shake tacks on about another 700. But you aren’t going to Braum’s looking for diet food. (Actually, they do have salads on the menu. But trust me, you aren’t going to Braum’s for no salad!) This is just good, old-school fast food burgers and shakes and this is a place to indulge, especially if you don’t have a location near you.
Most Braum’s locations also have a small grocery section where they sell their ice cream and milk and other products with their brand, so you can stop and pick up a few things you might need on the way out. They have locations as far north as Kansas and, as mentioned above, as far south as Waco, TX. But mostly you will find them in north Texas and through Oklahoma. (You can check for locations at their website.) So if you happen to be traveling through that area and you see a Braum’s, stop in for a burger and a shake. You will likely become hooked for life.
Tale of the Tape:
Jalapeno Pepper Jack Cheeseburger
Calories: 640
Fat: 38g (17g Sat/1.5g Trans)
Protein: 37g
Carbs: 38g
Sodium: 1190mg