Review: Ghost Pepper Whopper from Burger King

Bottom Line: The Ghost Pepper Whopper from Burger King is a darn good fast food burger that really brings the heat.

I have been reviewing a lot of fast food lately, more than I would prefer and more than my beltline needs. But those establishments have been putting out quite a few spicy options lately, and they tend to disappear pretty quickly (a dubious marketing ploy on the part of some). A lot of these are chicken-related because poultry tends to go well with spice. But Burger King decided to try something different and amp up the heat on its Whopper, and the new Ghost Pepper version is definitely something that fans of spicy food will want to seek out.

According to Burger King’s website, the Ghost Pepper Whopper is made up of the following: “¼ lb. flame-grilled beef patty, melty Ghost Pepper cheese, bacon, crispy jalapeños, and queso sauce all on a toasted orange and black sesame seed bun”. They also make sure to include the disclaimer: “while supplies last”.

Burger King is not one of my go-to fast food places as I am more of a McDonalds guy. But the King still has plenty to offer and I acknowledge that the Whopper is a fast food classic. Some might prefer that they don’t mess with perfection, but BK has been putting out Whopper variants for years, and the latest would become a standard menu item if I had my say.

The Ghost Pepper version delivers the standard flame-grilled goodness, though without the lettuce and tomatoes. The crispy jalapeno strips stay crisp and add some nice texture. The bacon adds some smokiness and it actually holds its crunch, though it is heavy on the salty side. The Ghost Pepper cheese is basically American cheese with added spice and it brings the expected creaminess though it adds to the saltiness as well. The queso tasted more like a mayo-based sauce, and it delivers a bit of a tang. It’s a good combination of ingredients, but as you may have noticed from my comments, overly heavy on the salt. Perhaps the lettuce and tomato would have provided a nice counterbalance to that, and I am sure they will add those if you ask. The orange bun is just weird (it’s supposed to look like a pumpkin for Halloween or something?), but it does not detract from the experience.

But nevermind my nitpicks, because this is still a good burger and it delivers on what you are expecting: The heat! You feel the burn right away as it starts at Medium level only to go up from there. After a few bites, my mouth was definitely smouldering as it started to approach the Hot heat level.  My assumption is that the heat comes mostly from the cheese with maybe a slight boost from the crispy jalapeno strips as well. Be sure to have a drink close by to temper the fire, and maybe eating and driving is not advised with this one. The Ghost Pepper Whopper counts as one of the hottest things I have gotten from a major chain, and I plan on making another trip to the drive thru before they run out of these.

Calorie-wise this comes in at 750 cals. That’s not terrible for a drive thru item, but if you add a medium order of fries you are over a thousand cals and needing to consider a salad for your next meal. You might be better off getting the jalapeno cheddar bites as your side which are only 171 calories and pretty darn good (though not too spicy). The burger will set you back $6.49 and you can bump that up to around nine to ten bucks for a combo depending on whether you get small or medium.

This is a Halloween special, so don’t expect it to stick around long after the kids are done Trick or Treating (even though it should). And don’t be surprised if some marketing genius that BK hired over from Taco Bell has worked it out that they run out of supplies sooner than that. For that reason, go get one while you can. This is a good fast food burger (even if it is bit heavy on the salt, 1510mgs worth!) and it definitely brings the heat. And hopefully they will keep that Ghost Pepper cheese and crispy jalapeno strips in stock to add to their next spicy menu offering.

Tale of the Tape

Calories: 750
Fat: 44g (17g Sat/1g Trans)
Protein: 38g
Carbs: 51g
Sodium: 1510mg