Does Arby’s Roast Beef Really Come in a Paste?

Arby’s roast beef sandwiches are a popular menu item at the fast food chain. But rumors have circulated for years that the “roast beef” is not actually real sliced beef but rather a meat-flavored paste gel or liquid that is shaped to look like roast beef before being cooked. As an Arby’s fan myself, I was curious about the truth behind this urban legend.

I did some digging online to try to verify if Arby’s meat comes in a paste or liquid form Here’s what I found out

The Rumors About “Liquid Meat”

A lot of people on forums and social media say they’ve heard that Arby’s roast beef comes in as a paste, powder, or liquid and is then turned into slices of roast beef in some way.

According to some posters who used to work at Arby’s, the meat was packed in huge plastic bags that were full of a gray liquor. Some people say that a friend of a friend who worked there saw bags of meat paste being opened in the kitchen.

Some people also say that Arby’s meat is made from a mix of chemicals and additives that make it taste like real meat. Essentially, some believe it’s a fake meat made from liquid.

Arby’s Response – It’s Real Roast Beef

However, Arby’s asserts that their roast beef is 100% real beef, no liquids or pastes involved.

On their website’s FAQ page, and in statements to fact-checking sites like Snopes.com, Arby’s insists their roast beef sandwiches contain only beef and a small amount of water in the packaging to keep the meat moist during cooking.

Arby’s states that the raw roast beef arrives at restaurants in airtight plastic bags, which likely causes the confusion. In the sealed bags, the beef sits in its own juices, so it may appear grayish and gelatinous. But it’s not a paste, powder or liquefied meat product.

Employees then season and roast the meat for 3 hours before slicing and serving. Arby’s is adamant their sandwiches are made from real cuts of beef, not any kind of liquid or paste.

Inside Info from Arby’s Employees

To help get to the bottom of this, I turned to Reddit, where a forum poster asked “Does Arby’s meat come in a liquid or gel form when shipped to the store?”

Dozens of commenters claiming to be Arby’s employees weighed in, confirming Arby’s version of events. The overall consensus was that the roast beef arrives in plastic bags soaked in broth or juices, but is still very much solid meat.

One poster said “I worked there as a young teen. It was a solid hunk of meat that we would stick on these long metal skewer things before oven roasting.”

Another commented “I worked at Arby’s slicing meat for about a year. It’s one solid piece of meat.”

Based on Arby’s statements and confirmation from people claiming to be employees, the roast beef does not arrive or get stored as a paste, gel or liquid. It arrives in solid form, albeit slippery and soaked in its own juices and broth from the packaging.

Why Does This Rumor Persist?

With Arby’s and its employees vehemently denying the roast beef is a liquid or paste, why does this rumor continue to spread?

A few reasons seem likely:

• The beef arriving in bags of broth and juices leads to assumptions it’s a liquid or paste.

• The meat can look grayish and unappetizing before cooking.

• People love a good urban legend about what’s “really” in fast food.

• Some employees may have mistakenly thought the juice-soaked beef was a meat paste.

• Rival fast food chains could be spreading rumors to hurt Arby’s image.

The Verdict on Arby’s “Liquid Meat”

After researching this extensively, I’m convinced Arby’s roast beef is real beef and not any kind of paste or liquefied meat, based on:

• Statements from Arby’s representatives.

• Confirmation from numerous apparent employees on Reddit.

• Lack of strong evidence for powdered or liquid meat sources.

• The implausibility of a major chain using fake pasted or liquefied meat.

While the pre-cooked roast beef may look unappealing, Arby’s has persuaded me it’s just good old fashioned solid beef. The liquid meat rumors seem unsupported by facts.

I’m no Arby’s shill, and some may still have doubts. But in my opinion, the stories of paste or liquid meat are likely just unappetizing urban legends with no basis in reality. Arby’s roast beef looks much better once it’s been slow-roasted for hours anyway!

So next time you bite into an Arby’s sandwich, rest assured you’re almost certainly eating actual roasted beef, not any weird meat substitute made from powders or gels. The “liquid meat” rumors just don’t hold water in my eyes.

What do you think – is Arby’s roast beef the real deal or some kind of fake meat? I’d love to hear your thoughts! Leave a comment with your Arby’s experiences or opinions on this controversial topic.