Since McDonald’s sells more hamburgers than any other company, it’s no surprise that people are interested in their beef. A long time ago, there was a rumor that McDonald’s bought its burger meat from a mysterious company called 100% Beef. This let them say that their burgers were beef when they weren’t. Others claimed that the burgers were filled out with worm meat (gasp!). Both of these rumors have since been proven false.
Even if the rumors aren’t true, one has to wonder how this huge fast food chain handles its meat. So lets chew the fat in regards to the facts behind the beef on your McDonalds burger.
The McDonald’s hamburger is an American icon – a product so popular and ubiquitous that it has shaped fast food culture worldwide Those famous Golden Arches seem to offer burgers around every corner But what exactly is in those quick-served patties that makes them so craveable?
Let’s unpack what goes into a standard McDonald’s burger patty from the type and cut of beef used to how the patties are prepared.
100% Real Beef…Mostly
The primary ingredient in a McDonald’s hamburger patty is 100% real beef. No fillers, additives, or alternate meat sources according to the company. This beef is sourced from more than 20,000 U.S. farms then processed at major beef suppliers like Cargill and Tyson Foods.
Now, the fine print. While the patties start as 100% beef, cooking them results in a patty that’s 88% beef. The rest is fat that cooks off and water that evaporates. A quarter pound patty loses about an ounce in weight during cooking.
Also, other menu items like breakfast sandwiches contain eggs, cheese, bacon and other ingredients blended with the beef.
Mostly Chuck and Round Cuts
McDonald’s uses primarily chuck and round cuts of beef for its hamburger patties. Chuck comes from the shoulder region of the cow while round cuts are from the rear.
Benefits of these cuts include:
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Tenderness – Chuck especially has marbling that keeps patty moist.
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Lean yet flavorful – Round is very lean yet still juicy.
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Cost – Less expensive than pricier cuts like loin or ribeye.
Using mostly chuck and round keeps costs down while providing a flavorful, tender patty.
Exactly 1⁄4 lb. of Beef
The iconic McDonald’s Quarter Pounder gets its name from using exactly one quarter pound or 4 ounces of 100% beef in each patty.
Some other McDonald’s patty sizes:
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Regular hamburger patty – 1.6 oz cooked weight
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McDouble patty – 2.2 oz cooked
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Big Mac patty – 1.6 oz
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Quarter Pounder – 4.0 oz
Surprisingly, the smaller regular burger and McDouble patties weigh more pre-cooked. Quarter Pounder beef is flash-frozen at the processing facility to preserve juiciness.
Never Frozen, Except When It Is
For years McDonald’s claimed its burgers were made from only freshly, never frozen beef. In 2018 they admitted that wasn’t quite true.
Here’s the reality:
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Meat is flash-frozen for transport from supplier to distribution centers.
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It is then thawed before being delivered to restaurants as “fresh”, unfrozen beef.
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Only Quarter Pounder patties remain frozen until cooking to enhance juiciness.
So while beef is frozen at one point to enable national distribution, it isn’t frozen for long-term storage. The “never-ever frozen” claim was a bit of a stretch.
Why McDonald’s Beef Tastes So Good
A few reasons McDonald’s beef burgers are so craveable:
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Liberal seasoning – The patties are seasoned heavily with salt and pepper.
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High fat content – Chuck and round cuts have sufficient marbling.
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Flattop grilling – Searing on a hot griddle gives the beef a crispy exterior.
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Regional tastes – McDonald’s tailors beef seasoning and cooking practices to local tastes.
Their signature flavor comes from the beef blend itself and time-tested cooking methods. No shortcuts needed.
Preservatives, Fillers, Pink Slime – Myths Debunked
Myths and urban legends around McDonald’s beef patties abound. Let’s examine some common ones:
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Fillers or additives – Not true. Patties contain 100% beef aside from salt and pepper.
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“Pink slime” – Ammonia is used to sanitize beef, but not present in final patties.
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Worm meat – No. Gross and impossible. McDonald’s doesn’t add any non-beef components.
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“100% Beef” supplier – Made up company. McDonald’s buys beef from real major suppliers.
While the legend of mystery ingredients makes for good viral clickbait, McDonald’s beef is free of bizarre additions. Just common cuts of minimally seasoned beef.
Why McDonald’s Uses Less Beef Than You’d Expect
Given its hefty beef consumption, you might be surprised to learn McDonald’s uses:
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0.5% of global beef production – Equal to 1.9 billion pounds of beef per year.
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9th largest beef user globally – Behind entire nations in usage.
That’s still a huge amount of beef. But relative to the wider market, its beef usage is fairly modest. Some reasons why:
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Menu diversity – Items like chicken, fish, breakfast foods reduce beef demand.
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Local supply chains – Most beef is sourced regionally rather than nationally.
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Cooking methods – Patties shrink and lose weight during cooking.
McDonald’s beef intake is minimized through clever cooking practices and sourcing.
The Takeaway – It’s All About the Beef
While myths and exaggerations about McDonald’s hamburgers abound, when you boil it down, they are simply beef patties made from common cuts of minimally seasoned beef.
The humble McDonald’s burger may be the most famous burger on Earth, but at its core it’s still fundamentally just meat and bun. It’s all about quality ingredients, not secrets.
Where’s the beef in a McDonald’s burger?
It only makes sense to start at the beginning and ask where McDonalds beef comes from. According to their website, McDonalds buys its beef from ranchers all over the United States, as well as New Zealand, Australia, and Canada. The fast food giant says that one of those suppliers is Oklahoma City-based Lopez Foods. According to Lopez Foods website, theyve been doing business with the Golden Arches since 1968 and have supplied them with not just beef, but pork and chicken as well.
As for how that beef is processed, Business Insider visited one of McDonalds largest meat processing facilities in Germany and noted the shipments of beef are first checked over to ensure no bones are still nestled within. Its then put through about the biggest meat grinder you could possibly imagine before each patty is shaped by machinery.
After being flash-frozen, the burgers are put into plastic bags and boxes and sent to McDonald’s restaurants.
How McDonald’s HAMBURGER MEAT is MADE | McDonald’s Burger Factory
FAQ
How much real meat is in a McDonald’s hamburger?
Is Mcdonalds cheeseburger 100% beef?
What percentage of beef goes to mcdonalds?
How much beef is in a Big Mac patty?
How much beef is in a McDonald’s Hamburger?
The weight of a McDonald’s hamburger patty before cooking is 4 ounces (113 grams). This means that each hamburger contains approximately 4 ounces of beef. It’s important to note that the fat content in McDonald’s hamburgers must be 20%. This is slightly lower than the maximum of 25% fat allowed in minced beef available in supermarkets.
Does McDonalds use 100% beef in their burgers?
There is rumor that Mcdonalds purchased a meat company called All-Beef. This allows them the ability to still use the term “all beef patties” but use 20% meat and 80% soy product in their burgers. [Collected via e-mail, February 2002] Mcdonalds boast that they use 100% beef in their burgers.
Are McDonald’s burgers made of beef?
McDonald’s claims that every one of their burgers is made with 100% pure beef and cooked and prepared with salt, pepper, and nothing else – no fillers, no additives, no preservatives. Most of the meat used in McDonald’s hamburgers is a ground-up mixture of chuck, sirloin, and round.
How much does a McDonald’s hamburger patty weigh?
The meat patty in a McDonald’s hamburger is made from 100% pure beef and weighs approximately 1.6 ounces (45 grams), making it a standard size for their classic hamburger. In examining the composition of a McDonald’s hamburger, it’s essential to understand the different elements that make up this iconic fast-food item.